Besides Chennai's best artistes, this year's Sydney Music Festival will be served on the side with local talent, children’s competitions, and a special debate with participating overseas artistes. The three-day fest is at the Sir Ian Turbott Auditorium, University of Western Sydney, Parramatta Campus, Rydalmere from the 7 June to 9 June.

Organised under the auspices of Swara-Laya Fine Arts Society, this is Sydney Music Festival’s second, proud and dare I say, courageous, attempt at organizing this major event.
Jeyendran the organisor of this festival says “We are passionate about bringing the best of Carnatic classical music to our rasikas and are continuing despite many problems faced by us last year, simply because of the encouragement and overwhelming support we received from the community, we hope to get the same response if not more this year”.

He says further “This festival is for the people, by the people and to the people and therefore a lot of thought has gone into ensuring we keep costs at a minimum to bring this traditional form of music to the ears of our rasikas, with ticket prices being kept at a minimum level. We urge all rasikas to come and support this grand event,"
The line-up of artistes is big - T. M. Krishna, Sudha Raghunathan, Aruna Sairam, Bhushani Kalyanaraman, Carnatica Brothers, P. Unnikrishnan and Ganesh and Kumaresh. A Bharthanatyam dance recital by Sreekala Bharath is also scheduled. All of this across two days, giving rasikas the opportunity to bask in musical bliss.
Children’s competitions shall be held from 4th June to the 6th June 2008 at the Homebush Boys High School.

A Special Debate is organized on the 9th June at University of Western Sydney this year, on a very relevant interesting topic “Is Classical Music and Dance only Sampradhayam Or should it be Janaranjakam”, in other words “Tradition versus Modern” The panel is expected to consist of visiting artiste present on the day and rasikas shall gain the opportunity to hear the views of T M Krishna, Aruna Sairam, Sudha Raghunathan and Sreekala Bharath on this topic.

Contact - sumathi@bigpond.net.au