What is Carnatic Flute?
The Carnatic flute is mentioned in Indian mythology and folklore as one of the three instruments created for music, the other two being the human voice and the veena. However, the venu, another name for the Carnatic flute, was not a part of the Carnatic classical music until Sharaba Shastri of the Palladam School, invented it in the beginning of the 20th century. Later, his student, Palladam Sanjeev Rao and another inventor, T.R. Mahalingam (fondly called Flute Mali), strove to make it a popular instrument in musical concerts.
The venu is a bamboo transverse flute, capable of producing two and half octaves with the help of over-blowing and cross fingering. It is commonly associated with the Hindu deity Krishna, who is often depicted playing it.
The venu is a bamboo transverse flute, capable of producing two and half octaves with the help of over-blowing and cross fingering. It is commonly associated with the Hindu deity Krishna, who is often depicted playing it.
Our Part-Time Carnatic Flute Tutor
Guru L Saravanan
CARNATIC FLUTE Room No 02-04 |
Guru L Saravanan is a disciple of the late Sri K. S. Narayanan (senior disciple of Sri Mali), the late V. Sundaresan, and the eminent violinist Nagai R. Muralidharan, Saravanan is a Yuvakalabharathy Award winner. Trained as a vocalist equally, Saravanan incorporates both the demands of vocal and instrumental techniques in his renditions satisfying the needs of the composition rather than the wants of the audience.
He began at the age of 10 in both vocal and Carnatic flute. After several years of schooling in music under renowned teachers, he started performing by the age 14 in All India Radio, Trichy. After several years of performing experience, he got the rare privilege of learning under the Flute Maestro, Dr. N. Ramani aided by the Govt. of India Advanced Learning sponsorship. He performs in Ramani's Academy of Flute regularly and with Dr. N. Ramani, Guru Saravanan has taken part in uniques flute concerts like 5-flute concert incorporating a series of flutes in a single concert. He has made solo albums with recording companies like Kalavardhini with his own gurus accompanying like the violin exponent Nagai Muralidharan and the famed mridangist Srimushanam V. Raja Rao. |