About Me
Who am I?
Hello! My name is Shubham Chapnerkar and I am an Indian Pianist and Composer. I was born in Mumbai on 28th March 1999. I love creating musical arrangements by Ear and Improvise it to make it more interesting and fun to learn. I enjoy listening to all genres of music and creating arrangements in my own style. After a few years of formal training at the local music institute and private lessons, I started teaching piano to expand my knowledge of music to other people. I have been teaching Piano for over 5 years and have completed the Trinity College grade exam.
Biography
Music entered Shubham’s life at a pivotal moment. After completing his 10th board examinations, he began learning the keyboard as a way to acquire a new skill and keep himself occupied. A keyboard owned by his elder brother had been lying unused at home, and with his father being a singer, music had always been part of his upbringing. Before committing himself to music, gaming was his first passion. As a semi-professional gamer, Shubham won several prizes, certificates, and gifts. However, by 2015, he had already begun to realize the limited long-term scope for gaming in India and began preparing himself for a future rooted in music.
Some of his Stats
By the time Shubham reached 12th standard, he was pursuing Science with the initial intention of entering computer engineering. However, during this period, he gained absolute clarity that music was the career he truly wanted to pursue. With this realization and strong support from his family, he made the conscious decision to shift from science to commerce, enabling him to dedicate focused time and energy toward his musical growth.
His musical foundation was shaped under the guidance of his first teacher, Sharad Kedar, who introduced him to the fundamentals of keyboard and regional music. Alongside formal training, Shubham continued to explore music independently. During his early college years, he began uploading performance videos on social media. Despite slow growth and limited recognition at first, his determination remained firm. To upskill professionally, he enrolled in group music classes to study theory and sight-reading and later invested his savings in a professional digital piano.
Under the mentorship of his second teacher, Manoj Raikar, Shubham prepared for professional piano certifications conducted by Trinity College London, successfully completing Grade 3 and Grade 5 Piano examinations. In his third year of undergraduate studies, he actively participated in numerous competitions, earning multiple awards. A major milestone came when he represented SIES College of Commerce and Economics at the Mumbai University Youth Festival, securing 1st place at the zonal level and 2nd place at the university level. That same year, he delivered a blindfolded piano performance on stage, symbolizing artistic confidence and growth.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought unforeseen challenges, including a financial crisis when his father lost his job. Determined to support his family, Shubham began teaching music both online and offline while continuing his education. After graduation, due to limited financial stability from music alone, he took up a job while managing his musical career alongside it—often surviving on minimal sleep as responsibilities increased.
As his musical engagements increased, Shubham faced a defining crossroads. When he decided to quit his job to pursue music full-time, he was given one to two years to prove-to himself and to his parents-that he could build a sustainable career and make a living through music. During this period, he worked relentlessly, often surviving on just 3 to 5 hours of sleep, balancing practice, content creation, teaching, and performances.
His perseverance paid off. Shubham began receiving consistent paid projects, event engagements, and professional opportunities. One of the most defining moments of his journey came when renowned Indian musician Zaeden shared and appreciated his work, bringing him wider recognition and validation within the music community.
During this period, he worked with intense focus and discipline, consistently creating and sharing content online. Gradually, his efforts began to pay off as his performances started reaching a wider audience, and Shubham began gaining noticeable recognition on YouTube, marking the beginning of his growing digital presence.
Committed fully to his path, Shubham upgraded his setup, increased his creative output and continued honing his craft. His formal musical journey reached a major milestone when he successfully completed his Trinity Piano Grade 8 examination in March 2024.
Today, Shubham stands as a full-time musician and educator, still at the beginning of a long journey ahead. Driven by discipline, resilience, and belief, he aims not only to grow as an artist but also to inspire aspiring musicians to trust their abilities and pursue music as a serious and sustainable career.