Chitraveena By Ravi Kiran: Events in Hyderabad

REVIEW FOR CHITRAVEENA BY RAVI KIRAN

The South India Cultural Association (SICA), one of the oldest cultural associations of the twin cities, is organising its 51st Annual Festival Of Music & Dance, from 9th to 17th March, at the Ravindra Bharathi auditorium. The 9-day festival will feature several renowned performers - T M Krishna, P Unnikrishnan, Ravi Kiran, Sankaran Namboodiri, Priya Sisters, M Chandrasekharan and danseuse Anita Guha.

N Ravikiran will be performing a Chitraveena recital on the 3rd day of the festival. Considered a virtuoso chitraveena player, Ravikiran has also played the slide Hawaiian guitar, and is an accomplished vocalist. He invented a variant of the chitraveena called the navachitraveena, which is smaller and has a clearer tone in the higher frequencies.

Born in 1967, Ravikiran started his foray into music at the age of 2. In 1969, he showed his ability to identify and render about 325 ragas and 175 talas, at the Krishna Gana Sabha. He was also able to answer complex technical questions on various aspects of Carnatic music when quizzed by luminaries that include Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Pandit Ravi Shankar, M S Subbulakshmi, Flute Mali, Palghat Mani Iyer, T N Krishnan, Ramnad Krishnan and Alla Rakha.

Ravikiran has worked with many performers from various musical styles outside his native Carnatic discipline, including Hindustani music, film music, western classical music, African music, jazz, and pop. Prominent amongst the Indian musicians he has worked with is Vishwa Mohan Bhatt.

He has also perfored in collaboration with Brazilian jazz pianist Jovino Santos-Neto; American frame drum player Glen Velez; Chinese pipa player Qiu Xia He; as well as with Western classical orchestras, the BBC Philharmonic and the Cleveland Orchestra. Recent collaborations include a performance with the Eli Yamin Jazz Quartet from New York, along with pianist Anil Srinivasan.

SICA was founded in the year 1959, by Dewan Bahadur Aramuda Iyengar, patron of Carnatic music and Finance Minister of Hyderabad's Nizam. The association has since organised more than 1,000 concerts. It has provided a basic platform for upcoming artistes amongst whom are U P Raju and Nagamani, Mandolin Srinivas and the Malladi Brothers. It conducts workshops, felicitates artistes, and provides both moral and financial support to upcoming artistes. Dr. S Chakravarthy (IAS, former Chief Secretary to Govt. of AP) is the present president of the association, and R Chakrapani is the General Secretary.

Entry is by donor passes. Season passes cost Rs. 400 / Rs. 300 per head and are valid for for all the 9 days of the festival. Daily passes cost Rs. 100 / Rs. 50 / Rs. 30 per head. Please contact R Chakrapani at 98491-24675 for further details.