Mark Allen Stone

In an effort to support the Chennai music community affected by last months devastating floods in southern India, Professor Mark Stone of Oakland University (OU) in Rochester, Michigan, is organizing a benefit concert with the Great Lakes Aradhana Committee, Michigan’s premier presenter of Carnatic music. The concert will take place at Oakland University’s Varner Recital Hall on Saturday, January 30th at 7pm. The program will feature Michigan Jugalbandi, a group led by Mark Stone (mbira/ gyil) that includes fellow OU professors Sam Jeyasingham (kanjira/ morsing) and Patrick Fitzgibbon (tabla/ drum set) as well as OU graduate student Matt Dufresne (saxophones) and mridangam artist Vinod Seetharaman. Michigan Jugalbandi’s performance will be followed by a traditional Carnatic performance featuring Michigan’s preeminent Carnatic musicians: Madurai Sundar (voice), Jay Balan (violin), and Vinod Seetharaman (mridangam). There is no admission fee for the event. However, all attendees are encouraged to give generously in support of recovery efforts underway in Chennai. All proceeds will be donated to the Carnatica Archival Center, a Chenai-based non-profit trust directed by KN Shashikiran. Carnatica will distribute 100% of the funds directly to victims of the recent flooding, working to rebuild their lives and artistic careers.