Born in Monaco to Sri Lankan parents, she was discovered at the age of six thanks to a program initiated by Princess of Monaco, the blessing of exceptional talent. She is the only female pianist from the Indian continent to enter the Paris Conservatory with the unanimous first prize of the jury, joining the prestigious International Piano Academy of Lake Como run by Marthe Argirich. Following legends like Callas, Rostropovitch or Menuhin, she joined the prestigious Warner Classics label as an exclusive artist.
Shani, who bridges the gap between East and West, between piano and poetry writing, says: “It was very natural for me to choose the piano. I chose it myself. As a pianist, my only goal is to bring beauty to people. (Through his music) itself, it’s like Meditation.
One of his greatest achievements was the awarding of the Monaco Order of Cultural Merit in recognition of those who have made an outstanding contribution to the arts, letters or sciences through their work or teaching in Monaco. Shani, who has visited just two cities in India, Delhi and Chandigarh, has worked with children with autism for two years, playing with them when they come to her home and connecting online with weekly listening and creativity exercises. “It has a profound impact. They are more expressive and creative when listening to music. This is something that is very important to me because I like to be helpful, to help make this world a little bit better. Shani connects with kids whenever possible, whether it’s booking 100 kids’ spots in the neighborhoods poor people in Mumbai so they can see her perform, or help provide music scholarships for children in France.
“Passionate extreme TV. Sassy foodie. Typical beer maven. Friendly internet geek.”
