Born in a family with a rich musical heritage, Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam started her training in Carnatic Music at the age of five. Her keen sense in grasping musical nuances was evident from a young age. A captivating, melodious and rich voice, good control on rhythm, diction and bhava have earned her noteworthy attention in the music field.
Appearing in her first concert at the age of twelve, Vijayalakshmy has an impressive record of performance with several concerts in India and abroad. In Chennai, she has given concerts for all the well-known Music institutions. She has participated in the Swati Tirunal Sangeetolsavam organised by the Kerala Sangeet Natak Academy in 2002.
Vijayalakshmy has performed at the prestigious Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana Festival in 2009 and 2006 and has given a number of concerts in various places in the United States of America. She has also performed at many places in France and the UK including the Nehru Centre, London.She has travelled widely and given concerts in Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, France, United Arab Emirates, Germany and Switzerland. She participated in the Asia Pacific Music Festival in New Zealand in 1992. She has conducted workshops in Carnatic Music in New Zealand, France, Germany and Switzerland.
The KI Tropentheater, Amsterdam, invited Vijayalakshmy for a series of programmes in Belgium and Holland in January 2005. Vijayalakshmy was invited to present a paper on Music Communication "Raga and Tala - a bridge across" at the SIMS 2004, Melbourne, Australia in July 2004. Vijayalakshmy was invited to present a paper at a conference "New Directions in Music Studies" at the University of Cambridge, July 2006.She also conducted a workshop for the students of the Victoria Academy, Wellington, New Zealand in July 2004. Vijayalakshmy presented a concert and a workshop on Carnatic music at the World Vocal Music Festival, Tampere, Finland, 2003.
With her extensive repertoire, Vijayalakshmy has presented exclusive concerts of composers like Thyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Syama Sastri, Swati Tirunal, Purandara Dasa, Annamacharya, Bhadrachala Ramadas, Koteeswara Iyer, Oothukadu Venkata Subbier, Arunagirinathar's Tiruppugazh and Jayadeva's Ashtapadis.
Vijayalakshmy is an 'A TOP' grade artiste with the All India Radio. She has performed in the prestigious Akashvani Sangeet Sammelan Concerts and sings regularly over the Chennai Station of All India Radio. She has also participated in the ITC SRA Sangeet Sammelan.
Vijayalakshmy was awarded the Fulbright Visiting Lecturer Fellowship by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational Affairs in 2010. As part of the programme, she was invited as a visiting lecturer to the Duke University, North Carolina, USA, to teach the subject - 'An Introduction to Indian Music's' (Aug - Nov 2010).
Besides being a popular performer, Vijalayakshmy has many audio releases and productions to her credit. She has also lent her voice for a very popular song in the Tamil Movie Periyar ,for the music director Sri. Vidyasagar.
Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam started her training in Carnatic Music at New Delhi at the age of five under Shri K. Padmanabhan, a disciple of Harikesanallur Shri Muthiah Bhagavathar from the Swati Tirunal Academy, Trivandrum.
Under the guidance of guru Sangeeta Bhushanam Shri K Krishnaswamy of Annamalai University, she learnt detailed aspects of manodharma sangita or improvisation.
Vijayalakshmy further honed her skills under the guidance of eminent Vidwans Shri S.Rajam, Shri T.R.Subramaniam and Shri V.R.Krishnan. Vijayalakshmy enhanced her proficiency for classicism and developed into a musician with a vivid sense of proportion, evident in her concerts.
Fulbright Visiting Lecturer Fellowship, USA, 2010
Government of India Junior Talent Scholarship, 1977 - 1983
Sahitya Kala Parishad, New Delhi Scholarship, 1983 - 1985
1) Ph.D in Music, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu,March 2011 Thesis topic: "Tamil Composers of the Twentieth Century " The dissertation involved assimilation and documentation of Tamil Composers and a critical analysis of the musical and lyrical value of their compositions
2) Sangeet Alankar, 1987, Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, New Delhi (A masters level program)
3) Masters in Economics, 1983 - 1985, Punjab University ,Chandigarh, India
4) Sangeet Shiromani, 1982, Music Faculty, Delhi University (Diploma in Carnatic Music)
5) Bachelor of Arts (Economics Hons.) - 1980 - 1983, Miranda House, Delhi University, New Delhi, India
After an illustrious career with All India Radio Chennai as a Programme Executive, Vijayalakshmy worked as Programme Director (South) with the FM division of Sa Re Ga Ma India Limited, at Chennai till March 2002.
She has worked as a freelance music producer for Worldspace Radio, and played a seminal role in launching their popular channel - Gandharva.