MALA GANGULY, Virtuoso Vocalist
To read Photo Caption, please hold your cursor over Photo.Mala Ganguly is a North Indian Virtuoso Vocalist, Music Director, Composer, SAG Actress, Visual Artist, Educator, Founder of the Ragmala Music Ensemble, and the Founder-President of the Surmala Music Foundation.
Contact MALA GANGULY
Cell: (626) 482-6080Email: [email protected]
MALA GANGULY'S PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
Pioneering the usage of Indian Classical Music in mainstream American commercials, Mala Ganguly, as a professional touring and recording concert artist, performs regularly throughout North America. She is highly acclaimed within and without the Indian communities for her golden "mellifluous" voice, virtuosity, & spontaneous vocal improvisations.Her remarkable live performances give her audiences an inspired and impassioned experience of the heart and soul of the Classical and Semi-Classical styles of North Indian vocal music. She has been described as the "Darling of Portland", "The Nightingale of California", and the "Melody Queen of Los Angeles".
Mala Ganguly, was born of a musical family in Kolkata, Bengal, India, and began her first music instruction at the age of 5. Later, she was trained in Classical North Indian vocal by Pundit A. T. Kanan and Professor Amiya Ranjan Banerjee of the Bishnupur Gharana. She learned light music from great vocalists and music directors in Kolkata, such as Himaghna Roy Chaudhury, Sudhin Das Gupta, Satinath Mukherjee, and Hemant Kumar.
Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, the world renowned sarodist, founder, and president of the Ali Akbar College of Music in San Francisco, has stated, "…Mala Ganguly is a highly accomplished vocalist as well as a skilled teacher of Indian music, whose work and artistry has received much appreciation from both the Indian and non-Indian communities." She gives lecture demonstrations at colleges and universities, and performs worldwide.
Widely acclaimed for her extraordinary vocal skill, Mala Ganguly is especially appreciated for her sweet timbre, flexibility, spontaneous complex vocal improvisations, and technical virtuosity. She works regularly with composers in jingles, voice-overs, film overlays, and fusion music. She composes, performs and tours with several professional Indian dance companies, both North and South. She is one of the most versatile of Indian vocalists, and her vast repertoire includes Light North Indian Classical Ghazals, Thumries, Bhajans, Geets, and Qwwalis (devotional songs of India). She sings in Bengali, Urdoo, Punjabi, Hindi, Oriya, & English. She is the founder, music director, composer-in-residence, and virtuoso vocalist of the Ragamala Music Ensemble, which presented the world premier of her new raga, Malaranjani.
Contributing to the performing arts on stage, for radio, and television, Mala Ganguly has sung as a playback singer in Indian (Bengali) films under the direction of the late Hemant Kumar. She has sung on All India Radio, KPFK - Los Angeles, and for film voice-overs. She sang for the movie, "The Man from Elysian Field" starring Andy Garcia and also for the movie trailer for the European release of "The Perfect Murder", with Michael Douglas. She sang for Kenny Logan for the Walt Disney's European version of the feature film, "Jungle Book", and has lent her inspirational voice for the angel dream sequences in the film, "Christmas Box", starring Maureen O'Hara and Richard Thomas. Her captivating voice has been heard throughout America in television commercials for Ameritrade, Kenwood, and the 1995 award-winning Nike commercial. She participated in Will Smith's 1998 MTV Music Award Winning Best Rap Video, "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It", as a dance performer. As a SAG actress, Mala Ganguly's talents were utilized in EBAY's 2005 national commerical. Recordings are available on compact discs.
In 2007 Mala Ganguly was honored to be included in the Ali Akbar College of Music, founded by legendary sarodist, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, "The First Forty Years 1967-2007" Commemorative Historical Publication.
Mala Ganguly has received many awards, and is a member of several distinguished professional associations. As a Visual Artist, Mala Ganguly holds a B.A. in Art and although her commissioned paintings are the property of private collectors, many of her original paintings, composites, and art work are exhibited regularly.
LIVE PERFORMANCES & VENUES
Mala Ganguly is an international concert artist & performs regularly throughout North America and abroad. She was honored to perform and/or participate in the following:2008: "Music at the Los Angeles Zoo", World Music Night - Featured Artist2008: The Surmala Music Foundation, First Annual Fundraising Event, "Devotional Songs of India" - Featured Artist & Student Workshop Director2004-2006: The Music Circle - Featured Artist2004: KPFK's Global Village Radio Program - Guest Artist80th Birthday Celebration of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan in San Rafael"Sounds of L.A." at the J. Paul Getty Museum"Grand Performances" at the California Plaza - Ragmala Music Ensemble Director & SoloistWorld Music performances in New York CityThe Los Angeles India FestivalThe House of Blues - Guest Artist125th birthday celebration of the late Ustad Alauddin KhanRADIO, TV, & FEATURE FILMS
Mala Ganguly has sung for American and Bengali films, TV & Radio Commercials, on All India Radio; Jingles; & East/West Fusion Music. Professional uses of her voice have included award-winning commercials and films. A partial list includes:2004: KPFK's Global Village Radio Program - Guest Artist1995: Award-winning Nike Commercial"Dream Sequences" of the "Christmas Box", a feature film starring Richard Thomas, Maureen O'Hara, & Annette O'Toole"The Man from Elysian Fields", a feature film starring Andy Garcia & Mick JaggerSCREEN ACTORS GUILD
2005 Ebay Commercial, as an Actress1998 Will Smith's MTV Music Award Winning Best Rap Video, "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It", as a Solo Indian Dance PerformerRECORDINGS & CDS
Recordings and CD's produced by Mala Ganguly include:"Guildasta""Musings" - Devotional Songs of India, Sung in Hindi"Songs to My Divine Mother" - Bengali Songs to Ma Kali"Reminiscence""IN MEMORIAM: Oriya Devotional Songs"Mala Ganguly was made an honorary member of the Lord Jagannath Society of the Americas for her "IN MEMORIAM" CD, which was dedicated to the memory of the Oriya cyclone victims.COLLABORATIONS
Announcing New Releases: "Bhajan Beats" by Mala Ganguly and "Prana - Healing Tones for Life" by Mala Ganguly and David Vito Gregoli
"Hara Shiva Shankara" from "Mala Ganguly - Bhajan Beats" CD, produced by David Vito Gregoli for Dharmapala Records, can be heard in the MySpace player. Please go to www.myspace.com/davidvgregoli for more information about the Producer and label, as or www.DharmapalaRecords.com to hear samples for both CDs .
In addition to the above recordings, you can hear Mala Ganguly's voice on:
"For Absent Friends", "Clueless", "Nicer Shades" from "NEW WORLD JAZZ ORDER", by Dharma Buds. Go to www.myspace.com/dharmabuds to listen to all of the selections from this CD and to obtain more information about it.
"Gopal" from "BEGGARS & SAINTS", "Govinda" from "MONKEY" by Jai Uttal
"Diving Pastime" and "Yoga of Sound" (Based on Raag Durga) from "SHRI DURGA", by DJ Cheb I Sabbah
MULTI-TALENTED ARTIST & PAINTERTHE GALLERY
Original Art & Paintings by Mala Ganguly
For larger view, click on Picture. When finished viewing, click "Back to Profile".Mala Ganguly holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art from California State University. Her inspired art work often reflects a unique style, influenced by her East Indian heritage.EXHIBITIONS & ART FESTIVALS
The 2007 International Festival of Harmony - Laguna Beach Arts Festival:Guest Performer-Solo Vocalist: Light Classical North Indian RagasExhibition Artist: Original Paintings, Composites, & Art Work, including "Hawaiian Sunset", "Agape", "Lord Jagannath", "Saint Meera", "Ma Durga", and other recently-created (signed) original works.2004: Monrovia Arts Festival, Exhibiting Artist1990-2003: Various Exhibitions in Los Angeles and San Francisco
CD COVERS
Several of Mala Ganguly's paintings may be viewed on her CD covers. These include:"Indian Dancer" - an original miniature painting used for "Mala Ganguly - Bhajan Beats" CD cover, produced by David Vito Gregoli for Dharmapala Records, which can be viewed on this site.
"Saint Meera" - an original miniature painting featured on her "MUSINGS" CD cover, and can be viewed on this site.
"Lord Jagannath" a composite painting
"Ma Kali" - an original composite painting featured on "Songs to My Divine Mother" CD cover featured on this site.
AWARDS, HONORS, & SPECIAL RECOGNITION
2007 - Ali Akbar College of Music "The First Forty Years 1967-2007" Commemorative History Publication: Guest Performer - Vocalist2007 - Recipient of the International Festival of Harmony Award : "In Appreciation for Her Outstanding Contribution to South Asian Art & Culture"
1999 - Honorary Membership in Jagannaath Society of the Americas: for Mala Ganguly's Oriya CD, "IN MEMORIAM", which was produced to benefit the 1998 Oriya cyclone victims
1997 - Bengali Association of Southern California: Twenty Year Service Award
1995 - Award-winning Nike Commercial: Background Vocals
1986 - Gujarati Association of Los Angeles:Honorary Lifetime Membership
FOUNDATION PRESIDENT, EDUCATOR & MUSIC DIRECTORSurmala Music Foundation, "Furthering the Fine Arts of North India" - Founder, President, & Educator
Ragmala Music Ensemble - Founder, Composer in Residence, & Soloist
THE SURMALA MUSIC FOUNDATION
"DEVOTIONAL MUSIC OF INDIA", The Surmala Music Foundation First Annual Fundraising Event, Presented by Mala Ganguly on May 31, 2008
Mala Ganguly held her first funraising event for the Surmala Music Foundation on May 31, 2008 at the Radha Krishna Temple in Norwalk, California. The program began with Malaji's performances of several beautifully rendered inspirational bhajans.After Aarti, friend, David Joyce of Dharma Buds read a congratulatory letter from Harihar Rao, Director of the Music Circle (who contributed a generous donation to the Surmala Music Foundation), and a tribute to Malaji's Surmala Music Foundation, written by one of her students.
Long time friend and colleague, Anjani Ambegaokar (acclaimed Kathak Dancer/Choreogpraher and member of the Radha Krishna Temple) spontaneously performed an Invocation to Lord Ganesh, to Malaji's Bhajan.
Malaji presented her students in a Student Workshop, prior to a performance by The Kedia Brothers, the Sarod & Sitar Duet from India, who were guest artists. The evening concluded with group chanting. Jyotiprakash provided tabla accompaniment for everyone.
David Joyce and David Vito Gregoli of Dharmapala Records provided audio support, and also made available for the first time the CD: "Mala Ganguly - Bhajan Beats".
Dinner followed and was lovingly provided by some of Malaji's students. It was a wonderful evening, and special thanks to all who contributed and helped to make it such a success.