Gerhard Fankhauser (Shyam) - is a musician, singer, composer and writer from Austria. His musical path is more the way of a troubadour and mystic and in many years of traveling and adventures he learned and integrated musical styles from various traditions. From early age on he lived and traveled in the East and got strongly influenced from the music of the Mediterranean, India and the Middle East. His encounter with yogis and masters in the Himalayas opened up his own healing music path and with the age of 28 he started to teach and perform.
His main instruments are the guitar, lauta (Spanish lute) and oud (Arabic lute) as well as the monochord and different overtone instruments. Vocally he is specialized on Kirtan, mantras and prayer songs and the shamanic art of overtone singing. Since 1995 he is performing and teaching in Europe and the Middle East, in the last few years also in America; giving workshops, healing music retreats, peace concerts and leading Kirtan & prayer singing circles. He is fully dedicated to a healing music way, recorded several discs of healingworldmusic and is the author of the book “the mystery of music, harmony & healing”.
"I was born in a small village in the mountains of Austria and started playing music in my early youth shortly after my father had passed away; the music was a healing for me from the very beginning. After some years of rock bands, city life and university I left Austria with the age of 21 and went on a journey and quest. Many years in Asia followed and a great time of music, spiritual growth and tasting the great mystery. Based in the Himalayas life was full of magical meetings with extraordinary people, sacred places, solitude and wilderness and I found one of my personal masters and guides, Sufi master Hazrat Inayat khan and a healing music way.
Many years I was only playing for the mountains & forests, sunsets and moonrises, in temples and lonely villages for a few friends on the way and became a pilgrim of music, playing for the spirit, joy and devotion. Life is wonderful and I feel thankful for every moment of this amazing journey and especially for all the healing moments in the energetic realms of music. I spent many years studying the secret doctrines of music and harmony, Pythagoras, the Vedas, Sufism as well as harmonic science and am convinced about the significance of music for the evolution of mankind. Music starts where the words end. It is a sacred gift we can return to mother earth and share in our hearts, a beautiful answer to the great mystery of life.
Music is my religion and deepest communion with the divine."
Gerhard Fankhauser