Ranjani Ramachandran Assistant Professor Dept. of Hindustani Classical Music (Vocal) Sangit Bhavana, Visva Bharati Santiniketan 731235 +91-8972595745 [email protected]; www.ranjani.net

Contact Address

Department of Hindustani Classical Music (Vocal) Sangit Bhavana, Visva Bharati Santiniketan 731235, West Bengal Email: [email protected] Website: www.ranjani.net Tel.: +91-8972595745

Designation: Assistant Professor Department: Hindustani Classical Music (Vocal) Area of Specialization: Khayal (Vocal) Date of Joining: 5th Nov. 2013

EDUCATION AND MUSICAL TRAINING:

 Ph.D. in Music , Lalit Kala Kendra, University of Pune: April 2014  Masters (M.A.) in music (Hindustani Vocal), Lalit Kala Kendra, University of Pune; First Rank with Distinction; May 1999  UGC NET (with JRF); 2006  Resident Scholar ITC Sangeet Research Academy , Kolkata: Aug.2001-April 2006; Graduated with A grade  Sangeet Visharad , Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal  Vocal Music Training from India’s best known gurus: Pt. Kashinath Shankar Bodas, Smt. Veena Sahasrabuddhe (Padmashree) Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, (Padmabhushan) Vidushi Girija Devi

AWARDS

 Ramkrishnabua Vaze Yuva Gayak Puraskar 2013  ‘Surmani’ Award, Sur Singar Samsad, 2010  Yamunadevi Shahane Shastriya Gayan Puraskar, Ganvardhan, Pune, 2001  First rank in M.A. (Music) examination, University of Pune: May 1999

GRANTS/FELLOWSHIPS

 Charles Wallace India Trust (CWIT) Research Grant 2015-16

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 UGC-NET Senior Research Fellowship ( Nov. 2008- Oct.2011)  UGC-NET Junior Research Fellowship (Nov. 2006 to Oct. 2008)  Young artist Scholarship for Hindustani Classical music, from Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Culture, Govt. of India (1998 – 2000)

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

 Empanelled Artiste of Indian Council for Cultural Relations( ICCR) 2008-Present  Graded artiste of All India Radio and Doordarshan  Performances in many prestigious music festivals in India and abroad (Vishnu Digambar Jayanti Samaroha (New Delhi); Chandigarh Sangeet Sammelan; ITC Sangeet Sammelans “Sangeet Pratibha” of Sangeet Natak Academy; Nehru Centre (London); Learnquest Academy (Boston); Basant-Bahar (California); Classical Arts Society, Houston; Dadar Matunga Cultural Centre (Mumbai); Arpan Festival, India Habitat Centre(New Delhi), Kalakshetra Art Festival (Chennai); Pt. Kumar Gandharva Smirti Samaroha, (Dewas); Horizon Series, ICCR (Varanasi and Pune).  Two Commercial audio CDs

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

 Assistant Professor, Department of Hindustani Classical Music (Vocal), Sangit Bhavana, Visva Bharati, Santiniketan, West Bengal: Nov. 2013-Present  Undergraduate and Post-graduate teaching (visiting Lecturer) at Lalit Kala Kendra, University of Pune: 2006-2013  Empanelled as Guru at Lalit Kala Kendra , University of Pune: Jan. 2011-July 2013  Online music teaching lessons to aspiring students

WORKSHOPS CONDUCTED

 Workshop: Introduction to Hindustani Classical Music at Society for Indian Music and Arts (SIMA), Penn State, State College, US: 2nd June 2014  Music Workshop at Swarganga Music Foundation, Atlanta, U.S: 29th May , 30th May 2014  3 day Workshop on Hindustani Classical Music compositions in selected Ragas at the Phoenix Gharana (Music school in the U.S.); Phoenix Gharana, School of Indian Arts, Phoenix , Arizona, U.S: 21st May, 22nd May, 23rd May 2014  Music Workshop at the Sathya Sai Mirpuri College of Music, Prasnati Nilayam: 12th to 15th March 2012  Workshop-Demonstrations in Govt. Schools , Kota, Rajasthan, conducted under the auspices of SPIC MACAY( Society for promotion of Indina culture and music : October 2012

SEMINAR

 Kolkata Style: Looking into Indian Classical Music ( National Seminar under UGC SAP- DRS Project), Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata: 12th -13th March 2015.

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 National Conference on Agra Gharana, Lalit Kala Kendra (Center for Performing arts) , University of Pune : 2012  International Conference on Bandish and its Different facets, Lalit Kala Kendra (Center for Performing arts), University of Pune : 22nd, 23rd, 24th Feb 2010.

RESEARCH

 Doctorate in music from Lalit Kala Kendra , University of Pune: April 2014; UGC-NET- Junior Research fellowship and UGC Senior Research Fellowship grant: 2006-2011; “Thesis Topic: Stylistic Diversity within the Gwalior Gharana: An analytical study of the gayaki of some Gwalior Gharana Vocalists from the 20th Century”  Co-Editor of Punyaswar 2011, A publication of Lalit Kala Kendra, University of Pune  Ongoing Collaboration with Dr. Martin Clayton, Professor of Ethnomusicology and Dr. Laura Leante, Lecturer, Department of Music, Durham University, UK since Feb.2010 in their current research project “The reception of Performance in North Indian Classical Music”

PUBLICATION

 Ramachandran Ranjani, “Diversity within the Agra Gharana”, Punyaswar, pp.77-79, 2013  Ramachandran Ranjani, “Gwalior Gharana of the Khayal Form: Origin, Development and Salient Features”, Samakalika Sangeetham, Vol. 2, Issue 1, pp.89-96, 2012.  Ramachandran Ranjani, “International Conference on Bandish and its Facets: An introduction”, Punyaswar, pp.1-2, 2011

PERFORMING ARTISTE

Ranjani is a versatile and talented Hindustani classical vocalist of the younger generation. Endowed with a rich vibrant voice and coupled with immense dedication to her chosen vocation, Ranjani has earned wide acclaim for her performances which are known for their powerful exposition and highly melodic appeal. Trained in the Gwalior and Jaipur gharana gayaki-s, Ranjani is also known for her soulful renditions of devotional bhajans. In addition to traditional bandishes, Ranjani has a vast repository of beautiful and intricate compositions including taranas set to tune by contemporary composers like Pt. Balwantrai Bhatt, Pt. Vasant Thakar, and Pt. Ramashraya Jha. Devotional Bhajans of Meera, Surdas, Kabir (Nirguni Bhajans) and Tulsidas are also an integral part of her concert repertoire.

Selected Performances  Vishnu Digambar Jayanti Samaroha, New Delhi  Kalakshetra Annual Art Festival, Chennai  Chandigarh Sangeet Sammelan( 2008 and 2013), Chandigarh  “Sangeet Pratibha”, Sangeet Natak Academy, Vishakapatnam  ITC Sangeet Sammelans in Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore  HCL Concert Series, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi

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 Bengaluru Temple Festival 2013, Bangalore  Natyaghar, Santiniketan  Basant Utsav, Santiniketan  Pt. Firoz Dastur Foundation Memorial Concert , Miraj  Isha Navratri Festival 2013, Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore  Pt. Lalmani Mishra Sangeet Samaroha, Kanpur  Bharatiya Sangeet Vidyalaya, Dharwad  Swarprabhu Sangeet Sammelan, Goa Kala Academy, Goa  Gaanvardhan, Pune  Riwaayat and Campus Concert series, Hyderabad  Horizon Series, ICCR, Pune  Kalaprakash and ICCR, Varanasi  Uttaradhikar, Ustad Allauddin Khan Sangeet and Kala Academy, Mandasor, Madhya Pradesh  Pt. Kumar Gandharva Smriti Samaroha, Dewas  SPIC MACAY, Kota, Rajasthan  Dadar Matunga Cultural Centre, Mumbai  Swarganga Music Festival, Thane  Arpan Festival, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi  Kal ke Kalakaar Sammelan, Sur Singar Samsad, Mumbai  Pt Kalvint Smriti Samaroha, Theosophical Society, Varanasi  “Spirit of Youth” festival, Music Academy, Chennai  Viswa Kala Sangam, Chennai  IITF, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi  Homecoming Festival, ITC-SRA, Kolkata  Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Vashi and Pune  Nehru Centre, London  Learnquest Academy, Boston  Classical Arts Society, Houston  Concert tour to U.S in 2005  Youth Festival, NCPA and PL Deshpande Foundation, Jalgaon  Sri Sathya Sai Mirpuri College of music, Puttaparthi  Varsharambha, University of Pune, Pune  Shaniwar Sangeet Mandal, Osmanabad  Swami Haridas Sangeet Sammelan, Mumbai  Goregaon Music Circle, Mumbai  Karnatak Sangh, Mumbai  Deval Club, Kolhapur  Shivananda Swami Punyatithi Sangeet Mahotsav , Aundh- Satara  Acharya Bodas Centenary Concert, Kanpur  IMSc Cultural Association ( ICA), Chennai  Swami Haridas Sammelan, Mumbai  NCBS, TIFR, Bangalore

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Press Quotes

 “Vocalist Ranjani Ramachandran was an apt choice for opening the festival. Her singing was an impressive instance of classical poise and dignity. Her voice was robust and tuneful; and her articulation of swaras delightfully correct and open”..... S.K.Saxena, Review, Vishnu Digambar Jayanti Samaroha , Sruti’  “…we were struck by the South Indian vocalist’s fluency in Hindustani music and her ability to render flowing alaaps and taans."….. Amarendra Dhaneshwar, Time Out, Mumbai  "Ranjani impressed with her khayals in the dusk-time raga Shree that is a testing ground for most musicians. She concluded her recital with a brief but succinct Chandrakauns composition, “Sharad Ki Chandni”. One appreciated her occasional deploying of the note Shuddha Rishabh in the upper octave, which most musicians often ignore.”…The Hindu, New Delhi, Review of Arpan Festival  “Ranjani’s rich promise and potential, besides dedicated commitment, will surely win her meaningful public acclaim” Sunday Express  “The sancharas in the tarasaptak were precise and forceful and Ranjani displayed good variety in bol tans, The Hindu  “Swar ki sachchayi, bandish ki spashtata… is gayika ki sadhna prakat karti hai,” Navbharat Times, Mumbai

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