SMC Monthly concert May 2023
Dear Music Rasikas,
SMC would like to invite you with family and friends to our Monthly Concert to be held on Saturday 27 May 2023 at the Dundas Community Centre, 21 Sturt Street, Telopea. Please note that the concerts will be held in the downstairs hall at the community centre.
4.45 pm to 5.30 pm: Vocal concert by Sri. Nikhil Sivakumar accompanied by Chi. Ayush Veturi on the Violin and Sri. Nirmal Ayyar on the Mrudangam
5.40 pm to 6.25 pm: Vocal concert by Smt. Ambika Gopalakrishnan accompanied by Sri. Balaji Jagannathan on the Violin and Sri. Nirmal Ayyar on the Mrudangam
6.30 pm to 7.30 pm: Flute concert by Sri. Sharadh Venkataraman accompanied by Chi. Ayush Veturi on the Violin and Sri. Nirmal Ayyar on the Mrudangam
Artiste Profiles:
Sri. Sharadh Venkataraman
Interested in Carnatic music since a young age when he used to accompany his elder sister for her classes, Sharadh Venkataraman started learning vocals and flute at the age of 8 from Delhi-based musical couple, late Smt Akhila Krishnan and late Sri P.N. Krishnan who hail from Palakkad. Smt Akhila Krishnan was a grade A artist of All India Radio and had learned music from many leading musicians including Sri KV Narayanaswamy. Sharadh received the central govt funded CCRT scholarship for flute at the age of 10 and went on to do concert performances at the age of 12. His performances received blessings and support from elders including renowned critic Sri Subbudu and were covered in the local news. Sharadh went on to pursue advanced flute training from Sri T.S. Sankaran in Chennai, disciple of Sri Mali.
Sharadh recently moved to Sydney with his family and is keen to get embedded into the Carnatic music field here.
Smt. Ambika Gopalakrishnan
Ambika Gopalakrishnan is a trained Carnatic vocalist. She is a disciple of (Late) Sri Mavelikkara P. Subramaniam and (Late) Smt Mavelikkara Ponnammal. She is a former contestant on Asianet's popular music reality show Idea Start Singer Season 6. Ambika has performed in numerous stage shows and concerts both in India and Australia. She is now based in Sydney, and shares her passion for music with her husband Nikhil Sivakumar.
Sri. Nikhil Sivakumar
Nikhil Sivakumar is a trained Carnatic vocalist and is a disciple of Sri Shencottah Harihara Subramanian. He is a former contestant on Asianet's popular music reality show Idea Star Singer season 6. He is based in Sydney and performs with various music groups and bands. Nikhil is also a music composer and programmer by passion.
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. Yoga Aayush Veturi
Aayush is 18 years old and has been learning Carnatic music since the age of 5 .
He is a disciple of Sangeeta Kalanidhi Sri Lalgudi G J R Krishnan for Violin and is also training under Smt Sankari Krishnan for Vocal music .
Aayush has performed in Malaysia and Singapore for different organisations ( Temple of Fine Arts ( TFA) , Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Indian Cultural centre ( NSSBICCR) , Singapore India Fine arts Society , since the age of 8 .
He is currently pursuing a double degree in Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science at University of New South Wales, Sydney.
Family background brief :
Aayush hails from an illustrious family steeped in literature and music.
His great grandfather Sri. Veturi Prabhakara Sastry was a pundit in Sanskrit and Telugu languages. He was renowned for unearthing the hidden treasure of over 20 thousand Annamacharya compositions, lying forgotten for over 6 centuries in the Annamayya Sankeerthana Bhandagaram at Tirumala temple and bringing them to light in 1920.
His grandfather Sri.Veturi Ananda Murthy is a respected Litterateur and researcher, who is an authority on Tallapaka Annamacharya and aunt Smt. Yoga Vandana is an A top Vainika .
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.