SMC Monthly Concert - June 2017

03:00 pm - 03.30 pm - Vocal concert by Chi. Balaji Ravi, featuring compositions on Muthu Thandavar. Chi. Balaji Ravi is accompanied on Violin by Sri  Balaji Jagannadhan and on Mrudangam by Chi Subangan Nirmaleswara Kurukkal

03.35 pm - 04.35 pm - Vocal concert by Kum. Sruti Balaji, featuring compositions on Marimuthu Pillai. Sruti will be accompanied on Violin by Sri. Balaji Jagannadhan and on Mrudangam by Sri. Nanthesh Sivarajah.

04:50 pm - 06.50 pm - Vocal concert by Dr. M. S. Ramanathan, featuring compositions on Arunachala Kavi. Dr. Ramanathan will be accompanied on Violin by Sri. Balaji Jagannadhan and on Mrudangam by Sri. Nanthesh Sivarajah

Artiste Profiles:

Smt. Nihitha Kuthsav

Vidushi Smt. Nihitha Kutsav is a disciple of “Sangita Kalanadhi” Smt Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi. She has been fortunate to be under her tutelage since she was 13 yr old. She has performed in concerts in Chennai, India and has also trained students in India and the USA. Currently she’s working as a Network Engineer in Sydney . She is passionate about pursuing music and is aspiring to become a successful musician.

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.

Kum. Sruti Balaji

Sruti Balaji is a student of her father, Balaji Jagannadhan, from whom she has been learning for nearly 14 years. Since the past few months she has been taking lessons from Smt Hemalatha Ganesan, a senior artiste of Coimbatore, India. Sruti performs frequently at Carnatic forums in Sydney and Brisbane, and occasionally provides vocal support for classical dance recitals.

Chi. Subangan Nirmaleswaran Kurukkal

Subangan had his initiation to the art of Miruthangam under the guidance of Sri Paheerathan Somasunthara Iyer. Subangan later come under the guidance of Sri Ratnasabapathy Suthanthiraraj a well-respected guru of both Miruthangam and Flute and founder of Ghanalayam Music Academy in Sydney. He is currently undergoing his advanced training from the renowned VidwanNadhaoli Melakaveri Sri K Balaji. Subangan has been involved in classical arts both as a concert organiser and accompanying artist for more than 8 years. He has taken part in numerous events and accompanied a number local and visiting artists from abroad on both the Miruthangam and Ghajira. Subangan is the founder ofKarpahavalli (2007), an organisation that works with up and coming musicians by giving them a platform to perform and practice the beautiful art of Carnatic music. Subangan is also a passionate Carnatic Music teacher. He teaches a select group of dedicated students with an emphasis on tradition and classicism, the same teaching methodologies used by his respected gurus. Subangan holds a Diploma Law from the Legal Profession Admission Board and a Business Degree competed at APM College of Business.

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.

Sri. Nanthesh Sivarajah

Nanthesh Sivarajah began his training in mridangam in Sri Lanka under the guidance of late Sri Jampunathan Viswanatha Iyer before migrating to Melbourne and commencing his studies under Sri Balasri Rasiah. He performed his mridanga arangetram in 2006 and is currently a sishya of Sri. T.R. Sundaresan.  He regularly features in concerts across Australia and overseas.  

Nanthesh has had the privilege of performing with seasoned artistes at prestigious sabhas during the December music festival in Chennai. He has performed in several sabhas including the Nungambakkam Cultural Academy, the Sannidhi Academy of Fine Arts, Sangeetha Rasika Sangam, Kartik Fine Arts, Tirupati Temple in Tirumala, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. He also had the opportunity to perform at the prestigious Madras Music Academy during the Spirit of Youth series of concerts held in 2016. Nanthesh has also had the privilege of performing on the mridangam for Doordarshan and All India Radio recordings.

After completing his Masters in Engineering at the University of Melbourne, he is currently employed in Sydney as a Management Consultant at KPMG.