N. Ravikiran Explained

N. Ravikiran
Background:solo_singer
Birth Date:1967 2, df=yes
Birth Place:Mysore, India
Instrument:Chitravina
Genre:Indian classical music, Carnatic music, world music, melharmony
Occupation:Instrumentalist, vocalist, musical composer
Years Active:1969 – present

Narasimhan Ravikiran (born 12 February 1967) is an Indian slide instrumentalist, vocalist, composer, and orator, who created the concept of melharmony. He is the son of gottuvadhyam player Chitravina Narasimhan[1] and the grandson of Narayan Iyengar, who was also a Carnatic musician.

Early life

Ravikiran was born in Mysore, Karnataka. He made his first appearance at the age of two, in April and again in August 1969, in Bangalore,[2] and was interviewed by Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Pandit Ravi Shankar, M S Subbulakshmi and Flute T R Mahalingam.[3] He also performed at the XLIII Madras Music Conference held at The Madras Music Academy in December 1969,[4] and was awarded a scholarship from the academy.[5] He was able to identify about 325 ragas (melodic scales) and 175 talas (rhythmic cycles) of Carnatic music.[6] Ravi Shankar is said to have declared "If you don't believe in God, look at Ravikiran".[7] Soon after, he was presented at musical institutions such as Shanmukhananda Fine Arts, Bombay and Tyagaraja Sabha, Coimbatore.[8]

Following training under his father, Chitravina Narasimhan, Ravikiran debuted as a vocalist in 1972, when he was five years old, in Coimbatore. He performed at concerts in Madras, Mysore and Bangalore until he was 10. His recitals – often over two and a half hours – drew large audiences and won critical acclaim in the Indian media.[9]

Career

Ravikiran also established himself as a string instrumentalist at an early age.[10] [11] [12] In July 1985, he set a record with a 24-hour non-stop solo concert in Chennai.[13] He won an exemption to perform professional concerts for Indian Radio and Television (Doordarshan) at age 12 and was invited to represent his country in Festivals of India in France (1985),[14] Switzerland (1987), Germany (1992), Brazil (2012) and countries like Poland, Czech Republic, Austria and Yugoslavia (1997). He has performed extensively in major events and venues across the world including the Chicago World Music Festival,[15] Theatre de la Ville Paris,[16] Europalia Festival, Belgium,[17] Millennium Festival (UK), Rudolstadt Festival, Germany, Masters of Indian Music, Budapest,[18] Sadlers Wells & Tate Modern (UK), Esplanade Festival (Singapore), Oji Hall (Tokyo), Harborfront Festival, Canada, Cleveland Festival & Madison Festival (USA).[19]

From 1986–96, Ravikiran trained with the vocalist T. Brinda.[20] He is acknowledged for reviving classical values among the youth.[21] He has performed with other artists and presented several concerts which include pure solos, duos with kanjira/ghatam/mridangam apart from conventional recitals with multiple accompanists and collaborations with piano, keyboard, guitar and other instruments.[22]

He resumed his appearance as vocalist from 1999 and has since presented voice concerts for organizations in and outside India including the Cleveland Festival & the Chicago World Music Festival. His vocal albums include Genius at Work.

Ravikiran has introduced several technical innovations on the chitravina.[23]

Composer

Ravikiran has created over 800 classical Indian and contemporary compositions. His Indian classical pieces include musical forms such as varnam, krti, javali, tillana and padam. He has created pieces in each of the 35-talas of Carnatic Music.[24] as well as a 72-mela ragamalika geetam, a 13-part piece that spans over all the 72-parent ragas of Carnatic music in seven minutes.

He has created new ragas,[25] including:

Ravikiran has also set to music works of several azhwars, verses of Vedanta Desika,[29] verses from ancient Tamil sangam literature,[30] compositions of Purandara Dasa, D V Gundappa and a few contemporary composers.

In January 2016, Ravikiran composed music to 1330 tirukkural verses in 16 hours over 3 days at the International Institute of Tamil Studies, Taramani, Chennai.[31] [32]

Operas

Ravikiran has also written a number of internationally staged operas:

Melharmony

Ravikiran is known for his concept of melharmony,[39] which explores Western style harmony anchored on (Eastern style) melodic rules of evolved systems such as the raga system of Indian music. Melharmony is regarded as "a contemporary musical movement"[40] with an aim to unify music systems of the world[41] by taking into cognisance the rules and aesthetics of all fused systems in any given collaboration. Ravikiran introduced this award-winning concept[42] during his collaboration with artists of the BBC Philharmonic, at the Millennium Festival, UK in Oct 2000.[43]

Melharmony concerts with major orchestras like the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra have attracted large audiences.[44] The concept has inspired critical discussion among scholars[45] in international conferences including Society for Music Theory Conference, Boston (2005) and Melody, Harmony, Melharmony conference, Houston (2014).[46] Melharmony shows with school orchestras have given Western middle and high school children insights into how harmony can be centered on sophisticated rules of melody.[47] [48]

Ravikiran has also melharmonically rearranged and showcased the works of the great Masters in the twin-Composer series of festivals - OVK-Bach, Tyagaraja-Mozart and Dikshitar-Beethoven since 2013.[49]

Collaborations

Ravikiran has created music for Western Classical Symphony Orchestras, Chamber Orchestras, String Quartets as well as Caprices for solo violins. He has collaborated with artists of various genres such as Taj Mahal,[50] Larry Coryell, Martin Simpson, George Brooks, Simon Phillips, Roland van Campenhout and orchestras such as BBC Philharmonic,[51] Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Goettingen Quintet, Germany, Apollo Chamber Players, Houston,[52] Middleton Community Symphony Orchestra[53] and Sacramento Symphony.

Among Indian maestros, he has performed with Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, T. Brinda, Girija Devi, Pt Birju Maharaj, Dr M. Balamuralikrishna,[54] Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Dr N. Ramani, R. K. Srikanthan, Pt Kishan Maharaj, Nedunuri Krishnamurthy, Shashank Subramanyam Mandolin U Shrinivas and others.

Philanthropy and advocacy

Arts educator

Ravikiran, is known for his large repertoire and for training a number of disciples around the world,[55] many of whom are award-winning performers and teachers.[56] [57] [58] [59] His students have made contributions in other arenas.[60] His disciples span a cross section of vocalists, violinists as well as exponents of flute, guitar, veena, keyboard in addition to the chitravina.[61] He has performed and written about the 18th century composer Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi.[62]

Planet Symphony

Ravikiran initiated the Planet Symphony Global Art-Science-Social Environmental initiative to raise awareness of the climate crisis. Within weeks the organisation had a global membership of over 2,300 from 65 countries including prominent musicians, scientists, journalists, NGOs and citizens and students.[63] A mammoth Global production, “Climatrix Symphony — Planet Anthem” was released for climate action in which hundreds of Grammy and other international award-winning exponents and students of Classical, Jazz, Carnatic, Hindustan, folk and film music collectively recorded on an array of 50 instruments.[64] The Planet Symphony also came up with original perspectives including Roof Greening as a means to attract and regulate rain in many regions.[65] Their climate literacy programs have been successful,[66] along with their concept of Smart Planet, which Ravikiran explained was to drive home the point that “The need of the hour is to be environmentally smart and not only electronically smart.”[67]

Cultural ambassador

An active champion of culture,[68] [69] Ravikiran has performed extensively in both urban and rural schools & colleges across various countries. At age 20, he organised a symbolic non-stop 72-hour (which extended to almost 75 hours) concert for "world peace and prosperity" that brought together well-known performers of Carnatic music.[70] He has also presented concerts for Social Harmony to highlight the unifying powers of art.[71]

Rural music education projects

In 2006, Ravikiran pioneered an initiative for rural children in India with the largest music camp of its kind for over 31,000 children in Tamil Nadu, India for the Indian Government's Sarva Shiksha Abhyan.[72]

Music in Schools & Universities in USA and India

A lobbyist for cultural renaissance in India,[73] he was invited to provide syllabuses for Music Education in Schools in India for Grades I – VIII. In 2013, he introduced Indian music through Melharmonic creations for Middle and High School level orchestras in School Districts in USA such as Middleton & Sun Prairie, WI.[74] A summer course on Melharmony was introduced at the Eastman School of Music in 2015, by Ravikiran and renowned American Composer-Musician Prof. Robert Morris.

He has introduced Carnatic music in several countries such as Slovakia, Croatia and Slovenia.[75]

Ravikiran's concerts have raised substantial funds for disaster relief including Hurricane Katrina,[76] Tsunami of 2004 as well as for educational, health and cultural initiatives.

Musicians Covid Relief Fund

Ravikiran set up the Musicians' Covid Relief Fund in 2020 to help numerous artists who were severely impacted by the pandemic. He got together Grammy and other Award winning celebrities from Indian and Western Classical, Jazz and other systems to play fundraisers to support artists in distress through concerts such as the Dikshitar-Beethoven Melharmony Festival.[77]

Other contributions

Some of Ravikiran's other contributions[78] include:

Author

Ravikiran has authored several books on Carnatic Music including

He has also penned a number of articles in journals and dailies.[89] [90] [91] [92] [54]

Awards

International

National & State:

Artistic

Sexual harassment allegations

In connection with the Me Too movement, multiple claims that Ravikiran participated in workplace harassment of his students and subordinates surfaced.[103] Ravikiran, in an interview with the India Times and on his Facebook account, strongly denied the allegations.[104] [105] Following these allegations, the Madras Music Academy dropped his concerts in the December Season 2018 music festival, along with six other musicians also accused.[106] [107] [108] The Deccan Chronicle reported that a committee constituted by the Federation of City Sabhas in October 2018 did not receive complaints of sexual harassment from any performing artists.[109] Ravikiran asserted that he has a "clean track record" and "substantial proof" of his innocence.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Deccan Herald, Bangalore 10 Dec 1979
  2. The Hindu, Bangalore (22 August 1969) "Prodigy in Carnatic Music"
  3. Ananda Vikatan Weekly, Madras (Aug 1969)
  4. The XLIIIrd Madras Music Conference: Official report . The Music Academy Journal . 1970 . 49 . 4 . 38 .
  5. Web site: There's no stopping him. 2018-03-31. Deccan Herald. en. 2018-12-26.
  6. Web site: Haviland . Charles . Family revive Indian tradition . One-Minute World News . BBC News . 10 November 2020 . 6 August 2003.
  7. Book: Rajagopalan . N. . Another Garland: Biographies of Carnatic Composers and Musicians . 1992 . 253.
  8. Times of India, Bombay, 4 April 1971 "Ravi – the Raga Reckoner"
  9. Web site: Musician – Chitravina N Ravikiran . 2024-06-12 . en-US.
  10. Web site: An inveterate innovator with a silken voice. Ramanan. Sumana. November 23, 2016. Mumbai Mirror. 2018-12-26.
  11. News: If the flute sings, it must be Ramani. Nathan. Archana. 2015-02-12. The Hindu. 2018-12-26. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  12. Indian Express 1 Aug, 1982 "Child Genius"
  13. The Hindu 28 July 1985 "A performance to cherish"
  14. Times of India, Bombay, 4 Sept 1987
  15. News: Chicago – Chicago : News : Politics : Things To Do : Sports . Chicago Sun-Times . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150226014056/http://voices.suntimes.com/arts-entertainment/the-daily-sizzle/chicago-2014-world-music-festival-lineup-announced/ . 26 February 2015 . dmy-all .
  16. Web site: Ravikiran - Shashank .- Spectacles -. Théâtre de la Ville, Théâtre des Abbesses - Paris . 25 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150226012957/http://www.theatredelaville-paris.com/spectacle-ravikiranshashankindedusud-831 . 26 February 2015 . dead .
  17. Web site: Chitravina Ravikiran & Roland Van Campenhout. www.europalia.eu. en. 2018-12-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20150226013002/http://www.europalia.eu/archives/india/en/article/chitravina-ravikiran-roland-van-campenhout-_175.html. 26 February 2015. dead.
  18. Web site: 2009-Hungary-Trafo. raga.hu. 2018-12-26.
  19. Web site: A music lover's guide to Madison World Music Festival 2013. Burke. Julia. 2013-09-19. Isthmus Madison, Wisconsin. en-us. 2018-12-26.
  20. News: Call of the Titans. Ramesh. M.. 2016-12-22. The Hindu. 2018-12-26. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  21. Web site: Livemint Lounge 15 Dec 2017. 15 December 2017.
  22. Web site: Key notes of 'Piano Man'. 2015-12-12. Deccan Herald. en. 2018-12-26.
  23. News: Challenges of internal diversity in the Carnatic genre. Shankar. Uday. 2011-12-17. The Hindu. 2018-12-26. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  24. Web site: Chitraveena N. Ravikiran at Tattvaloka. 30 December 2008.
  25. Web site: New Indian classical raga named after legendary German composer Ludwig Van Beethoven - Trending & Viral News. www.timesnownews.com.
  26. News: Now, a raga named after Beethoven. 29 January 2019. www.thehindu.com. The Hindu.
  27. Deccan Herald, Creator of Ragas" 7 May 2006
  28. Indian Express 23 Dec, 1979
  29. Audio CD Ranganathaya Namaha
  30. Web site: In the Long White Moonlight: An Exploration of Tamil Poetry, Music and Dance . 26 April 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170427102811/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/in-the-long-white-moonlight-an-exploration-of-tamil-poetry-music-and-dance-71782307.html . 27 April 2017 . dead .
  31. The Hindu, 14 Jan 2016
  32. Web site: Tamil Nadu: Eminent musician Ravikiran to create world record. Vijayalakshmi. B.. 2016-01-14. Deccan Chronicle. en. 2018-12-26.
  33. The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, 1 April 1997
  34. The Melbourne Age, April 1998
  35. The Hindu Friday Review - 22 Dec, 2000 - Operatic presentation of Vinayaka
  36. Web site: Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival. www.aradhana.org. 2018-12-26.
  37. Web site: Reinventing the joy of music. www.thehansindia.com. 2018-12-26. 11 September 2016.
  38. News: Thought behind the art. Nadadhur. Srivathsan. 2016-09-09. The Hindu. 2018-12-26. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  39. Hindustan Times, Bombay 24 August 2011 "Pushing Boundaries"
  40. Web site: East meets West. 7 November 2019.
  41. Web site: Cauvery Gurgles Alongside The Still Alps. Outlook (India). 2018-12-26.
  42. Telegraph & Argus, UK Dec 2000 "Tate Honour for Kalasangam Group"
  43. BBC Magazine Cover Story "BBC Melharmonic!" (Nov 2000)
  44. The Hindu, Sunday Magazine Spotlight 11 Sept, 2016
  45. Professor Mark Hijleh "Practical Concepts and Methods for the Analysis of Music Across Human Cultures"
  46. Web site: Asia Society Presents! Chitravina N. Ravikiran: Melody, Harmony, and Melharmony. Asia Society. en. 2018-12-26.
  47. Wisconsin State Journal 8 Apr 2013 - School Spotlight: ‘Mozart of Indian Music’ visits Middleton-Cross Plains
  48. Indian Express 15 Apr, 2013 - Carnatic in the Classroom
  49. Web site: Mozart meets raga in Melharmony festival Saturday in Oregon. Gayle. Worland. madison.com. en. 2018-12-26.
  50. Sydney Morning Herald 2 July 1995
  51. Desi Talk, New York 3 March 2000 "Ravikiran to compose for BBC Philharmonic"
  52. Web site: Local Ensemble Celebrates 10 Years With Concert Inspired By Indian Classical Music. Zinn. Joshua. 2017-10-03. Houston Public Media. en-US. 2018-12-26.
  53. Middleton Times Tribune, USA 9 Nov 2017
  54. News: A phenomenon beyond parallel. Ravikiran. Chitravina N.. 2016-11-24. The Hindu. 2018-12-26. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  55. Sruti – India's leading Music and Dance Magazine, Oct 2008
  56. News: Siblings Anahita and Apoorva tap into the right notes. Krishnan. Lalithaa. 2018-01-11. The Hindu. 2018-12-26. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  57. Web site: The bond of music. www.thehansindia.com. 2018-12-26. March 2018.
  58. News: Celebrating the deity and devotee. R. Revathi. 2017-10-26. The Hindu. 2018-12-26. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  59. News: Enchanting notes. Ganapathi. K.. 2016-07-21. The Hindu. 2018-12-26. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  60. Web site: An artistic bureaucrat. www.thehansindia.com. 2018-12-26. 23 October 2016.
  61. Web site: Tugging at the heartstrings with their soul-stirring ragas.
  62. The Hindu 13 Feb, 2011 "Distinctive Contributor"
  63. News: A symphony to save the planet. The Hindu. 6 June 2019.
  64. News: Planet Symphony Orchestra: An open letter to the government and corporate leaders. The Hindu. 7 June 2019.
  65. Web site: This NGO teaches how to attract rains.
  66. Web site: Planet Symphony is an initiative to make people climate literate. 17 August 2019.
  67. Web site: Climate crisis calls for a smart planet.
  68. Web site: Exploring New Musical Frontiers in India. NPR.org. en. 2018-12-26.
  69. DNA, Bombay 24 Jan 2007
  70. Indian Express Madras, 21 Aug 1987 Lead Story "Musical Yagna gets underway"
  71. News: Ravikiran leads an enjoyable fare. The Hindu. 24 January 2019. Suryanarayanan. Renuka.
  72. Deccan Chronicle 1 June 2006
  73. Times of India 9 Dec, 2010 "Artists meet Prime Minister"
  74. Web site: Concert-Pops Concert set for March 14 Middleton Cross Plains Area School District. mcpasd.k12.wi.us. 2018-12-26.
  75. Slovenia Times 8 Oct 2011
  76. Tampa Tribune, 18 Nov 2005
  77. News: Pachchigar . Jay . Global concert rings in good news for Covid-hit musicians . March 30, 2021 . The Times of India . Mar 2, 2021 . en.
  78. News: 'Chitravina' Ravikiran feted for prodigious contribution to music . Chennai, India . The Hindu . 2 December 2009.
  79. Brookfield Academy, WI Oct 2013
  80. News: Music is about taking chances. The Hindu. 8 November 2019. Suryanarayan. Renuka.
  81. Web site: Ravikiran's Ensemble Recordings. www.medieval.org.
  82. News: Blend of melody and footwork. Srihari. Gudipoodi. 2017-02-24. The Hindu. 2018-12-26. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  83. Web site: A mesmerising mélange. www.thehansindia.com. 2018-12-26. 15 February 2017.
  84. Ganesh & Co, Madras, India
  85. Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Indian Subcontinent, P 1010
  86. The International Foundation for Carnatic Music http://ifcm.ravikiranmusic.com
  87. The International Foundation for Carnatic Music
  88. Sarva Shiksha Abhyan, Government of India
  89. The Hindu 18 Dec 2010 "Culture – essential or extra fitting?"
  90. The Hindu 13 Dec 2012 "A tribute to Sitar legend Ravi Shankar"
  91. Deccan Chronicle 4 Dec, 2012 "Gen XT Reality Check
  92. Deccan Chronicle 6 July 2013 "The CID (Content, Intent, Delivery) Mantra"
  93. Web site: Artistesdetails. underscorerecords.com.
  94. Web site: My aim is to take chitravina around globe. Khanna. Shailaja. 2018-06-19. The Asian Age. 2019-01-25.
  95. Web site: Chitravina N. Ravikiran: The Crown Prince of Carnatic Music. www.pertout.com.
  96. Web site: There's no stopping him. 2018-03-31. Deccan Herald. en. 2019-01-25.
  97. News: A phenomenon beyond parallel. Ravikiran. Chitravina N.. 2016-11-24. The Hindu. 2019-01-25. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  98. Web site: REVIVAL : Indian Spring Concert by Chitravina Ravikiran. atuva.student.virginia.edu.
  99. The Indian Express, 18 Dec, 2013
  100. News: Chitravina Ravikiran honoured. 2017-07-31. The Hindu. 2019-01-25. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  101. News: Sangita Kalanidhi award for Chitraveena maestro Ravikiran. Kolappan. B.. 2017-07-16. The Hindu. 2018-12-26. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  102. News: Music helps in bringing peace: Indira Banerjee. Staff Reporter. 2018-01-02. The Hindu. 2019-01-25. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  103. News: 'Carnatic musician Ravikiran sexually harassed me': Two former students say 'Me Too'. 2018-10-27. The News Minute. 2018-12-01.
  104. News:
    1. MeToo: I have been abused and wrongfully accused, says Chitravina Ravikiran - Times of India
    . The Times of India. 2018-12-01.
  105. Web site: Chitravina N Ravikiran issues another detailed denial of #MeToo allegation after Margazhi ouster - Firstpost. www.firstpost.com. 2018-12-01.
  106. News: 'Me Too' allegations: Madras Music Academy drops 7 artistes from Margazhi season. 2018-10-25. The News Minute. 2018-12-01.
  107. Web site:
    1. MeToo in Carnatic music: Madras Music Academy's N Murali on addressing sexual harassment allegations against artists - Firstpost
    . www.firstpost.com. 2018-12-01.
  108. News: Music Academy debars seven musicians this season, post #MeToo. Kolappan. B.. 2018-10-25. The Hindu. 2018-12-01. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  109. News: #Metoo in Carnatic may not shadow this Margazhi . Deccan Chronicle . 3 April 2019 . en.

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