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
The chitravina ( sa, चित्रवीणा) (also known as chitra veena, chitraveena, chitra vina, hanumad vina, or mahanataka vina) is a 20 or 21-string fretless lute-style veena in Carnatic music. Around the late 19th and early 20th ce ...
player
Chitravina Narasimhan
Chitravina Narasimhan (born 1941) is a gottuvadhyam player from India. He is the father of renowned chitravina player N. Ravikiran.
Early life
He was born in 1941 in Mysore, Karnataka in a family of musicians. His father Gottuvadhyam Narayan Iye ...
and the grandson of
Narayan Iyengar
K. S. Narayana Iyengar (25 January 1903 – 11 January 1959) was a master Indian Carnatic musician of the South Indian instrument, the chitravina (also known as the gotuvadyam). He contributed heavily to the development of the instrument.
Nara ...
, who was also a
Carnatic musician.
Early life
Ravikiran was born in
Mysore
Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...
, Karnataka. He made his first appearance at the age of two, in April and again in August 1969, in Bangalore, and was interviewed by
Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer
Semmangudi Radhakrishna Srinivasa Iyer (25 July 1908 – 31 October 2003) was an Indian Carnatic vocalist. He was the youngest recipient of the Sangeetha Kalanidhi awarded by the Music Academy in 1947, a distinction he holds to this day a ...
,
Pandit Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar (; born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury, sometimes spelled as Rabindra Shankar Chowdhury; 7 April 1920 – 11 December 2012) was an Indian sitarist and composer. A sitar virtuoso, he became the world's best-known export of North Ind ...
,
M S Subbulakshmi
Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi (16 September 1916 – 11 December 2004) was an Indian Carnatic singer from Madurai, Tamil Nadu. She was the first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour. She is ...
and Flute T R Mahalingam. He also performed at the XLIII Madras Music Conference held at The Madras Music Academy in December 1969,
and was awarded a scholarship from the academy. He was able to identify about 325 ragas (melodic scales) and 175 talas (rhythmic cycles) of
Carnatic music
Carnatic music, known as or in the South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and Sri Lanka. It is ...
.
Ravi Shankar is said to have declared "If you don't believe in God, look at Ravikiran". Soon after, he was presented at leading institutions such as Shanmukhananda Fine Arts, Bombay and Tyagaraja Sabha, Coimbatore.
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.
Career
Ravikiran also established himself as a string instrumentalist at an early age. In July 1985, he set a record with a 24-hour non-stop solo concert in Chennai. 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), 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, Theatre de la Ville Paris, Europalia Festival, Belgium, Millennium Festival (UK), Rudolstadt Festival, Germany, Masters of Indian Music, Budapest, Sadlers Wells & Tate Modern (UK), Esplanade Festival (Singapore), Oji Hall (Tokyo), Harborfront Festival, Canada, Cleveland Festival & Madison Festival (USA).
From 1986–96, Ravikiran trained with the vocalist
T. Brinda. He is acknowledged for reviving classical values among the youth. He has performed with other artists and presented several concerts which include pure solos, duos with
kanjira/
ghatam
The ghaṭam ( sa, घटं ''ghaṭaṁ'', kan, ಘಟ
''ghaṭah'', ta, கடம்
''ghatam'', te, ఘటం ''ghatam'', ml, ഘടം, ''ghatam'') is a percussion instrument used in various repertoires across India. It's a variant ...
/
mridangam apart from conventional recitals with multiple accompanists and collaborations with piano, keyboard, guitar and other instruments.
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.
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. 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, including:
* Veetavanam in honour of Ludwig van Beethoven
* Mohini dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi
* Choodamani, created at age two and named after his mother
[Deccan Herald, Creator of Ragas" 7 May 2006]
* Keshavapriya, Vaishnavi, Katyayani, Samapriya, Shivamanohari, and Andhakarini
Ravikiran has also set to music works of several
azhwars
The Alvars ( ta, ஆழ்வார், Āḻvār, translit-std=ISO, lit=The Immersed) were the Tamil poet-saints of South India who espoused ''bhakti'' (devotion) to the Hindu preserver deity Vishnu, in their songs of longing, ecstasy, ...
, verses of
Vedanta Desika
Vedanta Desikan (1268–1369), also rendered Vedanta Desikar, Swami Vedanta Desikan, and Thoopul Nigamaantha Desikan, was an Indian polymath who wrote philosophical as well as religious and poetical works in several languages, including Sans ...
, verses from ancient Tamil
''sangam'' literature, compositions of
Purandara Dasa
Purandara Dasa ( IAST: Purandara dāsa) ( 1470 – 1565) was a Haridasa philosopher and a follower of Madhwacharya 's Dwaitha philosophy -saint from present-day Karnataka, India. He was a composer, singer and one of the chief founding-pr ...
, D V Gundappa and a few contemporary composers.
In January 2016, Ravikiran composed music to 1330
tirukkural
The ''Tirukkuṟaḷ'' ( ta, திருக்குறள், lit=sacred verses), or shortly the ''Kural'' ( ta, குறள்), is a classic Tamil language text consisting of 1,330 short couplets, or kurals, of seven words each. The tex ...
verses in 16 hours over 3 days at the International Institute of Tamil Studies, Taramani, Chennai.
Operas
Ravikiran has also written a number of internationally staged operas:
* Lakshmi Prabhavam
* Savithri
* Vinayaka Vaibhavam
* Ramayana - Bala Kandam
* Ramayana - Yuddha Kandam
* Mahabharata (Karna Shapatam and Geetopadesham)
* The Almighty Trinity, a production composed entirely in Telugu, highlighting the harmonious interactions between Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
* Panchakriya
* Panchali Shapatam
Melharmony
Ravikiran is known for his concept of
melharmony, 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 " a contemporary musical movement" with an aim to unify music systems of the world by taking into cognisance the rules and aesthetics of all fused systems in any given collaboration. Ravikiran introduced this award-winning concept during his collaboration with artists of the BBC Philharmonic, at the Millennium Festival, UK in Oct 2000.
Melharmony concerts with major orchestras like Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra's have attracted audiences of 45,000 people at times. The concept has inspired critical discussion among scholars in international conferences including Society for Music Theory Conference, Boston (2005) and Melody, Harmony, Melharmony conference, Houston (2014). Melharmony shows with School Orchestras have enabled middle and high school children in the West glean insights into how harmony can be centered on sophisticated rules of melody.
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.
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 top-draw artistes of various genres such as
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal (; ) is an Islamic ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mu ...
, Larry Coryell, Martin Simpson, George Brooks, Simon Phillips, Roland van Campenhout and orchestras such as
BBC Philharmonic
The BBC Philharmonic is a national British broadcasting symphony orchestra and is one of five radio orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation. The Philharmonic is a department of the BBC North Group division based at Med ...
, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Goettingen Quintet, Germany,
Apollo Chamber Players
Apollo Chamber Players is an American string quartet based in Houston, Texas. The ensemble, composed of Violinist and Founder Matthew Detrick, Violinist Anabel Ramirez Detrick, Violist Whitney Bullock and Cellist Matthew Dudzik, are known for their ...
, Houston, Middleton Community Symphony Orchestra and Sacramento Symphony.
Among Indian maestros, he has performed with
Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer
Semmangudi Radhakrishna Srinivasa Iyer (25 July 1908 – 31 October 2003) was an Indian Carnatic vocalist. He was the youngest recipient of the Sangeetha Kalanidhi awarded by the Music Academy in 1947, a distinction he holds to this day a ...
,
T. Brinda,
Girija Devi
Girija Devi (8 May 1929 – 24 October 2017) was an Indian classical singer of the Seniya and Banaras gharanas. She performed classical and light classical music and helped elevate the profile of thumri. She was dubbed as the 'Queen of Thumri ...
, Pt
Birju Maharaj
Pandit Birju Maharaj (born Brijmohan Nath Mishra; 4 February 1938 – 16 January 2022) was an Indian dancer, composer, singer, child molester and exponent of the Lucknow "Kalka-Bindadin" Gharana of Kathak dance in India. He was a descendant o ...
, Dr
M. Balamuralikrishna,
Vishwa Mohan Bhatt
Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, professionally known as V. M. Bhatt (born 27 July 1950), is an Hindustani classical music instrumentalist who plays the Mohan veena ( slide guitar).
Personal life
Bhatt lives in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, with his wife and ...
, Dr
N. Ramani,
R. K. Srikanthan, Pt
Kishan Maharaj
Pandit Kishan Maharaj (3 September 1923 – 4 May 2008) was an Indian tabla player who belonged to the Benares gharana of Hindustani classical music.
Early life and background
Kishan Maharaj ji was born in Kabir Chaura, Benaras into a family ...
,
Nedunuri Krishnamurthy
Nedunuri Krishnamurthy (10 October 1927 – 8 December 2014) was an Indian Carnatic vocalist. , 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, many of whom are award-winning performers and teachers. His students have made contributions in other arenas. His disciples span a cross section of vocalists, violinists as well as exponents of flute, guitar, veena, keyboard in addition to the chitravina. He has performed and written about the 18th century composer
Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi
Oothukkaadu Venkata Kavi (-1765) or Oottukkaadu Venkata Subbaiar was one of the pioneering composers in Indian classical Carnatic music. He lived in South India in the present-day state of Tamil Nadu. Also known by the name Oothukkaadu Venkatas ...
.
Planet Symphony
Ravikiran initiated the Planet Symphony Global Art-Science-Social Environmental initiative to raise awareness of the precarious
climate crisis
''Climate crisis'' is a term describing global warming and climate change, and their impacts. The term and the alternative term ''climate emergency'' have been used to describe the threat of global warming to humanity (and their planet), and to u ...
. Within weeks the organisation had a global membership of over 2300 from 65 countries including prominent musicians, scientists, journalists, NGOs and citizens and students from other walks of life. 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 a dazzling array of 50 instruments and shared their concerns with world leaders through an open letter. The Planet Symphony also came up with original perspectives including Roof Greening as a means to attract and regulate rain in many regions. Their Climate literacy programs have won much acclaim all around as also 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.”
Ambassador of Culture
An active champion of culture, 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 the who's who of Carnatic music. He has also presented concerts for Social Harmony to highlight the unifying powers of art.
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. Besides he has mentored several performers from diverse communities.
Music in Schools & Universities in USA and India
A lobbyist for cultural renaissance in India, 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. 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.
Ravikiran's concerts have raised substantial funds for disaster relief including Hurricane Katrina, 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.
Other contributions
Some of Ravikiran's other contributions include:
* Introducing Indian music in a number of schools in India and USA
* Pioneering Twin Composer Celebrations such as Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi-J S Bach Festival and Tyagaraja-Mozart Festival in cities such as Madison and Chicago, USA
* Pioneering a vocal instrumental melodic ensemble, Vintage Virtuosos and a series of albums titled "Celestial Ragas".
* Introducing the portable, bright toned, 20-stringed slide instrument, Nava-chitravina
* Pioneering the use of teflon-slides in world music
* New perspectives on millennia old concepts such as "22 shrutis"
* Dance augmentation for instrumental concerts with dancer Smitha Madhav
* Introducing Tamil compositions to North Indian dance forms like Kathak & Odissi
Author
Ravikiran has authored several sought after books on Carnatic Music including
* ''Appreciating Carnatic Music''
* ''Perfecting Carnatic Music Level I and II''
* ''Life and Contributions of Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi''
[The International Foundation for Carnatic Music]
* ''Saptaratnas and Navavaranams of Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi''
* ''Inaiyatra innishai'' (The incomparable music)
He has also penned a number of articles in leading Journals and Dailies.
Awards
International
* The Millenium Festival Award, UK - 2000
* The New Age Voice Finalist Award, USA - 2001
National & State:
* Kalaimamani (Tamil Nadu State Award) – 1985
* Star of India (Wisdom International) – 1985
* Kumar Gandharva Samman (Madhya Pradesh State Award) – 1996
Artistic
* Nada Sudharnava – 1980
* Sangeeta Choodamani, Krishna Gana Sabha
* Vadya Ratnakara - Austin India Fine Arts
* Isai Peroli - Kartik Fine Arts
* Nada Sudharnava – 1980
* Sangeeta Kala Sarathy, Dec 2013 (Parthasarathy Swami Sabha), Chennai
* Lifetime Achievement Award, Dayananda Ashram, India
* Chitravina Kala Praveena, Federation of Sabhas, Chennai
* Sangeetha Kalanidhi, The Music Academy, Madras, 2017
Sexual harassment allegations
In connection with the
Me Too movement
#MeToo is a social movement against sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and rape culture, in which people publicize their experiences of sexual abuse or sexual harassment. The phrase "Me Too" was initially used in this context on social media in ...
, multiple claims that Ravikiran participated in workplace harassment of his students and subordinates surfaced. Ravikiran, in an interview with the India Times and on his Facebook account, strongly denied the allegations. Following these allegations, the Madras Music Academy dropped his concerts in the December Season 2018 music festival, along with six other musicians also accused.
The
Deccan Chronicle
''Deccan Chronicle'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded by Rajagopal Mudaliar in the 1930s & currently owned by Samagrah Commercial Pvt Limited. It is published in Hyderabad, Telangana, by Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited ...
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.
Ravikiran asserted that he has a "clean track record" and "substantial proof" of his innocence.
References
External links
Ravikiran's Official WebsiteWebsite on Melharmony
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ravikiran, Chitravina N.
1967 births
Living people
Chitravina players
Carnatic composers
Male Carnatic singers
Carnatic singers
Musicians from Mysore
20th-century Indian composers
21st-century Indian composers
20th-century Indian male classical singers
21st-century Indian male classical singers
Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award