News & Events Amherst College Senior Ayyappan Venkatraman to Present Istanbul, Thesis in Music Composition on Feb. 21

February 3, 2009
Contact: Sara R. Leonard
Concert and Production Manager
413/542-2195

AMHERST, Mass.—Amherst College senior Ayyappan Venkatraman will present Istanbul, his thesis in music composition, on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 8 p.m. in the Cole Assembly Room of Converse Hall on the school’s campus.

The concert features a suite of love songs about cold Amherst winters, Motown, musician Fela Kuti, Istanbul and more. The music was written and arranged by Venkatraman, and will be performed by an ace band of some of the college’s best musicians: Venkatraman (vocals), David Marenberg ’09 (keyboard), Graham McKee ’09 (percussion), Julian Damashek ’09 (guitar), Kyle Boatwright ’09 (backing vocals, percussion), Max Suechting ’11 (drums), Michael Yang ’07 (saxophone), Rachel Ojserkis ’09 (euphonium) and Scott Smith ’09 (bass).

This concert is free open to the public.