Raman Kalyan
5630 Lierman Cir  Centreville VA 20120  Mobile: (508) 468 1803  Email: fluteraman@gmail.com
Indian Flautist
SUMMARY
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Extensive performance experience as a Flautist for over thirty years.
Experience with many musical genres including Carnatic Classical, Hindustani, Jazz,
Contemporary, Folk and World Music.
Proficiency on the South Indian Bamboo Flute as well as North Indian Bansuri.
Studied music with many renowned musicians of diverse backgrounds, enriching the
repertoire of my music. Intensive training with renowned flautist Dr. Ramani and advanced
performance techniques under the guidance of several great stalwarts in the field.
Widely acclaimed for the successful experiment of fusing South Indian traditional music with
electronic percussions.
Two of my CDs are on the list of Top Ten Albums of 2007 on iTunes in the World Music
category, globally.
Released over 60 CDs with various labels worldwide.
Best Flautist Award for my Music Academy Performance in 2009 from the Madras Music
Academy, Madras.
Founder President of Sri Krishna Academy of Music, Washington DC, USA
Founder President of Indo – American Academy of Classical Music, LLC, Washington DC,
USA
Board of Directors, Learn Quest Academy of Music, Boston, USA
Featured flautist in Kannada Movie Industry’s Mega Star Late Dr Rajkumar’s Devotional music
Album which sold over a million records.
Featured flautist in the box office hit movie Janumada Jodi.
AWARDS AND TITLES
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Winner of the National Level All India Radio Music Competition in 1984
Honors in the Senior Grade Music Examination - First Rank.
Senior Fellowship from the Department of Culture, Government of India.
Cultural Talent Search Scholarship from the Government of India.
‘Surmani’ prestigious National Award by Sur-Singar Samsad, Bombay, India.
“A” Grade Flautist of All India Radio & National Television - Doordarshan.
Grade A Composer of All India Radio & Doordarshan
“Best Musician” award from Ganakala Parishad, Bangalore, India.
Gold Medal from Kanchi Kamkoti Mutt, Kancheepuram, India.
“Prathibha Rathna” Title from India and numerous other Accolades, Awards & trophies.
PERFORMANCES
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Performed worldwide and toured UK, USA, Asia, and Europe.
Performed at prestigious venues like the Royal Festival Hall, The Barbican Center, The
Lincoln Center, UW World Series, Smithsonian, The Metropolitan Performing Arts Center,
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The Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Lied Center for Performing Arts, The Rialto Performing
Art Center, Washington Performing Arts Society, and The Flynn Center.
Performed with the members of London Philharmonic Orchestra, Belgium's Rajhans
Orchestra, Stetson University Orchestra & Khakatay African Ensemble.
CD RELEASES / MUSIC SCORES
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Over 60 CDs released successfully in collaboration with many leading musicians from all
genres through various labels worldwide. Scored music for a number of Music albums, Dance
Ballets, and Dance Dramas, Collaborations with Western Ballet and Indian Dance, Puppet
Shows, storytelling projects, Theatre Dramas.
My flute playing was featured in the legendary dancer Martha Graham’s documentary, ‘The
Flute of Krishna’ originally produced by the Eastman Kodak Company. YouTube clipping of
this has had more than 200,000 views and has earned rave reviews from all over the world.
The Music for Deep Meditation video on YouTube which features my flute playing has had
more than 232,000 views with global reviews and comments.
AFFILIATIONS
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Served at All India Radio, Bhadravathi & Bangalore, and Karnataka as a Staff Flautist
(1988-2001).
Served as a member of Film Recording Musicians Federation, Bangalore, India (1993-2000)
AS AN EDUCATOR
1] Trained a number of performing students at India and USA.
2] Conducted Workshops on South Indian Music at Trinity College of Music, London, The
Lincoln Center, The Lied Center, University of Birmingham-UK, Wabash College- Indiana,
Western Carolina University- Cullowhee North Carolina, Stetson University- Florida, Goucher
College- MD and Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
3] Workshops at the Trinity College of Music, London, The University of Birmingham, Stetson
University, etc.
4] I currently run the Sri Krishna Academy of Music at Virginia. I am in both the faculty and
Board of Directors for the Learn Quest Academy of Music, Waltham, MA.
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL COLLBORATIONS
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Collaborated with Irish, Welsh, Spanish, West African, Jazz, Blues, Flamenco, Japanese
(Koto) musicians, World Musicians like Glen Velez (Grammy Winner), Sax wizard Charlie
Mariano, Khakatay African Ensemble, Flamenco Guitarist Pepe Habechuela, Louis Banks,
Karl Peters, Ranjit Barot, Dr. L. Subramaniam, Jamey Haddad and others.
Collaborated with musicians from South and North India including Dr. Balamurali Krishna,
Guru Dr. N. Ramani, Mandolin Shrinivas, Selvaganesh, Tabla Maestro Anindo Chatterji,
Pundit Vinayak Torvi and others.
AS AN EDUCATOR
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Published a book and accompanying DVD, ‘Krishna’s Legacy’ for learning to play the Flute.
This has been used by students the world over and enabled the learning of Carnatic Music
easily. In this, I have developed new, original fingering and blowing exercises which enable
students to get better control over the instrument in the path to mastery of flute playing.
With a vision to make Carnatic Music global, I have ventured to fuse traditional Carnatic Flute
Music with Electronic Percussion.
First Carnatic musician to release a Carnatic Flute CD with Thavil accompaniment which has
been widely acclaimed.
Currently doing research on the usage of ‘Finger Transposing Technique’ in Carnatic
Music and have developed new formulae for use of students of the flute.
REVIEWS
"TRICKY RHYTHMIC PATTERNS" --V.K. Raman’s amazing lungpower made it possible to maintain
the continuity of the sound could be maintained and above all the vocal based renditions did create a
desirable impact...The Hindu
"REFINED TONAL QUALITY" -- A refined tonal quality pervaded the entire concert and peak of the
performance was touched in Yadukula Kambhoji with som captivating gliding sancharas. A lot of
soulful music flowed from the heart to cherish and for the mind to treasure in its memory... The Hindu
“MUSIC INDISPENSABLE IN KRISHNA BHAKTI”
Raman Kalyan on traditional bamboo flute distilled the lament & passion of the character’s dual lives.
-- The Oregonian
“WITH DELIGHTFUL CLARITY” – Raman’s blowing technique, which is his hallmark, came through
the best in the manodharma sequences… The Hindu
“RICH FARE FOR MUSIC LOVERS” - Raman’s sensitivity to swaras, raga, and nuances of tone &
the melodic beauty was captivating Raman enthralled the audience as he explored the possibilities of
different rhythm patterns, making it a delightful experience -- The Hindu
QUOTES BY PEERS
Raman’s recordings and live performances are testimony to a profound musical sensibility as a
composer and musician of the highest order.
Glen Velez. World Frame Drummer & Grammy Winner, New York, USA
V.K. Raman is a tremendous asset as a Performer and Teacher. He not only has mastered Carnatic
music but has also done cutting edge projects in the world music genre.
Jamey Haddad, World Percussionist
Raman is a child prodigy and flute playing comes naturally to him. He is also a great music composer
evident from his work with some of the top dance ballet companies. I would state without any
hesitation that Raman is truly a genius at Flute and poses exceptional skills and his achievements to
date are truly extraordinary.
Dr. Jayanthi Raman, Dancer-Choreographer, NDP Recipient, Portland, US
“Music is God & He is within us “ Flute Raman