About Me
I am Baradwaj Raman and I am a Carnatic Vainika. Grandson of Veena Maestro and multifaceted genius ‘Padma Bhushan’ Dr.S.Balachander, I grew up listening to my grandfather's soulful music steeped in classicism.
I have performed in leading sabhas across India such as Music Academy for their HCL series, Narada Gana Sabha, Indian Fine Arts Society, Bharat Kalachar, Mudra Fine Arts, RR Sabha, Fifty Fifty Club, Chennai Fine Arts, Aanmajothi, Maduradhwani, among others in Chennai; Shanmukananda Sabha and Chembur Fine Arts in Mumbai; Sri Ranga Academy of Fine Arts in Thuraiyur; Andhra Music Academy in Visakapatnam.
As a performing artiste, I have developed a unique style of Veena playing that takes audience down nostalgia lane, bringing back memories of the classicists of a bygone era with the intensity of his music. Particularly noteworthy is my ability to play long phrases modulating the string on the same fret - a hallmark of the SB style that one seldom comes across. I have performed in Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in London, Kala Sangam in Bradford, SIFAS in Singapore and conducted workshops in Scotland, Singapore and Melbourne. Along with Kalaimamani Isaikkavi Ramanan, I have done more than 50 special programmes such as ‘Isaikkaviyum Iniya Veenaiyum’ and ‘Adhisaya Raagam, Aanandha Raagam’ all over Tamil Nadu. I have also performed and conducted workshops in IIT Madras for their students and faculty.
I also am a sound engineer, and have been collaborating with many English and Tamil Theatre groups in their live theatrical productions such as ‘The Madras Players’, ‘Crea Shakti’, ‘Thespian En’ and ‘SB Creations’. Bharathi Yaar?- a highly acclaimed production of SB Creations has music and sound designed by me in which I have also set to tune some of the Mahakavi’s immortal verses. I have also collaborated with actress and dancer Shobana in her dance productions.
I have been collaborating with leading artistes of other genres like Denis Stern a Russian Guitarist, Vedanth Baradwaj - musician and music composer/director and Keyboard player Ananth Kumar among others to create a unique blend of Indian and western music for an eclectic audience.
My new innovative Veena design called ‘Sarasvitar’ that is portable, detachable, extremely light weight, and still maintains amplitude and tonal quality of the instrument, is the result of 8 years of research on tone and acoustics of the Thanjavur Saraswathi Veena.
I have been awarded the Nadha Kala Vipanchee and Tamizh Yazh Isai Selvan awards. Some of my concert reviews are,
‘Those soulful strains’ The Hindu, April 18th 2013
The second day saw a near replica of Dr. S Balachander in the concert of the virtuoso’s grandson, Baradwaj Raman. The typical Balachander style could be heard here which used to be potent and commanding. It was awesome to see the young player touch many notes of the raga in one pluck and pull almost as meticulously as his grandfather.
‘The wait seems to be over’ The Hindu, April 16th 2015
The search for a successor has finally ended, this writer felt, as he listened to Baradwaj Raman, grandson of SB, in a concert. Baradwaj Raman emulates SB’s playing style with all his mannerisms intact. It is surprising, for Baradwaj was hardly five, when SB passed away while on a concert tour to Bhilai.
‘Chip off the old block’ The Hindu, January 10th 2013
The style and mannerisms of his illustrious grand farther were inevitably in attendance in the lively concert of Baradwaj Raman. Just like titan S. Balachander, Baradwaj too resorts to pulling the strings to the very limit in order to sustain the karvai. He also exhibits his virtuosity in playing the veena at a breath- taking speed with clarity of notes. He sees to it that the technique is aesthetically pleasing, without overindulgence.
‘In true Balachander style’ The Hindu, January 23rd 2009
Following his grandfather’s bhani to a T, Bharadwaj took the audience on a nostalgic trip and it appeared as though SB himself had descended on stage to play the concert. Some of his mannerisms such as pulling the strings to check whether they are taut, removing his spectacles, playing down in the pit, the entire range of the raga all took one back several decades.
‘Diverse styles, unique skills’ The Hindu, August 24th 2015
The evening session began with Bharadwaj Raman (grandson of S. Balachandar). For one moment it was as though, SB himself had descended on the dais. ‘Bharadu’ as he is known to many, played through the length and breadth of the veena with consummate ease. His pulls and playing in the pit near the yali during the alapana were typical of his grandfather. Spontaneity was his hallmark.