The news about N Ravikrian being the recipient of the award this year, did not raise any eyebrows as was the case in the past few years !! It was expected that he would be awarded with this title and it was only a matter of time and it did happen perhaps sooner than some expected.

A couple of concerts from the 80’s when the instrument was called ‘Gottuvadyam’ are representative of his genius and maturity and which I listen quite frequently are ‘must hear’ in my opinion. And here they are for your enjoyment.

Music Academy – 29th December 1986
with
Kamalakara Rao – Mridangam
K M Vaidyanathan – Ghatam

• taruNam eedammA – gowLipantu
• pAhimAm ratnAcalanAyaka – mukhAri
• nee vADa – sArangA
• ninnu cheppa – mandhAri
• RTP – kAmbhOji
• smara janaka – behAg
• various

Music Academy 28th December 1985
with
Yella Venkateswara Rao – Mridangam
K M Vaidyanathan – Ghatam

I got these recordings directly from Music Academy. In the 80’s they were facilitating the copying of the concerts for a fee and that I gave them the tapes. It would take a couple of months, but it was worth the wait given the quality of the recording and that it was coming from the source 🙂

The announcement of him being the awardee was picked up by my good friend Ravi Balasubramanian in our kitchen, a well established ghtam player, who was visiting us in July. Ravi happens to have played for Ravikiran many times and here is a recording of a concert with Ravi (recording from Ravi).

N Ravikiran – Chitraveena
Ganesh – Chitraveena
Srivatsan – Mridangam
Ravi B – Ghatam

Theophysical Soceity – Dec 2004

The first time I met him was in 1993 when he was visiting Pittsburgh along with K R Ganesh on the mridangam. He gave an excellent concert at the S V Temple – I will check if have the recording and post it on finding the cassettes.