Shyamantak Music Award

Recognizing and encouraging musical creativity, achievement, and inspiration

Shyamantak Music Award was established in loving memory of Shyamantak (Shyam, or Sham, as most knew him), who grew up in Kathmandu, Nepal, and later made his home in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Shyam was a spirited and dynamic individual who was a roofer by trade but a musician at heart. He believed that artistic creativity and spiritualism were essential parts of life and passionately pursued his love of songwriting and performing music.

Shyamantak Music Award honors that spirit by recognizing individuals whose musical work, dedication, creativity, or influence makes a meaningful contribution to music.

What We Recognize

We believe musical accomplishment takes many forms and can be found at every stage of a musical journey.

Shyamantak Music Award may recognize:

An award may recognize a particular accomplishment, a body of work, continued dedication to music, or a meaningful contribution to the musical community.

All Genres. A Connection to Nepal.

Shyamantak Music Award welcomes all musical genres and traditions.

Our connection to Nepal is an important part of the award's identity. Applicants must be Nepali residents, of Nepali origin, or have a meaningful and demonstrated connection to Nepali culture and traditions.

Performing Nepali music is not required.

We especially welcome musicians who preserve, explore, reinterpret, or incorporate elements of Nepali music, instruments, rhythms, melodies, languages, or cultural traditions into their work.

We believe Nepali musical traditions can be honored not only by preserving their traditional forms, but also by allowing them to evolve, interact with other musical traditions, and inspire new generations.

More Than a Scholarship

Shyamantak Music Award is not intended to provide substantial financial support for education or a musical project.

It is a token of appreciation and encouragement.

The award is our way of saying:

We see your musical journey. We value what you are doing. And we encourage you to keep going.

For an emerging musician, that encouragement may come at an important moment in their development. For an established musician, it is an expression of appreciation for the music, inspiration, and cultural contribution they have already given to others.

Selection

Recipients will be selected by the Shyamantak Music Award Committee.

The committee will consider the individual's:

The committee may consider individuals at very different stages of their musical journeys. There is no single definition of what makes someone deserving of recognition.

Recipients are selected based on the overall strength and significance of their musical contribution rather than on a single accomplishment, genre, level of professional experience, or formal educational background.

Recognition

Each recipient receives a Shyamantak Music Award as a token of appreciation and encouragement.

Recipients may also be featured on this website, with their permission, as part of our effort to celebrate musicians and share their stories with the broader community.

Who Can Receive an Award?

The award is open to individuals of all ages who meet the program's connection-to-Nepal requirement.

A recipient does not need to be enrolled in a music program, pursuing a music degree, or working professionally as a musician.

What matters is the individual's musical contribution, achievement, dedication, creativity, or ability to inspire others.

Looking Ahead

As Shyamantak Music Award develops, we hope to build a community of recipients whose diverse musical journeys reflect the creativity, passion, and cultural connections that music can inspire.

In future years, the program may expand to include nominations from the broader community.

For now, we are focused on establishing the character and standards of the award through thoughtful selection by the Shyamantak Music Award Committee.


The Spirit of Shyamantak

Shyamantak believed that music was more than entertainment. It was a form of creative expression, connection, and personal fulfillment.

Shyamantak Music Award carries that spirit forward by recognizing people who create, perform, preserve, teach, and inspire through music.