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N. Ramani

N. Ramani
Born (1934-10-15)15 October 1934
Tiruvarur, Tamil Nadu, India
Died 9 October 2015(2015-10-09) (aged 80)
Mylapore, Chennai, India
Genres Carnatic music
Occupation(s) Carnatic instrumentalist
Instruments Venu flute
Years active 1939–2015

Dr. Natesan Ramani (15 October 1934 – 9 October 2015), commonly known as N. Ramani or N. Flute Ramani, was an eminent Indian Carnatic flautist. Ramani is also credited for introducing the long flute into Carnatic music.

Ramani was born in Tiruvarur, a city in Tamil Nadu which is honoured by its association with the Trinity of Carnatic music. Ramani was born into a family of flautists. Ramani first learnt music from his grandfather, Sri Aazhiyur Narayanaswami Iyer, a well known flute artist and singer himself. Aware of young Ramani's keen interest in the Carnatic flute, Ramani's initiation to Carnatic music began at the age of five.

Ramani performed his very first concert at the age of 8. The turning point in Ramani's career was when he became a disciple of his maternal uncle and eminent flautist, the late T. R. Mahalingam (known more commonly as "Flute Mali"), who first popularised the Carnatic flute in Indian music. By the age of 11 years, Ramani accompanied his guru T. R. Mahalingam in a concert for the first time.

In 1945, Ramani performed his first concert on All India Radio. Following Ramani's first concert at the Madras Music Academy in 1956, at the age of 22, Ramani had reached the highest point in his career and become an artist of international fame, and his concerts became a regular feature.

Ramani started the "Ramani Academy of Flute", and has trained more than 50 disciples.

Ramani performed in all major states, sabhas and venues throughout India, as well as numerous destinations around the world, including the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sri Lanka and other countries. He made more than 30 concert tours outside of India.

Until the late 19th century, the Carnatic flute (better known in Kannada as venu or murali or vkolalu, in Telugu as pillanagrovi and in Tamil and Malayalam as pullanguzhal), an 8-hole bamboo flute, the South Indian equivalent of the North Indian 6-hole bansuri flute, had never been used in Carnatic concerts. Sharaba Shastri has been characterised by his followers as a musical genius after experimenting and creating the Carnatic flute. He is also known for bringing the Carnatic flute to the fore of Carnatic music concerts as an influential instrument.


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