SMC Facebook Live Concert October 2020

Dear Music Rasikas,

We would like to invite you with family and friends to our Monthly Facebook Live concert 

Navaratri is a Hindu festival that spans nine nights and is celebrated every year. The legend associated with Navratri speaks about the great battle between the powerful demon Mahishasura and Goddess Durga. ... On each day of Navratri, one among the nine  incarnations of “Goddess Durga” is worshipped and the celebrations culminates on Vijayadasami, the day which celebrates her victory over Mahishasura, and the ultimate victory of 'Good over Evil.”. In Southern parts of India, during Navarathri Mother goddess in her three different aspects, such as Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi, are also worshipped.  

Sydney Music circle is presenting a Navarathri special program this month, which is an offering to Mother Goddess by different artists who will be presenting krithis on Devi composed by different Vaggeyakaras of Carnatic music.

5.15 PM - 6.45 PM: Vocal concerts by the following artists : Smt. Ranjini Ayyar, Dr. Smitha Balu, Smt. Lavanya Balasubramanium, Smt. Chitra Krishnamoorthy and Smt. Nadhamuni Gayatri Bharat accompanied by Sri. Balaji Jagannathan and Smt. Mahathi Balajee on Violin and Sri. Sivakumar Sethupathi and Chi. Harish Ravindran on Mridangam.

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/

Please note that due to current uncertainty with COVID-19, Sydney Music Circle may require to cancel the live broadcast without notice. Current NSW Government’s social distancing policies allow Sydney Music Circle to conduct this programme in a remote setting and be able to broadcast live on Facebook and YouTube channels. However, social distancing policies could be tightened again by NSW Government. If this occurs, in the interest of artistes safety and well-being the live broadcast will be cancelled.

 

Artiste Profiles:

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. 

Sri. Sivakumar Sethupathi

Siva had his training in mridangam under Guru Sri T.S. Janakiraman, a disciple of Sri Palani Subramania Pillai. He was a recipient of music scholarship awarded by the Centre For Cultural Resources and Training, Government of India. He is a sought-after mridangam artiste for Carnatic music programs, Bharatanatyam recitals and Sampradaya Bhajans in Australia. He has accompanied several leading artistes from India. Siva is a founding member of Sydney Bhajan Mandali. 

Smt. Lavanya Balasubramanian

Lavanya Balasubramanian has a Masters degree in Economics and a Post Graduate Degree in Music from University of Madras. She is a ‘B’ grade artist from AIR, Chennai and is currently under the tutelage of Sangeetha Kala Acharya, Smt. Suguna  Varadachari. Lavanya has successfully completed an Advanced Course in Music and obtained the title ‘Sangeetha Vidwat Bhushana’ from the Chennai Music Academy. Lavanya was fortunate to come under the tutelage of Vidwans and Vidhushis while in Music Academy; to name a few-Shri P.S.Narayanasamy, Smt R Vedavalli, Smt Suguna Varadachari, Dr Ritha Rajan, Smt S Sowmya and Dr Sriram Parasuram. She had undergone her initial training under (late) Smt. T.R.Balamani, Sangeetha Kala Acharya  Smt. Kalyani Sharma and Smt Meera Kedarnathan. Recent concerts include: ‘Ragapriya’ Sydney; Madhuradhwani  - as part of December music season concerts 2017; Chennaiyil Thiruviyaru 2017 with Smt Suguna Varadachary; AIR Concerts; Smt Suguna Varadachary PARAMPARA series; Naradana Gana Sabha, August 2016; NSTS, Nanganallur, September 2016 and  ‘Nadanirajanam’, TTD at Tirumala.

Smt. Chitra Krishnamurthy

Chitra Krishnamurthy started learning carnatic music from the age of seven under Vidushi Smt. Meera Nathan in Mumbai. Chitra was a B grade artiste in All India Radio. Upon moving to Bangalore in 1994, she continued further advanced training under Ganakalashree Smt. M S Sheela for over six years. Chitra has wide concert experience having given several full concerts since 1988 in various sabhas. She has also given half hour concerts on Indian television, telecast nationally. In 1994 she started her career as a carnatic music teacher in Bangalore and was a faculty member of the Indira Nagar Sangeetha Sabha. Her exposure to the carnatic music scene in Bangalore expanded through judging capacities for various competitions. Chitra was a prize winner at the inaugural On-the-spot Ragam Thanam Pallavi seniors competition in Bangalore. Upon migrating to Australia in 2001, she has continued her involvement in music in the community and has been teaching several students.

Smt. Ranjini Ayyar

Smt.Ranjini Ayyar was initiated into Carnatic Music at the age of eight by Sri Halasyam of New Delhi. She continued her musical education with Sri A.K.Ravindranath, who is a direct disciple of Sri Semmangudi Srivanasa Iyer.  She has given several performances in AIR, New Delhi, along with her sister, late Smt Revathi Iyer. She has furthered her knowledge of Carnatic music with Smt Rajalakshmi Venkatachari and Smt Hemalata Ganeshan during their visits to Sydney. She (along with Smt Raji Ramachandran) had the privilege of giving the inaugural performance when Sydney Music Circle was founded in 1983. Ranjini has given a number of performances under the auspices of SMC, solo, as well as with her daughter Aarthi. She has also performed in Swathi Thirunaal Day functions and SMC’s Thyagaraja Utsavam and Navarathri celebrations. Apart from Carnatic music, Ranjini is interested in Hindustani music and has performed in the monthly Hindustani music forum. 

She is currently training several dedicated students in vocal Carnatic music; and specialises in working with young children from the age of 5 (both boys and girls).

Ranjini is part of the organizing committee for 'Ragapriya', a Sydney based Chamber Music Organization, which provides opportunities to perform for visiting overseas and interstate artists, as well as local performers.

 

Suburb: Baulkham Hills

Last SMC Concert: May 2014

 

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.

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.

Smt. Nadhamuni Gayatri Bharat

Website - nadhamunigayatribharath.com

https://nadhamunigayatribharath.com/home

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.