The violin was introduced to India around 1790 by military bandsmen in the East India Company. Baluswami Dikshitar (1786-1859), a musicologist and court musician, learned the instrument from the army bandmaster at Fort St.George in the erstwhile Madras, and developed new playing techniques to suit Carnatic music. Thus this Western instrument quickly became ideal for use in Indian classical music, with its closeness in timbre and range to the human voice.
The Carnatic violin is played sitting cross legged, the instrument pointing to the ground with scroll resting firmly on the ankle of the right foot. This allows the left hand to slide freely up and down the neck, without any need for the instrument to be supported by hand or chin. The aim of tone production in violin is to imitate the Indian singing style. Unlike in western violin playing, powerful projection is not required.
Carnatic violin is also a very popular teaching and performing discipline in SIFAS. During the period under consideration, SIFAS has had several violin teachers, including R Thiagarajan, T R Vijayakumar, K Sivarman, R Shertalai Shivakumar,
N N Ganesh Kumar, M Balakrishnan, Nellai Ravindran and P Naveen Kumar.
Currently, Gurus Nellai Ravindran and P Naveen Kumar, teach violin.
The Carnatic violin is played sitting cross legged, the instrument pointing to the ground with scroll resting firmly on the ankle of the right foot. This allows the left hand to slide freely up and down the neck, without any need for the instrument to be supported by hand or chin. The aim of tone production in violin is to imitate the Indian singing style. Unlike in western violin playing, powerful projection is not required.
Carnatic violin is also a very popular teaching and performing discipline in SIFAS. During the period under consideration, SIFAS has had several violin teachers, including R Thiagarajan, T R Vijayakumar, K Sivarman, R Shertalai Shivakumar,
N N Ganesh Kumar, M Balakrishnan, Nellai Ravindran and P Naveen Kumar.
Currently, Gurus Nellai Ravindran and P Naveen Kumar, teach violin.
TUTORS
Guru Ganesh Kumar
CARNATIC VIOLIN Room No 03-01 |
Guru Ganesh Kumar is a disciple of Sri Vid. H.K. Narasimha Murthy of All India Radio, Mysore. He started learning at the age of 10 and had advanced training with M.A. Sundaresan. He has trained many students in Indian and abroad, including working in SIFAS in the years 2004 to 2010. His students have gone on to win prizes in the NAC and Papanasam Sivan competitions. He has performed internationally and has accompanied many senior artistes like T. V. Sankaranarayanan, Neela Ramgopal, Nagamani Srinath, and Suma Sudhindra. He is also an accomplished solo performer in All India Radio and Doordarshan and has received the best accompanist award from the Gayana Samaja and Malleswaram Sangeetha Sabha in Bangalore.
Guru Ganesh Kumar joined SIFAS in May 2019. |
Guru Nellai Ravindran
CARNATIC VIOLIN Room No 03-08 |
Guru Ravindran who hails from Tirunelveli had his initial training under Harikesanallur Sri V Krishan for about a year and half and then had advanced training under Sri S A Subramania Pillai for 7 years. He has travelled to many places all over India and abroad to perform and has accompanied many senior vocalists including Sri T Sankaranarayanan, Smt. Suguna Purushothaman, Smt. Nithyasree Mahadevan, flutist Smt. Mala Chandrasekar and Seerkali Dr. Siva Chidambaram. He is a B-High graded artiste of All India Radio.
At SIFAS, he has trained many senior students who have been highly successful in performances and competitions. Guru Ravindran joined SIFAS in July 2010. He also teaches Carnatic violin at SOTA. |