Padmashree S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, Sailaja, Sri Krishna & Kalpana and the orchestra team delivered a wonderful evening of Telugu music in the Bay Area recently. Bay Area Telugu Association (BATA) organized this music Concert at San Jose Center for performing Arts, San Jose, California. Telugu Association of North America “TANA” co-sponsored the event. TANA president Sri Jaya Ram Komati and well known philanthropist Dr. Hanimi Reddy were the chief guests. 

Tickets for the musical extravaganza were almost sold out well in advance and the auditorium was fully packed with more than 2000 people attending this event. BATA volunteers and committee members have worked tirelessly for last few weeks making the event arrangements, and the smooth flow of everything at the event was the great evidence of this hard work. 
One of the main highlights of this program was the organizing of a “singing contest” by BATA & Pravasavani on S.P.Balasubrahmanyam Songs. More than 35 singers of all age groups participated in this contest and the top 3 winners were picked in “juniors”, “Youth” & “senior” groups. The top 3 winners got a chance to perform at the Pravasavani radio program & the audience also got a chance to vote for their favorite singer. Well known Bay area singers Ravi Gudipati & Sridevi Podury were the judges. The following are the winners:
J
unior: (8 – 12 years) Nitya Kasturi, Youth: (13 – 19 years) Yesaswi VengalaSetti

Senior: (20 +) Krishna Kanth Rayasam. 

Nitya Kasturi has received 1st place award in Bay Area Super Singer contest (junior category) from Padmashree S.P. Balasubramaniam on April 24, 2010. The competition (held on April 18, 2010) included two rounds, 1st round is performed live and selection is based on Judge's scores. 2nd round involved voting by listeners of Pravasavani radio station and voting was done online.
Nitya Kasturi is a 12 year old from Palo Alto, California. She attends 7th Grade at Terman Middle School. Nitya has been learning Carnatic Music from an early age of 5. Besides Carnatic Music, she is a student at Community School of Music and Arts in Mountain View and she has been learning piano from an early age of 5. Nitya has an interest in composing music and has competed in the Reflections arts PTA competition. She would like to expand her variety of instruments by learning how to play the guitar and the drums. She has volunteered at Litton Gardens retirement home by playing piano to the residents of Litton Gardens. Besides music, Nitya plays basketball and likes to swim. 

Vijaya Aasuri (cultural chair) welcomed S.P. Balasubrahmanyam (SPB) onto the stage thanking him for giving BATA an opportunity to host his concert for the 7th time. In his introductory speech, SPB thanked BATA for hosting his team and he always enjoys coming to the Bay Area because of audience's love and encouragement that they have been receiving. Vijaya also introduced SP Sailaja, Sri Krishna, Kalpana and the orchestra team on to the stage. 

SPB and the team of his singers started the program with "Vande Matharam". During his commentary and comments in between the songs, SPB praised several of prominent song writers and composers, such as S.Rajeshwar Rao, Ilaya Raja, Veturi, Siri Vennala, Keeravani & Devi Sri Prasad etc., describing them as some of the best Telugu music artists. He also shared his fond memories with music legends like “Mama” K.V.Mahadevan, S.P.Kodanda Pani, Satyam, Ramesh Naidu, J.V.Raghavulu, Rajan-Nagendra & Chakravarthy etc. During the show, SPB introduced his all of Orchestra members (Venu Raju, Krishna, Paul Raj, Swamy, Ravi Sankar, Caleb Alexander, Srinivas, Praveen, Chinna & Phaninder - Manager). 

SPB and his team thanked the audience and the organizers for this opportunity. For every song, the artists received a big applause & a standing ovation from the audience. 

BATA presented plaques to all of the Sponsors and Media partners. While Artists were presented with plaques & shawls

Vijaya Aasuri of BATA closed the concert by thanking the audience as well as SPB’s team for presenting a memorable concert that can be remembered for years to come.