Ambi Subramaniam on Being Feted at Russia’s Grammy-Equivalent Bravo Awards

Violinist and composer Ambi Subramaniam was the recipient of the Best Musician from a Partner Country of the Year at Moscow’s Bravo Awards on Apr. 15, 2025, becoming the second Indian to win at what is considered an equivalent to the Grammys in Russia.

The award, which was received by sitarist Samanwaya Sarkar at the 2024 Bravo event, came out of the blue for Subramaniam. He says with a laugh, “The first thing we checked that it was a legit email I received. Once we spoke to them, we got more details.” In addition to traveling to Moscow to receive the award, Subramaniam also got to perform a song called “Flight of the Humble Bee,” composed by his father, veteran violinist Dr. L. Subramaniam with a symphony orchestra and a local tabla player.

Subramaniam recalls that the performance, although short, was hassle-free in terms of production after two prior rehearsals with the symphony orchestra. Once he was on stage, Subramaniam sat down on a podium to play violin. “They wheeled us in on stage, we played, we took a bow, and then they wheeled us back down. It was wild,” he says with a laugh.

The artist made core memories about Russia on this trip, ones that also reinforced the idea of how classical music is universally appreciated in the country. He says, “There were little speakers along the street in Red Square and around the Kremlin. Even when I went, I could hear classical music being played from those speakers. I had seen this old documentary on [composer] Tchaikovsky, and they were interviewing bus drivers and people on the street, talking about how classical music has changed their lives. The culture [of classical music] is deeply ingrained.”

Playing at the celebrated Bolshoi Theater, Subramaniam says he’s been to Russia a few times but never performed at the world-famous venue. “My dad, I think he played there in the 1980s, and he still talks about it. He’s said it’s been one of the best experiences. When I walked in, honestly, it felt like going into a time machine, but in the best way possible. Everything has been maintained so beautifully. It’s like a 200-year-old auditorium, and it feels like you’re going into the 19th century, but of course lights and sound are state of the art. They’ve kept that grandeur. It was definitely surreal,” he recalls.

Up next, Subramaniam is heading to the U.S. for a tour performing Indian classical. “I’m also doing some stuff with my dad. Bindu [Subramaniam, singer-composer], Akshay [Anantapadmanabhan, percussionist] and Mahesh [Raghvan, producer] are doing more things with [fusion group] Thayir Sadam Project. We’ve recorded two songs that should be coming soon,” he says. One of them is co-written by a young vocalist from their Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts (SaPa). “We’re super proud that she’s written a really nice song, and it’s a collaboration, so we’re happy about that,” he adds.