LOTUS April 2016 concerts

Aparna Thyagarajan started showing interest in Carnatic music from a very young age. She had her initial training in Carnatic vocal music from her mother Smt. Rama Thyagarajan, and started learning the violin at the age of 10. She is currently under the guidance of her uncle Vidwan Sri Delhi P. Sunderrajan for both vocal and violin. Aparna has provided violin accompaniment for many Bay Area schools, competitions, and individual artists. She has also given solo violin duets with her brother Vignesh Thyagarajan. Aparna has performed vocal music for various organizations throughout the Bay Area and has performed in Chennai as a part of the December Music Season.

Aparna is currently a sophomore at Cupertino High School in Cupertino, CA.

Pranav Tirumalai (Mrudangam)

Pranav has been learning mridangam since he was six, from Sri Ravindrabharathy Sridharan. He is a 8th grader at Hopkins Junior High school in Fremont. He has won prizes at the Cleveland and OSAAT Competitions. Tennis and Basketball are his favorite sports.

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Akshay Venkatesan (Vocal)

Akshay Venkatesan has been learning Carnatic vocal music from Sri Paduka Academy for the last 5 years. He was introduced to the school when he first accompanied on Mridangam for the school’s annual day. He then became interested in Carnatic vocal music and joined Sri Paduka Academy.

He has given solo performances at CCC, Nandalala, Pranava Naadam and Mahakaleeshwarar temple and participated in various competitions in which he has received many prizes. These include Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana, OSAAT, Natya Raaga, and Papanasam Sivan competitions. He has also attended various workshops conducted by Sri. Neyveli Santana Gopalan, Sri. Ravikiran, Sri. TVG, Sri. Suribabu Garu and Sri. Malladi Brothers, as well as Sri. Hari Devanath and Sri. Vivek Sundararaman.

Akshay has a great passion for music and will continue to pursue this art form. Apart from Carnatic vocal music, Akshay accompanies frequently in the Bay Area on the Mridangam. He had his Mridangam arrangetram on January 03, 2013 in Chennai accompanying Sri. Chitravina N. Ravikiran.

Akshay also listens to a lot of Carnatic music and he believes Vocal and Mridangam accompaniment help each other.

In addition to Carnatic music, Akshay also plays Saxophone in his school Symphonic band and plays tennis in his school varsity team. Akshay is a freshman in Evergreen Valley High School.

Sahana Srinivasan (Violin)

Sahana Srinivasan is a freshman at UC Berkeley studying computer science. She has been learning Carnatic violin from Guru Smt. Tara Anand in Boston for the past seven years and performs frequently in New England and India. She has performed in esteemed venues in India, such as Bharat Kalachar and the Maarga Music Festival. She recently performed at the Madras Music Academy as part of the Spirit of Youth Festival. In the last five years, she has accompanied several artists in over 50 concerts and has also performed several solo concerts.

Sahana has won many awards at the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana, and had her violin arangetram in the summer of 2014. Sahana is also a trained Bharatanatyam dancer and had her dance arangetram in the summer of 2013.

Ajay Gopi (Mrudangam)

Ajay Gopi is a Senior (12th grader) at Irvington High School. He has been learning mridangam since 5th grade from his father Sri. Gopi Lakshminarayanan. He also receives additional training from Sri. Kallidaikurichi Sivakumar. Ajay had his arangetram on July 2013 with Sri. Neyveli Santhanagopalan on Vocal and Hemmige V. Srivatsan on Violin. He has performed in many prestigious Sabhas in Chennai such as Krishna Gana Sabha, Indian Fine Arts, etc. during the 2013 and 2014 December music season. Ajay has won 1st prize in many competitions at regional, national and international levels. He accompanies various senior and junior artists on regular basis on live as well as recorded events.

He also learns vocal music from Sri. Padhuka Academy.

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Adithi Suresh (vocal)

Adithi initiated her Carnatic music training with Smt. Latha Sriram and later moved to Sri Paduka Academy run by Gurus Sri Hari Devanath and Sri Vivek Sundararaman. Currently she is under the tutelage of Smt. Kasthuri Shivakumar and Dr. Shivakumar Bhat of International Academy of Indian Music.

Adithi has won prizes at the Cleveland Thaygaraja Aradhana, Carnatic Music Idol Competitions and other competitions held in Bay area.

She pursues Carnatic Music with lots of passion and finds music as a means of fulfillment and self expression. She is an avid singer of Western music and loves to play Western and Carnatic keyboard.

Adithi is a freshman at Washington High school, Fremont.

Sahana Srinivasan (Violin)

Sahana Srinivasan is a freshman at UC Berkeley studying computer science.

She has been learning Carnatic violin from Guru Smt. Tara Anand in Boston for the past seven years and performs frequently in New England and India.

She has performed in esteemed venues in India, such as Bharat Kalachar and the Maarga Music Festival. She recently performed at the Madras Music Academy as part of the Spirit of Youth Festival. In the last five years, she has accompanied several artists in over 50 concerts and has also performed several solo concerts.

Sahana has won many awards at the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana, and had her violin arangetram in the summer of 2014. Sahana is also a trained Bharatanatyam dancer and had her dance arangetram in the summer of 2013.

Amit Ranganathan (Mrudangam)

Amit Ranganathan is a disciple of Sri. Ravindra Bharathi Sridharan and performed his mrudangam arangetram accompanying Isai Peroli Sri. Neyveli Santhanagopalan. Amit has been accompanying musicians and students of various Bay Area and Sacramento music schools and has played under the auspices of several organizations including SIFA, LOTUS, Nandalala Mission, SR Fine Arts and Sacramento Aradhana.

He accompanies regularly at Temples and House for festival concerts including Rama Navami, Navarthri, Vijayadasami celebrations as well as Thygaraja Aradhanas. He has also played for Bharatanatyam arangetram and dance programs in the Bay Area as well as in Sacramento. Amit has performed in the Chennai december season and in Fremont Margazhi Utsavam. He has also participated in the Carnatic youth festival NCYCAC in North Carolina. Amit has won the junior, senior and accompaniment awards at the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana Festival competitions.

In addition to learning mrudangam, Amit has learnt Carnatic vocal music from Smt. Jayashree Varadarajan.

Amit is a freshman in San Jose State University and continues to accompany on a regular basis.