SMC Monthly Concert - March 2019
Dear Music Rasikas,
SMC would like to invite you with family and friends to our Monthly Concert - to be held on 30th March 2019 at the Dundas Community Centre, 21 Sturt Street, Telopea.
04:00 PM - 05:00 PM: Vocal concert by Kum. Sindhuja Ganapathy accompanied by Chi. Harish Ravindran on Mridangam and Smt. Mahathi Balajee on Violin.
05:10 PM - 07:10 PM: Vocal concert by Dr. Smitha Balu accompanied by Sri. Nirmal Ayyar on Mridangam and Smt. Mahathi Balajee on Violin.
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.
Kum. Sindhuja Ganapathy
Sindhuja was introduced to Carnatic music at the age of six by her late grandmother Smt. Vasantha Ramamoorthy. She has since been learning both Carnatic and Light Classical music under the able guidance of her gurus Smt. Bhavani Govindan and Smt Pushpa Jagdish. Sindhuja has been a regular performer in music programs around Sydney for over 10 years. Since 2016, Sindhuja has been frequently singing for Bharatanatyam arangetrams and programs, most notably for Thrayee School of Dance and Rasana Dance Theatre. She also possesses a keen interest in live band shows and has performed with numerous artists from across Sydney and Melbourne. Outside of music, Sindhuja is currently pursuing her post graduate degree in Human Resources while working in HR/Recruitment
Smt. Mahathi Balajee
Mahathi was introduced to Carnatic music by her grandmother Vidushi Padma Veeraraghavan. She then continued to learn from Smt. Yamini Ramesh and later from Sri. O.S. Thiagarajan. She currently learns vocal music from Vidushi Seetha Narayanan and Smt. Yamini Ramesh and violin from Sri H.N. Bhaskar. She also learnt western classical violin and piano for several years. Mahathi was a regular performer in various cultural and musical shows in Wellington (New Zealand) and now regularly performs in Sydney. She is also actively involved in Yuva Sangeetha Margam - an initiative to promote Carnatic music among students and rasikas in Sydney. She completed a Certificate in Carnatic music (organised by the Madras University) upon completion of four grades of New Zealand Carnatic Music exams with distinction, and has won first place for vocal performance in a Carnatic music competition conducted in New Zealand.
Sri. Nirmal Ayyar
Nirmal Ayyar has been learning the mrudangam since the age of twelve under the initial tutelage of Sri Suthanthiraraj, before progressing his skills under the guidance of Sri Bala Sankar. He is currently learning under the guidance of Sri Melakkaveri Balaji. Nirmal learnt vocal music from Smt Prema Anandakrishnan and Smt Uma Ayyar. He continues his advanced training from Dr Ramanathan. Nirmal has had the privilege of providing accompaniment in a number of student concerts in Sydney over the past few years and continues to be actively involved in the Carnatic community.
Sri. Harish Gopikan Ravindran
Harish initiated the art of mridangam at young age and was under the tutelage of Dr. Suresh Ramachandra in Auckland. Harish has also been fortunate to pursue extensive training for many years now and is a proud disciple of Vidwan Sri. Thanjavur K. Murugaboopathi of Chennai. He had his Mridangam Arangetram in Sydney in 2017, alongside his sister Vishni on Veena, and was accompanied by eminent vidwans from Chennai. Harish is a regular performer in Sydney for carnatic concerts and bharathanatyam repertoires and has notably accompanied concerts overseas at prestigious sabhas and venues in Chennai, London, San Francisco and Auckland. Harish is also blessed to have accompanied many visiting artistes from Chennai.