Ramana Balachandhran

About

Sharing music, for me, is like opening a diary and letting you read the pages as they’re being written. Sometimes, ideas for a new piece come to me when I’m half asleep - I chase them, work on them, and bring them to the stage so we can discover their essence together.

My Style: Singing Veena

You’ll notice I sing along with my veena. It’s a way to make the Saraswati Veena feel more "alive" and closer to the human voice. The sahitya (lyrics) become more present, and even if you’re new to Carnatic music, you’ll find it easier to connect with the melodies.

Melody Meets Math, But Never Feels Like It

Carnatic music is famous for its kanakku (math), but I try to make the calculations invisible. My goal is to let the rhythm and melody blend so well that you feel the structure but don’t get bogged down by the arithmetic. Basically, you’ll feel the raga alapana improvisation, not just hear it.

Concert Formats

• Saraswati Veena solo recital: A deep, intimate musical journey, including improvisations and classics.
• Jugalbandi Carnatic ensemble: Spontaneous duets or group formats, sometimes with violin or venu, always with live interaction.
• Collaborative concerts: Playing with mridangam, tabla, ghatam, or kanjira brings a different energy every time.
• Thematic Carnatic concert: Sometimes it’s a tribute, sometimes it’s a celebration of a season or a legendary master.

I’m just trying to share what I’ve learned from the greats, and maybe find something new together along the way.

Panduranga Vittal!