Must know the best violin player in india

The best Indian violinists of all time

Introduction

Whenever people think of violins they think of elegance and class. A violin is a very delicate instrument. It gives out an elegant and classy feel when people play it. A violin is a very attractive musical instrument. Despite being so attractive not many people like to play the violin. This happens because a violin is a musical instrument that is pretty difficult to play compared to other musical instruments. It takes years of practice, dedication, and hard work to play the violin perfectly. This is why history violinists are populated with overachievers, savants, and geniuses.

In India, violins are mostly used in traditional music. The use of violins is famous in India’s southern regions. The use of violins in Indian music was started from Carnatic music. Violin was introduced in Carnatic music by Vadivelu Pillai. He was a scholar in Tamil and Telugu languages. He was also a vocalist, violinist, and composer. The ruler of Travancore was delighted by his performance and gifted him an ivory violin in the year 1834. Nowadays there are two types of violin playing in India- the Carnatic style and the Hindustani style.

Today I have brought to you a list of some legendary violinists of India. These musicians took the use of violins in Indian music to a wholly different level. Nowadays violins are a very important part of Indian music( especially Carnatic music). Sadly we can not hear some of these people live now but they will always remain the legendary and great Indian violinists of all time in people’s hearts.

List of best violinists of India

The list given below is the list of some of the greatest and legendary violinists of India. These people gave a new definition of Indian music by using violins in it. Sadly some of these musicians have passed away and we cannot hear them live but it doesn’t change the fact that they were, are, and will remain the legendary Indian violinists of all time.

AbhijithP.S. Nair

AbhijithP.S. NairAbhijith P.S. Nair is an Indian violinist, composer, and arranger. He was born on 18th October 1991. Abhijith was born in the Vaikom city of Kerela. His father’s name was P.Sasikumaran Nair and his mother’s name was M.Santhakumari. His father was a Malayalam teacher and his mother was a Sanskrit teacher. Abhijith was first introduced to Carnatic music and other styles of music at the very age of 13. From the age of 15, he started to study Indian Classical violin. His brother Jyotish P.S. was a music lover. At first Abhijith’s music was promoted and produced by his brother in his music videos.

 

Works, experience, and achievements

Abhijith is well known for his instrumental video projects. He has performed in many music shows and flash mobs in India and abroad. Abhijith started his career by doing A.R. Rahman covers and flash mobs that were exclusively filled with A.R. Rahman’s songs. Thereafter he became acquainted with folk and classical style of music. He started performing onstage improvisations. He gained popularity with his fusion violin shows and albums.

He has performed with many famous artists including artists like Shankar Mahadevan, Dr. K. J. Yesudas, Hariharan, Sivamani, Mandolin U Rajesh, etc. His first international jazz fusion album was Saraswati At Montreux. For this album, he collaborated with Drummer Dave Weck. Abhijith is also the worldwide ambassador of cantina violin. He entered the Malayalam film industry at the age of 18.

He first worked for a Malayalam film called Akashangalil in the year 2015. In 2016 he worked on a word fusion album named Behind you. Again in the same year 2016, he worked in two jazz fusion albums named Saraswati At Montreux and Eklavya.

 

Ambi Subramaniam 

Ambi Subramaniam is an Indian violinist, composer, and educator. He was born on 5th August 1991 in Los Angeles, California in the United States. He started his on-stage performances from the age of 6. He was also described as the “new king of Indian classical violin” by the Times of India.

Works, experience, and achievements

He is the associate dean of the Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts. Ambi started his academy(SaPa) along with his sister in the year 2014.

Ambi first performed on stage at the age of 7. It was his life’s first violin performance. He performed in Colombo, Srilanka, at the Indian Embassy. After the age of 13, he started performing regularly. Around this time he performed for the late President of India A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. In the year 2007, he took a trip to Durban, South Africa, where he performed in the One World Music Festival with his father. In the year 2008, he performed at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Youth Games held in Pune. Ambi debuted in orchestral performances at the age of 15. He performed in the Orchestra Nationale du Lille that was conducted by Jean- Claude Casadesus. After this, he continued performing in various national and international stages.

Ambi won many awards in his life. His awards include the Ritz Icon of the Year Award, the Rotary Youth Award, two Global Indian Music Awards(games), and one BiMA. He was a three-time winner of the Philomena Thumbochetty Award. He also received a golden violin from Sri Jayendra Saraswati at the age of 18.

Arrol Corelli

 

Arrol Corelli is the stage name of Indian music composer S.Arul Murugan. He was born on 3rd October in the year 1985. Professionally he is an Indian music composer and debuted in the year 2014. He debuted from a Tamil movie named Pisaasu. He was born and brought up in Marmalinagar in Chennai. He started learning Indian Classical violin at the age of 5. He first started playing the violin under the guidance of Shri Ravi Kumar and later on under A. Kanyakumari.

Work, experience, and achievements

From a very young age, he started performing in various music concerts across South India. He also won several prizes at various competitions held in The Music Academy, Narada Gana Sabha, Mylapore fine arts, etc.

He got his first work from the film director of the movie Pisaasu. Director Mysskin hired him to score the music for Pisaasu. Arul wrote the background music for the film Pisaasu and he also played violin in one of its songs named” Nathi Pogum koozhangal payasam”. In the year 2015, he was nominated for the best background score category at the Vijay Awards for the movie Pisaasu. After this, he received an offer to work with director Pandiraj. It was an offer for the movie Pasanga 2.

 

Avaneeswaram S R Vinu

Avaneeswaram S.R Vinu is a full time professional Indian Carnatic Violinist. He was born on 10th June 1973. He is regarded as A Top grade artist by All India Radio. He is also world-renowned for being a soloist and accompanist. He managed to capture the heart of his listeners through his mellifluous tunes that were enriched with Raga Bhaava. His ability to easily switch between vocal style and instrumental style makes his techniques unique and one of a kind.

Works, experience, and achievements

Vinu is one of the most famous violinists of Carnatic music today. He has traveled all over the world and has performed with various leading musicians. He has performed with Padmavibhushan Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna, Padmabhushan T.V. Sankaranarayanan, Padmavibhushan Dr.K.J Yesudas, and many more.

Vinu traveled extensively around the world. He also performed in various prestigious music festivals like Sacred Music Festival, France, Sydney music festival, and Swarthy music festival Trivandrum in India. Other than India Vinu performed in various other countries including countries like United States, Canada, Australia, Newzealand, France, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, UAE, Botswana, and Qatar.

Vinu is also recognized as an “A Top” grade artiste of All India Radio and Doordarshan. In the Musical Instrument Museum of Pheonix, Arizona, USA he was featured as an Indian Carnatic Violinist. During the years 2004 and 2005, he received the Madras Music Academy award. In 2010 he was honored with the ‘Sangeet Ratna’ from Sri Sathyasai seva trust. In 2010 he was again conferred with the honor of Sri Kanchipuram Asthana Vidwan. In 2012 he received the ‘Youth Excellence Award’ from Maharajapuram Vishwanathan Iyyer Trust in Chennai. Thereafter he has featured in various albums and CDs.

 

Balabhaskar Chandran

Balabhaskar Chandran was an Indian musician. He was a violinist, composer, and record producer. He was born on 10th July 1978 and unfortunately passed away on 2nd October 2018. He was famous for the promotion of fusion music in South India. He was from a family that was affiliated with music for generations. The world of musical instruments was introduced to him at the age of 3. He was introduced to musical instruments by his uncle B.Sasikumar who was a laureate in Carnatic Music.

Works, experience, and achievements

Balabhaskar was a child prodigy. He started doing stage shows at the young age of 12. He performed with many noted musicians and instrumentalists of India and abroad. He performed with people like Ustad Zakir Hussain, Sivamani, Vikku Vinayakram, Mattanoor Sankarankutty, Hariharan, Louis Banks, Fazal Qureshi, and so on. He also performed with his guru in various Carnatic Concerts as a duo. His guru was his uncle B.Sasikumar.

Balabhaskar composed music for the first time in the Malayalam movie Mangalya Pallak. By this, he became the youngest music director of the Malayalam music industry. After this, he also composed some famous music albums like Ninakaai and Aadyamai. He was very well versed in Carnatic music. His first debut instrumental fusion album Let it B was produced in 2011. This album featured renowned musicians like Sivamani, Louis Banks, Gino Banks, Fazal Qureshi, and Sheldon D’Silva.

Balabhaskar recipient the Bismillah Khan Yuva Sangeeth Puraskar in the year 2008 by Kendra Sangeet Natak Academy for his instrumental music of the violin.

 

Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu

Dwaram Venkataswany Naidu was a very important Carnatic music violinist of the 20th century. He was born on 8th November 1893 and unfortunately passed away on 25th November 1964. He was partially blind but this didn’t stop him from achieving what he wanted. He became a professor of violin at Maharaja music College of Vijayagram. In the year 1936, he became the principal of the college at the young age of 26.

Works, experiences, and achievements

He performed his first solo concert in Vellore in 1938. He was very well known for his well developed soft bowing technique that is combined with firm fingering technique. He wrote several articles on music. He was a very strict teacher and didn’t let his disciples miss a single practice class even for a day.

Yehudi Menuhin was a world-famous violinist who was very greatly impressed by sir Naidu. He heard him play the violin at Justice P.V. Rajmannar’s house. One of the famous playback singer Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao learner Carnatic music under him.Kalaimamani SMT. Radhanarayanan was also a disciple of sir Naidu.

In the year 1941, he was presented with the Sangeetha Kalindi award by Madras music academy. Again in the same year, he won the Sangeetha Kalasikhamani award that was bestowed upon him by The Indian Fine Arts society. Andhra Pradesh University conferred on him the Kala Prapoorna award in the year 1950. In 1953 he received the Sangeet Natak Academy award in Fine Arts. He received the Padma Shree award in the year 1957. Indian Postal department also released a commemorative stamp on his birth anniversary in 1993.

 

Ganesh and Kumaresh

 

Ganesh and Kumaresh are a very famous Indian duo of violin players. They are a very important part of the Carnatic music fraternity. This duo is well known as modern contemporary artists. They have contributed a lot to India’s Shastriya Sangeet. They are a very dynamic duo of violinists who have carved their way themselves in this era of great violinists. These brothers have brought out the refreshingly original content and style of the instrument.

Works, experience, and achievements

Ganesh and Kumaresh not only perform but also score music for films and dance productions. They gave music for the movie Dance like a Man and Chandrikai. The music in these movies was widely appreciated.

They performed at various global festivals. Their communication through music crossed all boundaries. They performed extensively in Canada, France, Germany, the USA, Belgium, Middle East, and Southeast Asia, Switzerland, Australia, Maldives, India, etc. They were also seen in Doordarshan Bharati’s musical clip Ad for national unity.

In the year 2016, they received the Academy of Music Chowdiah Award. They became the state artistes of Tamil Nadu in their teens. They were the youngest ever child violinists to be regarded as an “A-Top” ranking artistes by All India Radio. They also received the Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu awad.

Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan

Kunnakudi Vidyanathan was a music composer and an Indian Classical Violinist. He was born on 2nd March 1935 and he passed away on 8th September 2008. He was trained in the music field by his father Ramaswamy Sastri.

Works, experience, and achievements

Violin was sir Vidyanathan’s forte. He was famous for his dexterity and subtlety in handling a violin. When he played violin the music reflected his different mood and sometimes the demands of the audience. High as well as low octaves were dwelled with ease and competence by him.

At the very young age of 12, he accompanied great artists like Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Maharajapuram Santhanatham, and Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer in their concerts. He also performed with Nadaswaram Vidwans like Thiruvenkadu Subramaniam Pillai and T.N. Rajarathirnam Pillai. From the year 1976, he stopped accompanying the vocal artists and focused on his solo performances with the violin.

He got the prestigious “Padma Shri” title from the Indian government. He also got Kalaimamani award, Sangeet Natak Academy award in year 1993. He won the Best Music Director awards for his background scores in the movies. He also received the Sangeetha Kalasikhamani award in the year 1996. In the year 1970, he received the Tamil Nadu State film award for Best Music Director. In the year 2000, he received the Tamil Nadu State film Honorary Award.

 

Tripunnithura Narayanaiyer Krishnan

Tripunnithura Narayanaiyer Krishnan was born on 6th October 1928 and passed away on 2nd November 2020 and born and brought up in Tripunithura, Kerela. And also he learned playing violin from his father. He was considered as a part of the violin trinity of Carnatic music along with Lalgudi Jayaraman and M.S. Gopalakrishnan.

Works, experience, and achievements

Sir Krishnan started as a violinist. In 1939, when he was only 11, he played in his 1st solo concert in Trivandrum. He was provided with royal patronage by the Cochin Royal family in his early years. Sir Krishnan’s first teacher was his father. In the year 1942, Sir Krishnan went to Madras. He was a regular performer of the annual Marghazi music season at the Madras Music Academy.

Sir Krishnan started as a violinist and accompanied many great musicians. He have performed with many well-known musicians like Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, Alathur Brothers, M.D. Ramanathan, Musiri Subramaniam Iyer, and Maharajapuram Vishwanatha Iyer. After his father died, his teacher was Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. In 1942 his tutor placed him in the care of Sir R. Aiyadurai. Sir R. Aiyadurai was a philanthropist, and fan of Carnatic music. He was a part of the well-known violin-trinity of Carnatic music. He voyaged broadly all over the world for shows.

In the year 1974 sir Krishnan received the Sangeet Natak Academy Award. He also received the Sangeet Natak Academy Fellowship from the Academy in 2006. He got an award from the Madras music academy which is called as Sangeet Kalindi. He also got the Sangeet Kalasikhamani award in 1999 from the Indian Fine Arts Society of Chennai. He was also honored with Padma Shri in the year 1973 and Padma Bhushan in the year 1992.

 

Lalgudi Jayaraman

Lalgudi Gopala Iyer Jayaraman was a well-known Carnatic Violinist, composer, vocalist and many more. He was born on 17th September 1930 and passed away on 22nd April 2013. He is a part of the famous violin- trinity along with M.S. Gopalakrishnan and T.N. Krishnan.

Works, experience, and achievements

At the starting of his career he worked with many renowned violinists of Carnatic music. He invented a whole new technique of violin playing that was perfectly designed to suit the needs of Indian Classical Music. He also recognized a new style of playing violin which is called as Lalgudi Bani. He invented several kritis, tillanas, and varnams.

He was always in great demand for accompanying various famous vocalists. He accompanied vocalists like Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, M.D.Ramanathan, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, G.N. Balasubramaniam, and others He was invited to play at the Edinburgh festival in the year 1965. One of the renowned violinist Yehudi Menuhin got impressed by his technique and gifted him, his Italian violin.

Sir Jayaram earned many titles like ‘Nada Vidya Tilaka’ by the Music lovers Association of Lalgudi in the year 1963. He was honored by the Padma Shri by the Government of India in the year 1972. He won many more titles. He was also honored with the Padma Bhushan in the year 2001.

 

The Final Verdict

The above list describes some of the greatest and legendary violinists of India. Many people think that violins are difficult to play and give up their interests before even starting. These artists work as inspiration for those people. These artists inspire people to work hard and achieve their dreams. There are many more famous violinists of India whose names are not included in this list but are legends in their field. This shows how hard work and dedication can make anything easy. These people used violin in their music and made it a very important part of Indian music (especially Carnatic music).