SMC Special Marghazi Program Dec- Jan 2021
Dear Music Rasikas,
We would like to invite you with family and friends to our Marghazi Special Programs "Punyastala Mahimai".
20th December 2021 at 9am Cosmic Glimpse performed by Sri. Dr MS Ramanathan
followed by:
1st January 2022 Utsavaayanam peformed by Dr. Smitha Balu
8th January 2022 Andal Charithram performed by Sri. Ashwin Bhaskar
13th January 2022 Vaikunda Vasal performed by Smt. Gayathri Bharat and Sri. Balaji Jagannadhan
Below are links to the live broadcast channels:
YouTube Channel link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCManTfGGypoB0nX9k8dmoQw
Facebook Channel link: https://www.facebook.com/Sydney-Music-Circle-555392531294877/
Artiste Profiles:
Dr. Smitha Balu
Dr Smitha Balu holds a Doctorate in Indian music from University of Kerala. She completed her Masters and Bachelor's in Carnatic music from The Maharajas College for Women, Trivandrum, Kerala. She was also awarded Junior Fellowship in the area of Carnatic Music in the year 2002 by Department of Culture, Central Government of India. Being a versatile singer who has a real passion towards Carnatic and Light music, she continues to nurture her musical career by performing in different prestigious musical shows in Sydney and staging musical productions based on her own concepts. One of the most prestigious musical production by her is Utsavayaanam, which was a thematic concert based on Utsava Sampradaya Krithis of Swathi Thirunal Maharaja alongwith visual interpretation through Mohiniyattam performed in 2012, which was a rare musical experience for the music lovers in Sydney. Most prominent among her gurus are Prof Dr.K.Omanakkutty, Sri Perumbavur G.Ravindranath, and Late Sri. Mavelikkara Prabhakara Varma. She still continues her music education under her Guru Dr K Omanakkutty.
Smt. Nadhamuni Gayatri Bharat
Nadhamuni Gayatri Bharat was born in Chennai, Southern state of India. She was fortunate to be adopted and raised by a great Sidha-Purusha Pujyasri Nadhamuni Narayana Ayyangar.
Gayatri started learning music when she was 3 years old from her father Sri. Lakshminarasimhan, later received advanced training from great musical stalwarts. She was Professionally trained in the traditional Guru-Sishya style of learning for more than 25 years in both the Hindustani musical form (Panchakshara Garwa Gharana) as well as Carnatic and in Carnatic, she was trained by great musical stalwarts namely Sangita Kalanidhi Prof S. Ramanathan and Kalaimamani Vairamangalam Lakshminarayanan. She recieved advanced training for several years from Kalaimamani Vairamangalam LakshmiNarayanan and also from Late Jayalakshmi Santhanam and Smt Meena Subramaniam. She has performed across the globe. She has released several singles, EPs and albums, which can be found on social media.Recently Gayatri was selected as a delegate for the prestigious AWMA awards night as well as for the workshops.
Gayatri has toured nationally and abroad, including United States of America, Dubai, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Malaysia & Singapore and performed Indian classical music for a huge audience. She has also provided music therapy sessions for many Michigan based hospital’s neuro patients. She has also given a very special concert for Ann Arbor University Hospital patients & staff members, and a special lec-dem on Indian Classical music for the Michigan’s Department of Musicology.
https://www.facebook.com/NadhamuniGayatriBharat/
Official Artist Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY51KCno1hABuPelIU2umUw/featured https://open.spotify.com/artist/3G4AWAmKvRiaJ8p3fe92tV https://music.apple.com/in/artist/nadhamuni-gayatri bharat/1478876210
Dr. M.S. Ramanathan
Dr. Maraiyur Ramanathan, a medical practitioner, learnt classical music from a very early age. Growing up in a musical family background, he learnt initially from Smt. Andal Ammal, a disciple of Chitthur Subramanya Pillai and later from teachers like Sri C .V. Krishnamurthy (Principal, Gandharva Gana Nilayam, Chennai), Sri P.N.Raghava Rao, Sri Ramnad Krishnan and maestro Sri KV Narayanaswamy. Dr. Ramanathan was awarded the title of Gayaka Praveena and a Diploma in Music by Egmore School of Music in Chennai. Before performing in Chennai in various Sabhas, Dr. Ramanathan has participated and won many prizes in various music competitions, including the Madras Music Academy in 1963 and 1964. Dr. Ramanathan has also received the blessings of doyen of Carnatic classical music Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. He was awarded Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan's award for lifelong service to Classical music last year Dr. Ramanathan has been a regular performer in Melbourne and Sydney & Brisbane. Dr. Ramanathan has scripted, choreographed and directed the musical opera Sundara Kandam, to celebrate SMCs 25th year. The opera featured many of Dr. Ramanathans students and other Sydney music teachers and their students, participating to produce a colourful musical opera in Carnatic music. Dr. Ramanathan also teaches Carnatic music to a number of students.
Dr. Ashwin Bhaskaran
Dr Ashwin Bhaskaran began learning Carnatic music from a young age from vidwans including Smt Bhavani Govindhan and, more recently, Dr M. S. Ramanathan. He is a sishya of His Holiness Maharanyam Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji who propagates the message of spiritual upliftment through chanting the Divine Names of Bhagavan. Ashwin has delivered many lectures and upanyasams in the homes of devotees throughout Sydney on topics such as Srimadh Bhagavatham and the life stories of bhakthas from the history of sanathana dharma. He is a regular proponent and participant of nama sankirthanam and bhajans at Namadwaar in Winston Hills, Sydney and has also conducted guided meditation and self-development workshops for the broader community. By profession, Ashwin is a recently fellowed Cardiologist working in Westmead Hospital.
Sri. Balaji Jagannadhan
Balaji Jagannadhan learnt vocal and instrumental Carnatic music from Bangalore Smt R. Thangammal, herself a disciple of Vidwan Sri R R Keshavamurthy. Balaji hails from the steel city of Jamshedpur, India, and is a frequent performer at Carnatic forums in Sydney and Brisbane. He is a enthusiast of both schools of music Carnatic and Hindustani. He has also contributed to the musical choreography for a few classical dance recitals.