SMC Monthly Concert September 2023
Dear Music Rasikas,
SMC would like to invite you with family and friends to our Monthly Concert to be held on Saturday 30th September 2023 at the Dundas Community Centre, 21 Sturt Street, Telopea.
4.45 pm to 5.45 pm: Vocal concert by Sri. Sriram Rajagopalan, accompanied by Smt. Madhumitha Sriram on the Violin and Sri. Nirmal Ayyar on the Mrudangam
6 pm to 8pm: Vocal concert by Smt. Uma Ramu Ayyar accompanied by Sri. Mohan Ayyar on the Synthesiser and Sri. Nirmal Ayyar on the Mrudangam.
Artiste Profiles:
Sri. Mohan Ayyar
For over 25 years, Mohan has been giving concerts on the synthesizer, an instrument he has adapted to suit Carnatic music. While self-taught on the synthesizer, he had vocal training under Smt Uma Ayyar, Smt Prema Anandakrishnan and Smt Hemalatha Ganesan. Mohan has given many solo concerts and has also accompanied many local and international artistes in performances all over Australia and in Chennai. Mohan has composed music for several bharatanatyam programs and has partially completed a PhD in Indian music from Macquarie University - analysing the composition process for bharatanatyam music. He has presented papers on music at conferences in Amsterdam, Mumbai and Kolkata. Mohan teaches keyboard to a number of students and continues to maintain the popular music web page www.carnaticcorner.com
Smt. Uma Ayyar
Uma Ayyar is a Carnatic musician living in Sydney, Australia for the past 31 years. She gives both Classical and light music performances. She had her initial training in music from her grandmother at the age of 8 and then from Shri. Shencotta Narayanan, a disciple of Shri Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. She also had training from Shri Vechoor Harihara Subramanya Iyer and later from Shri. J. Venkataraman of Trichy.Uma was the Gold Medallist for her Masters Degree in Music from Kerala University. She has received many prizes and awards for music during her school and university days. She has served as Assistant Professor of Music in Seetha Lakshmi Ramaswamy College in Trichy after obtaining her Masters Degree. She was a B Grade artist in AIR Trichy and AIR Trivandrum and has performed numerous music radio programs in India. Uma has given both Carnatic as well as light music concerts in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne on behalf of various cultural, religious and charity organizations in Australia like Sri Venkateswara Temple, Sydney Murugan Temple, Sydney Ayyappa Swamy Temple, Ozindcare, Abhayakaram, NSW Welfare Association, Sydney Tamil Mantram, Sydney Malayalee Association, Eelam Tamil Association, GOD, Sydney Vedantha Centre to name a few.She is one of the founding members of Sydney Music Circle and is very active in it since its inception in 1983. Uma with her team organizes Swathi Thirunal Music Festival in Sydney every year.
Sri. Sriram Rajagopalan
Sriram is a student of Smt Chithra Nagraj, a disciple of Smt Jayalakshmi Santhanam (a disciple of DK Pattammal).
Sriram is enthusiastic about music and enjoys participating in Carnatic Music events across Sydney including the annual Thyagaraja Aradhana, Muthuswamy Dikshitar Day and recently gave his debut concert at Karpahavalli, Sydney.
Sriram is also undertaking Carnatic Music exams through IFCM-Acharyanet to add structure and depth to his music education.
Smt. Madhumitha
Madhu started her carnatic music journey in New Zealand and is currently learning violin from Sri Balaji Jagannathan.
Madhu has also started learning Carnatic vocal from Smt Sangeetha Ayyar to further her knowledge.
She enjoys listening to classical music and has participated in music events across Sydney.
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.