RA Ramamani

R.A. Ramamani (born March 2, 1950) is an Indian Singer and Composer. She is one among the Indo-Jazz Pioneers in Asia and the Vice-Principal of “Karnataka College of Percussion” which was found by Vid T.A.S Mani.

Early Life[edit]

Ramamani was born in 1950 in Bangalore. Her father, Pandit Bhushan R.A.Krishnamacharya was a Sanskrit professor and an Asthana Vidwan in the court of the Mysore Maharaja. Her mother Ms. Rajalakshmi was an ardent fan of Carnatic music and was instrumental in guiding Ramamani into the field of music initially. Ramamani had her formal initiation into South Indian Carnatic music at the age of five under the tutelage of Srinivas Ramachandra Rao. She learned under many Gurus namely, Bellary Brothers, late Anoor Ramakrishna, Padmabhushana - Sangita Kalanidhi R.K Srikantan and Sangita Kalanidhi Palghat K.V. Narayanaswamy. She formally learnt Mridangam from Vid. Late M.L. Veerabhadriah at Bangalore University. She started performing in concerts at the age of fifteen with her sister R.A. Chingamani. She is married to Mridangam Vid T.A.S Mani, who is also her mentor.

Career[edit]

As a Performer[edit]

She is an “A Top” artist in All India Radio and Doordarshan. She is the first woman to present Avadhana Pallavi in Carnatic music at Karnataka Gana Kala Parishat in 1974. Also, the foremost to present Carnatic music in fusion with Western music^[1]. She was an invitee to voice festivals at Morocco, Austria, Vienna, Bremen, Lorrach and other places. She has also given special performances on Jazz Radio stations. Her introduction of Raga and Tala to Western musicians abroad has brought them to India to learn more about the Indian music. She has performed in all many festivals in India (Mysore Dasara, Bhopal Festival, Dharwad Festival etc.) and in major music festivals in many other countries. Some of them are Jazz Jamboree, Poland, International Percussion Festival, Germany, North Sea Jazz Festival, Holland, Festival of Perth, Australia, Berlin jazz Festival, World Festival of Sacred Music, Dresdan Festival etc. Ramamani has performed in the ICCR sponsored Tours of USA, Canada, Scotland, and Switzerland Festival of India, USSR, Japan, UK, China, Australia, Croatia, St. Petersburg. She has extensively worked with Charlie Mariano, Okay Temiz, Ramesh Shotham, Mory Kante, Dhafer Youssef, Marc Inti to name a few.

As a Composer[edit]

She has composed for many dance dramas (ballets). Revealed by Fire (Lata Pada) and Making of Maps (Shobana Jaisingh) received rich accolades. Few of her Indian music compositions includes albums - Krishna suprabhatam, Madhura Ganam, Nadavilasini, Raghavendra Vishishta Krithi Mala, Nee Sari Evaamma, Geetamala, Swapna Pada etc. Her music has been arranged for the big bands - WDR Big Band Sketches of Bangalore - 2005, WDR Big Band pulses of Bangalore, London Philharmonic Orchestra and Bujazzo from Germany Phoenix Foundation^[2]. She was a part of many albums collaborating with musicians globally.

Academic Contribution[edit]

Ramamani has been training thousands of students along with Vid T.A.S Mani from past 5 decades. She is a post graduate in music from Bangalore University and also works at the Jain University, teaching for the Masters in Performing Arts (MPA). Few of her research papers include - Life and Krithis of Valeja Pete Venkatram Bhagavathar, Life and Compositions of Jaya Chamarajendra Wodeyar, Aparoopa Varnas ^[4], Presentation of Antahpura Geethe, Avadhana Pallavi, Eka Vageyakara krithis (Muthaih Baghavatar), Seminar on Javallis and Contemporary Music, Sadashivarayar Krithis Research and Presentation, Raaga Darshana of Bhairavi, Geetaradhanna Programme, Teaching of Music (Ganavihara), 13 episodes of Swara Madhuri on All India Radio.

Awards[edit]

List of few awards - GANAKALA BHOOSHANA (She was the president of Karnataka Ganakala Parishat's 42nd Music conference) - 2011.^[5] Aryabhata International Award - Best Musician (2009) from Indian Fine Arts Society. Gana Kala Koustubha Gana Sourabha Kala Kendra - 2015, Ganakalashree from Karnataka Ganakala Parishat (1998), Ganasharade from Veda Nada Prathisthana - 2012, Gana Kala Ratna by Kalarpana - 2010, Gokarnakshethra Madhuraganavisharade - 1995, Gayana Laya Samrat from Adarsha Bhartiya Samskritika Samsath, Bangalore - 2003. Kalabhooshana Sri Tyagaraja Gana Sabha, Bangalore. Kalajyothi from Nadajyothi Sri Thyagaraja Swamy Bhajana Sabha, Bangalore - 2010, Karnatak Sangeetha Nritya Acadamy’s Annual Award (2005-06), Kempedowda Prashasthi by BBMP - 2011, Madhura Gana Visharade from Gokarna Sabha, Sangeeetha Kala Tapasvi from Mysore Tyagaraja Aradhana Balaga, Sangeeta Saraswati from Bhakthi Bharathi Pratisthana, Bangalore - 2007, Sangeetha Bhushana from Mumbai Sriranjini Sangitha Sabha - 2008, Sangeetha Saraswathi from Bhakthi Bharathi Prathisthana – 2007, Sangita Ratna Sangitha Sharade from Sri Raghavendra Sangitha Seva Prathisthana (2014), Swananda Kalashree from Swanandashrama - 2006, Swara Saagara Samrat from Saagara Sangitha Samithi Laya Kala Nipuna - 2017, Sunada Siri - 2018, Gurukripa Award from Shankar Mahadevan Academy - 2018, Sagara Rathna Puraskara - 2019, Swaramurthy V.N Rao Memorial National Award - 2019^[6]. Vagdevi Puraskara by VRC Academy of Dance and Music - 2019, Nada Surya Award by Surya Global Academy - 2019, Sri Tyagaraja Sangeetha Puraskara - 2020.

RA Ramamani in the Media[edit]

References[edit]

External Links[edit]

• Official website
• Amara on Facebook
• Amara on Instagram
• Amara's channel on YouTube

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