Monroe’s new summer orchestra to debut at Masuk Sunday

MONROE, CT — Masuk High School will host a free concert in its auditorium this Sunday, when the new Monroe Summer Orchestra performs from 3 to 5 p.m. Brothers, Avinash “Avi” and Anand Veeraraghav, who are both Masuk alums, started the orchestra together.

“It’s the first big classical concert in Monroe,” Avinash said during an interview at Starbucks Wednesday. “Come and see us. We’d love to have you!”

Though admission is free, suggested donations are $15 for adults and $10 for students, seniors, service members and veterans. The brothers are in the process of applying for 501c3 nonprofit status for the Monroe Summer Orchestra.

The conductor is Anthony Granata, of Monroe, and soloists include Thiago Sousa on flute and soprano, Alexandra Dima.

The orchestra will play Franz Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony and music from “Wicked.”

Leading up to this Sunday’s concert, the Monroe Summer Orchestra will have had eight rehearsals at Jockey Hollow Middle School as of Friday night. Avinash expressed his gratitude to Monroe Public Schools for use of the facilities.

He said Masuk’s high school band director, Michael Ances, and orchestra director, Lisa Homann, had reached out to Superintendent of Schools Joseph Kobza and Jockey Hollow Principal Julia Strong, who agreed to allow the new community orchestra access to the schools.

“My twin brother and I got this idea when we were Masuk students,” Avinash said. “We thought of an alumni orchestra, but then Ms. Homann said, ‘guys, most people stop playing an instrument when they graduate,’ so we decided to make it open ended.”

The brothers had their first exposure to playing music at age 9, when their parents enrolled them in the strings program at Fawn Hollow Elementary School. They were also part of the Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestra.

Avinash plays the violin and Anand plays the viola.

After graduating from Masuk, the Veeraraghavs continued to play, performing in the Symphony Orchestra at the University of Connecticut together and serving as student leaders in the Chamber Orchestra Club at UConn.

When Avinash went to medical school in Ohio, he joined the Parma Symphony Orchestra, a community orchestra, and since moving back to Monroe in 2023, he and his brother have been members of the Hamden Symphony Orchestra.

Of what fuels his passion for music, Avinash said, “just meeting so many other people with a common interest. I met most of my closest friends through my interest in music.”

Avinash said the Monroe Summer Orchestra is modeled after the Parma Symphony Orchestra, whose youngest member was in middle school and oldest members were in their 80s.

Monroe’s orchestra has three middle school students, three retirees and eight high school students, mostly from Masuk.

“We thought people would be less busy in the summer and we could get college students — and that’s what happened,” Avinash said.

Among those members is lead violinist Christian Rodriguez, a Masuk alum studying conducting at Ithaca College, and the Veeraraghavs’ sister, Anika, a first year student at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, who plays the viola.

Avinash said he and his brother got their conductor in April of 2024, then sought orchestra members last May, when he created a post on the Monroe CT Residents Facebook page one night. By the next day, he had about six inquiries from people wanting to join.

He said this led to an explosion of public interest, while some new members brought their friends and colleagues with them. “Two of our clarinet players are friends,” Avinash said, “and two horn players are a teacher and a student.”

Avinash said a percussionist and his father come all the way from East Haddam to play in the orchestra, which also attracts members from the Hamden and New Haven area, Trumbull and Newtown.

“I would say this has gone a lot better than I expected,” Avinash said of he and his brother’s endeavor. “We have a little over 40 members. In May, I thought we’d have 15. We even have two soloists playing with us. It allows us to play bigger pieces.”

The Monroe Summer Orchestra is free to join. Members must have their own instruments. Avinash said there are no auditions, but everyone knows the level the music is set to.

“We’d love to have people’s support,” he said, “and if they want to join us in the future, we’d love to have them.”

For information or to make a donation to the Monroe Summer Orchestra, visit its website by clicking here. The orchestra also has its own Facebook page.

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