Dr. Selvanayagam Thayaparan is widely recognized as one of Toronto's leading Carnatic Music flautists. In addition to his distinction in Carnatic Music, Dr. Thayaparan is one of a handful of Sri Lankans who has the distinguished honour of having received a Ph.D. degree in Physics from the prestigious University of Cambridge in England. This academic feat showcases his intellectual brilliance and unwavering commitment to excellence.
After relocating to Canada in 1996, Dr. Thayaparan seized the opportunity to contribute to NASA's satellite instrument design research at the Department of Physics, University of Toronto, St. George Campus. Currently, he holds the position of vice president at a Research & Development Corporation, where he continues to make valuable contributions with his expertise and leadership.
In 2005, Dr. Thayaparan was commended for conducting the first-ever Flute Arangetram in Canada, marking a significant milestone in his career.
Inspired to pass on his knowledge and passion, he founded Venuganalayam, a prominent music academy based in Toronto. For the past two decades, Venuganalayam has been a beacon of excellence, offering meticulous training in the Carnatic bamboo flute to aspiring musicians in Canada and beyond. Notably, the academy has had the privilege of training and presenting all Flute Arangetrams in Canada, solidifying its reputation as a hub for exceptional musical talent.
Dr.Thayaparan's extraordinary journey as a Carnatic Music flautist, coupled with his accomplishments in the field of physics, reflects his unwavering dedication, exceptional talent, and deep-rooted passion for the arts and sciences.
Through his musical prowess and academic pursuits, he has enriched the cultural landscape of Toronto and inspired countless individuals to pursue excellence in their chosen fields.
Presently, his senior students are gracing stages across Canada, the US, and beyond, captivating audiences with solo performances and serving as accompanists. In doing so, they are not only carrying forward his esteemed legacy but also ensuring that his profound influence on the realm of music endures for generations to come.
VEENA GRS MURTHY Born into a musical family ,Murthy had a natural flair for carnatic music from a very young age. His father Late Sri.G.K.Ramachanran was an A grade artiste from AIR. He had inititial training from Smt.Jayalakshmy at Bangalore. Later on he came under the tutelage of Mysore C.Krishnamurthy of Bangalore.
When his family moved to Madras he continued under Kalaimamani Sri. G.N.Danapani Iyer , for more than a decade.Dandapani iyer inculcated into him the nuances of blending subtle gamaka and plain notes and strict adherence toclassical style.
He has also had vocal training from his father and Shri S.Rajam .His style of playing indicates a unique synthesis of mysore and tanjore styles with a strong undercurrent of vocalsytle .Murthy has the capacity to seamlessly shift within various genres of playing without compromising on thegrammar and orthodoxy.
With more than 40 years of solo experience behind him he has found his niche in various forms like dance recitals, instrumental duets, veena violin flute trio, fusion and other musical ensemble.He is also adept in playing the veena as accompaniment for several vocal artistes.His playing is marked by gentle plucking and graceful yet firm gliding over the frets and resemblance to vocal singing.
He is Visiting professor of ANNAMALAI UNIVERSITY CANADA CAMPUS(AUCC,TORONTO) Since the year 2013.He is also extrenal faculty for Carnatic Music college, Adayar chennai.
He has been awarded the best Instumentalist in the sub senior category for the year 2014 by THE MUSIC ACADEMY, MADRAS.He has travelled widely in India and abroad and has been training students in various countries.