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 Lecturer in Vocal Studies at the Stanford University Department of Music. He is a Pacific Islander Samoan tenor and collaborative pianist who has performed extensively across Europe and the United States. Benjamin holds several notable positions, including serving as a tenor with the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) San Francisco Symphony Chorus, which recently won a Grammy for Best Opera Recording for Kaija Saariaho’s *Adriana Mater*. He is an Extra Chorus AGMA tenor with the San Francisco Opera Chorus and also an AGMA tenor with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale. Additionally, he sings with the Grace Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys, and occasionally, he performs with the American Bach Soloists and Volti.
From 2017 to 2019, Benjamin was a young artist tenor with Madison Opera, where he performed and covered various operatic roles. He also served as an assistant director and vocal coach at the Música nelle Marche summer program in Urbino, Italy, from 2017 to 2022, performing in numerous cities across Italy.
As a versatile classical musician, Benjamin has extensive experience in opera, musical theater, concerts, recitals, chamber ensembles, and choral groups. He is highly skilled singer, collaborative pianist, voice teacher, repetiteur, vocal coach,church musician, and music director/conductor for musical theater, opera, and choral performances.
His roles have included serving as music director, vocal coach, repetiteur, and pianist for various institutions, such as the 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, Volti, Madison Opera, Pacific Boy Choir Academy, Golden Gate Boys Choir and Men, San Francisco Boys Chorus, Sacred Heart Atherton, and The Hamlin School.
Benjamin Liupaogo serves as a board member of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. He holds the position of Co-Vice President for Student Auditions with SFBAC-NATS and also works as a collaborative pianist for The San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.
In addition to his musical endeavors, Benjamin is also a board member of the Samoan Community Development Center (SCDC). He contributes to initiatives aimed at creating an inclusive environment in the San Francisco Bay Area, ensuring that Samoan and Pacific Islander voices are heard and that the community thrives.
Benjamin earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from San Francisco State University, a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Roosevelt University, and a Master of Sacred Music degree 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 is a passionate and dedicated musician and educator in the field of vocal music. With impressive credentials and extensive experience, he is an invaluable asset to any institution fortunate enough to collaborate with him. His commitment to the art form and those around him truly sets him apart.