Performances of G. N. Balasubramaniam with accompanists like Mysore Chowdiah who played with a 7-string violin and then the rising violin star Lalgudi Jayaraman are legendary for the excellent effect they share in bringing out expansive raga alapanas with full flung crescendos and gamakas. Lalgudi Jayaraman would later become one of the most celebrated classical violinists in the world.
His humility also made sure that he gave ample performing opportunities for young upcoming musicians like Palghat R. Raghu, Lalgudi Jayaraman, M. S. Gopalakrishnan, his disciples T.R. Balasubramaniam, M.L. Vasantha Kumari, T. S. Balasubramaniam and the late Tanjore S. Kalyanaraman, Tanjore.S.Kodandaraman, an All India Radio violin artiste, also shared a part of his glittering limelight.
He composed over 250 compositions Krithis with rich prose and musical weight in Sanskrit language, Tamil language and Telugu language.
GNB also composed Kritis and invented new ragas. He taught a number of students during his active years. Most famous among them are M. L. Vasanthakumari, Radha Jayalakshmi, Thanjavur S. Kalyanaraman, Trichur V. Ramachandran, T. R. Balu, T.S.Balasubramanian and Ragini.
GNB worked as the Deputy Chief Producer of Carnatic Music, in All India Radio of Chennai for a number of years alongside Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer who was the Chief Producer for Carnatic Music and Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna who the Producer for Light Music and joined the Swathi Thirunal College of Music, Thiruvananthapuram as Principal in March, 1964 in the Indian state of Kerala.