gayatri venkatesan
vice president of recitals
Native of San José, California, Gayatri Venkatesan's interest in music began at a very young age. Starting with piano lessons at age five, her love and studies in music only continued to grow as she got older. She began her study of voice in Indian Classical music at the age of eight under Smt. Jayashree Varadarajan, and later at the age of 15, took her first voice lesson with renowned coloratura soprano, Patrycja Poluchowicz. Since then, she has studied and coached under Ron Valentino, Dr. Erin McComber, Susan Gundunas, and Dr. Julia Nielsen.
Her students have enjoyed lead roles in several community theater productions, and in addition, have received gold medals at the state and national level in the Royal Conservatory of Music annual examinations. Ms. Venkatesan is also active in the Royal Conservatory of Music and NATS communities.
Arya Music Studio was founded by Gayatri Venkatesan in 2015 with an aim to provide western classical voice lessons to students of all ages. Since its founding, Arya Music Studio has trained several students using the Royal Conservatory of Music voice curriculum, and a number of students have gone on to receive National Gold Medals for their participation in the RCM exams. Students of Arya Music Studio have also enjoyed leading roles in various community theater productions.
Benjamin liupaogo
co-vice president of Student Auditions
Benjamin Liupaogo is a distinguished member of the Stanford University Department of Music faculty, serving as a full-time Lecturer of Vocal Studies. He is a Pacific Islander Samoan tenor and collaborative pianist who has performed across Europe and the United States. Additionally, he holds positions as an AGMA Tenor with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Extra Chorus Tenor with the San Francisco Opera Chorus, Tenor with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale, Tenor with American Bach Soloists, and Tenor with the Grace Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys.
From 2017 to 2019, Benjamin was a tenor young artist with Madison Opera, performing and covering operatic roles. Benjamin has also served as an assistant to the director and vocal coach at the Música nelle Marche summer program in Urbino, Italy, from 2017–2022 and performed in many Italian cities. Benjamin is a multifaceted classical musician with extensive experience in opera, musical theater, concerts, recitals, chamber ensembles, and choral ensembles. He is highly skilled as a collaborative pianist, voice teacher, repetiteur, vocal coach, church musician, and music director/conductor for musical theater, opera, and choral ensembles. He has worked as a music director, vocal coach, repetiteur, and pianist for a range of institutions, including San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Boston University Tanglewood Institute, San Francisco State University, University of San Francisco, Roosevelt University: Chicago College of Performing Arts, DePaul University, North Park University, University of Notre Dame, University of Wisconsin Madison, The Floating Opera Company, Madison Opera, Pacific Boy Choir Academy, Golden Gate Boys Choir and Men, San Francisco Boys Chorus, Sacred Heart Atherton, and The Hamlin School.
When not working or performing in music, Benjamin is a board member of SCDC (Samoan Community Development Center). He is working to help with SCDC’s mission: “To provide an inclusive environment in the San Francisco Bay Area, where Samoan and Pacific Islander Voices are heard, and the community is being served and thriving.”
Benjamin holds a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance from San Francisco State University, a Master of Music degree in vocal performance from Roosevelt University, Chicago College of Performing Arts, and a master’s degree in sacred music from the University of Notre Dame. He also holds a Graduate Performance Certificate from DePaul University. Currently, Benjamin is completing his dissertation for a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Voice Performance with a minor in Collaborative Piano from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Benjamin Liupaogo's impressive credentials and extensive experience make him a noteworthy and respected figure in the classical music industry and musical theatre. His dedication to his craft, combined with his talent and expertise, make him a valuable asset to any institution that is privileged enough to work with him.