|
Ravikiran as an art-educator stands for integrity to the art and musical values and has emphasised these values his students. He has mentored possibly the highest number of active performing and award-winning disciples in recent times. Additionally, his macro-vision and campaigns for organised music education in schools over the years was probably an important reason for him being selected as the only musician in the Indian Government's Core Committee for Music Education in Schools . Ravikiran was also selected as a Master Trainer in Texas Folk Life Program and has mentored master trainers in other US states. Arguably the first to maximise Whatsapp as a major music learning tool, Ravikiran is also the:
Pioneer of what is now being celebrated as Flipped Classroom Model . His syllabuses based video lessons for students of primary and middle-levels online
First to have introduced Melharmony & Indian music through concerts, lectures & orchestral Melharmonic compositions in several US and European Schools
First to have introduced Carnatic music in Rural Schools in India for over 31,000 children (in 2006).
|
 |
|
|
First to have initiated distance learning for Indian music tele-teaching years before online options like Skype were developed. in 1996
Several of Ravikiran's disciples are active and emerging performers and sought-after teachers themselves; a few have bagged prestigious Awards including A-Top grades from Indian National Radio & TV.
Ravikiran has inspired and trained students from non-Southern Indian states such as Gujarat and Bengal as also citizens of USA, Canada, Japan, Korea, South Africa, Slovenia, France and Germany, to name a few
Futuristic footprints
Ravikiran's various albums through his ensemble, Vintage Virtuosos have served to educate and entertain students and audiences alike. Several of his initiatives have been embraced by his contemporaries in the field over the last few years.
Rural Music Education
Ravikiran has passionately striven to de-regionalise and de-religionise music. He has strongly advocated that Carnatic music get more broad based and make it accessible to millions of artistically inclined children in rural areas of which at least a few hundred could emerge as performers or teachers. His trail-blazing partnership with Sarva Shiksha Abhyan (a Govt of India org) in creating music DVDs and book specially for rural children included a camp for thousands of children all over the state of Tamil Nadu using hundreds of teachers specially trained simultaneously over satellite.
Charismatic & consummate
Ravikiran is a rare case of a front-line instrumental who attracts not only artistes of his own genre of slide instrumentalists but also aspirants of violin, flute, veena, keyboard, guitar and most remarkably numerous vocalists. This is a testimony to his artistry which goes way beyond his area of specialization. Some of the factors that have contributed to this include:
His large repertoire of masterpieces from authentic sources
Conviction in his art,
Musical vision
Eye for detail and perfection
Awareness of the best approaches for each instrument or voice which enables him to evolve teaching methods accordingly
Zest to share knowledge
Ability to communicate to students of any age & level with clarity, wit and humour
Openness and constant innovations to project and preserve tradition
Last but not least, his vast and varied experience
Approach & attitude
Ravikiran has stressed on right attitude, positive approach, industriousness, humility, respect towards quality artistes and achievers, besides an active and inquisitive mind that is keen to improve all the time. Equally importantly, a student is encouraged to eschew negativism in any form.
He has endeavoured to instill among students convictions such as: (a) perfection involves a conscious attempt at correctness - it is essential to be aware of grammar and practical-theory (b) artistic indulgence under the garb of poetic license can be destructive, (c) innovation should not be a camouflage for ignorance, shaky foundations in tradition or evasion of the rigours of classicism (d) creation of immortal music should be the primary focus - all other rewards or awards are incidental. He has extolled his disciples to always show their first loyalty to the raga, next to the great composers and only after that to their guru(s).
On a lighter vein, while his first guru was his father Chitravina Narasimhan, Ravikiran's first disciple was his mother Choodamani, who took lessons from him when he was a 5-year old!
|
