Tiruchy L. Saravanan, also known as Flute Saravanan, is a prime disciple of Dr. N. Ramani, one of India's pioneer Carnatic flautists.
Education
Saravanan is also a disciple of the late Sri K. S. Narayanan (senior most disciple of Sri Mali), the late V. Sundaresan, and the eminent violinist Nagai R. Muralidharan, Saravanan is a Yuvakalabharathy Award winner. Trained as a vocalist equally, Saravanan incorporates both the demands of vocal and instrumental techniques in his renditions satisfying the needs of the composition rather than the wants of the audience.
He began at the age of 10 in both vocal and Carnatic flute. After several years of schooling in music under renowned teachers, he started performing by the age 14 in All India Radio, Tiruchy. After several years of performing experience, he got the rare privilege of learning under the Flute Maestro, Dr. N. Ramani aided by the Govt. of India Advanced Learning sponsorship. Dr. N. Ramani himself is the direct disciple of Mali, who elevated the status of the flute in Carnatic concerts with vocal techniques. Dr. N. Ramani polished his teacher's methodology to high vocal standards and brought a new image and dimension to Indian Classical Music in the 1900s. Saravanan, being trained under vocal and violin teachers assimilated Dr. N. Ramani's techniques aptly.
He performs in Ramani's Academy of Flute regularly and with Dr. N. Ramani, Saravanan has taken part in uniques flute concerts like 5-flute concert incorporating a series of flutes in a single concert.
He has made solo albums with recording companies like Kalavardhini with his own gurus accompanying like the violin exponent Nagai Muralidharan and the famed mridangist Srimushanam V. Raja Rao.
National recognition and awards
Saravanan has received several awards and titles for his performances, in particular, the Senior Fellowship from the Government of India and the Yuvakalabarathy award.
He also received the Saptha Swara Kulal Isai Mani and the Senior Flautist awards from the Madras Music Academy. In the Rama Gana Sabha in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh he was honoured as Venu Gana Nipuna.
He was a Flute lecturer with the Tamil Nadu Government Music College before he joined the SIFAS Academy as a Carnatic Vocal and Flute Tutor in January 2004.
Saravanan has accompanied musicians including Padmashri Sudha Raghunathan, Nithyashree Mahadevan, Bombay Jayashri, Kalaimamani A. K. C. Natarajan in clarinet and flute duets, Sangeetha Kalanidhi and Padma Bhushan T.N.Seshagopalan, Sangeet Saamrat Chitravina N. Ravikiran and chiefly Padma Vibushan Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna on world tours.
He has also performed with other famous accompanying artistes such as the tavil exponent Padmashri Valayaptti A. R. Subramaniam and Haridwaramangalam A. K. Palanivel, the violin exponent Kumari A. Kanyakumari. He has also given Santoor-Flute Jugalbhandi concerts with the late R. Visweswaran, a disciple of the Santoor Maestro Pt. Shivkumar Sharma.
His involvement in the dance fraternity is respectable being an accompanist to dance exponents such in the likes of Padmashri Smt. Sudharani Raghupathi, Padmashri Smt. Chitra Visweswaran and Padmashri Dr. Smt. Saraswathi Sundaresan.
His copious fluidity in sangathi creation, strong raga bhava and apt control of rhythm got him the 1st prize in the All India Radio National Flute Competition in 1990 and has also won the gold medal in the Calcutta Youth Festival in 1996.
Contribution in Singapore
Saravanan is also a composer in the National Arts Council of Singapore (NAC) in the biennial National Indian Music Competition which showcases budding talents in the field of Indian Classical Music. The SIFAS octet ensemble which he composed in 2004 won the second prize in the competition.