Chitravina N Ravikiran
“Perhaps the world’s greatest slide player"
(Radio National, Australia)

Prodigy & Musician 

Ravikiran, disciple of Chitravina maestro Narasimhan and Sangeeta Kalanidhi T Brinda, made headlines as the world’s youngest prodigy at the age of two (in 1969). He could identify and demonstrate 325 ragas, 175 talas and answer numerous other music-related questions. He debuted as a vocalist at the age of five and presented vocal concerts till he was 10. He has resumed this since 2000.
Ravikiran’s maiden concert on the 21-stringed chitravina was at the age of 12 and presented a record non-stop recital for 24 hours when he was 18. Since then, "Ravikiran has consistently extended on the musical traditions of India" as MSN.com observed.
He has toured around the world several times and performed in USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Holland, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Singapore, Philippines etc in major international festivals and venues such as Autumn Festival (France), Millennium Festival (UK), Brisbane International Festival (Australia), Cal Arts Festival, (USA), Harborfront Festival, Toronto (Canada), Sadler’s Wells, London, Radio France International Festival, House of World Culture, Berlin, Tate Modern, London and Theatre de la Ville, Paris. Networks like CNN, BBC NPR and ABC and record labels such as Nimbus, Naxos, Waterlily and Music Today have featured him.
Ravikiran has collaborated with top world music stars such as Taj Mahal, Martin Simpson and Glen Velez, orchestras like BBC Philharmonic and Cleveland Opera as also composers such as Robert Morris and Charles Demuynck. 

Composer & Director 

Ravikiran is one of those few composers who are active in both the classical and world music. His most significant contribution to world music is the concept Melharmony, a novel approach to compositions - creating harmony with an emphasis on melodic rules. This has won critical acclaim in the West that led to the annual conference of Society for Music Theory in Boston, in Nov 2005, featuring a paper on it by noted composer, Prof Robert Morris. He successfully premiered this style in collaboration with artistes of the BBC Philharmonic orchestra during the Millennium Festival in UK.
Ravikiran has composed over 500 original Carnatic and dance pieces, including productions that he has directed such as Lakshmi Prabhavam (USA 1997), Savitri (Australia, 1998), Cosmos (Canada, 2000), Vinayaka Vaibhavam (USA, 2000) and In the Long White Moonlight (USA, 2003).

Contributions & Awards 

• Designed a instrument called navachitravina
• Opened one of India’s first IPTV channels, Shakti Extratainment -www.shaktiextratainment.com
• Founded the International Foundation for Carnatic Music.
• Produced special videos and books to introduce classical music for rural schools.
• Created a singular Carnatic ensemble, Vintage Virtuosos to popularize masterpieces.
• First to have composed in the 35 talas.
• Has championed the works of the outstanding composer, Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi through concerts, courses, lectures, books and web site www.geocities.com/oothukkadu.
• Authored widely read books like, Appreciating Carnatic Music, Perfecting Carnatic Music Level I & II and OVK Navavaranams and Saptaratnas.
• Trained and presented numerous performers and teachers of distinction.
• Launched tele-teaching in 1996, enabling students from various parts of the world to learn music effectively. 

Ravikiran has been the first or youngest to receive several awards from the age of six, including The Millennium Festival Award (UK, 2000), New Age Voice Finalist Award (USA, 2001), Harvard Sangeet Award (USA 2005) and Citation from City of Houston in 2007. His other awards include the President’s Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Star of India, Music Academy’s TTK Award, Sangeeta Choodamani, Kalaimamani, Kumar Gandharava Samman, Sangeet Samrat, Arul Ishai Selvan ,Madhura Nadar Mannar, Ganavaridhi, Sunada Sudha Nidhi, Ragalaya Sagar and Isai Peroli. 

World Press on Ravikiran 

Montreal Express
‘… (2-year old) Ravikiran could answer technical questions identify tunes & name the composers…’ New York Times ‘Infinite capacity for micro-tonal shadings reminiscent of the human voice… teasing precision…’ 

The BBC Music Magazine, UK
‘...Impressive solo… infectiously lively… intricate…’ 

The Sunday Star, Kuala Lumpur
‘…Expansive imagination… accuracy… spellbinding speed… divine…' 

The Hindu, Madras
‘…For Ravikiran, music is literally child’s play… he is an icon of perfection’ 

Los Angeles Times
‘…An arresting virtuoso…ravishing playing’ 

Le Monde, France
‘…Sets a great tempo from the beginning…’ 

Wellington Post, New Zealand
'Master... an unprecedented phenomenon...' 

Indian Express, India
‘…when the singer happens to be a frail but precocious child, only five years of age, the reviewer is at his wits end. It needs a philosopher, a meta-physicist and spiritualist to adequately describe or explain this…rare manifestation of divine grace...’ 

The Beat, USA
"Heart-stopping mastery..." 

Desiclub.com, USA
‘…The Mozart of Indian Music…’

Folk Roots, UK
’…plays with lightning speed and laser precision...’ 

The Statesman, New Delhi
‘…Whiz-kid…enthralling to behold how the electronic instrument (slide guitar) produces such an authentic interpretation of the raga…’ 

Mixdown, Australia
'The Crown Prince of Carnatic Music... enchanted audiences with his composing...' 

Asian Eye, UK
'A musical genius... stunned the world at the age of two... enjoys a global appeal...' 

Toronto Sun, Canada
‘Instinct dictates that anyone who's christened after an instrument is probably a real terror on it. So it is with Ravikiran, a wizard on the Chitravina… magical collaboration with Chinese, Brazilian, and Indian musicians… stunning level of virtuosity and improvisation…’ 

The Age, Melbourne
‘…Strong rhythmic structures, free form interaction with instruments …’ 

Oregon Voice, USA
'A performance of epic proportions ...' 

The Times of India
“Never plays the same raga twice in the same manner”