top of page
About Us
The Monroe Summer Orchestra is a group of passionate musicians dedicated to bringing the joy of music to Monroe and the greater Fairfield/New Haven County area. We hope to inspire musicians in and around Monroe and propel the music scene to new heights.
Meet our Founders and Music Director!
Avinash Veeraraghav - Co-Chairman
A longtime native of Monroe, Avinash V. 'Avi' Veeraraghav has been playing the violin since he was in fourth grade. He participated in the strings program throughout his time in Monroe Public Schools, and also played the violin with the GCTYO (then known as GBYO), the UConn Symphony Orchestra, and the UConn Chamber Orchestra Club. He currently plays with the Hamden Symphony Orchestra and on occasion with the Parma Symphony Orchestra in Ohio. Avi's performances have taken him to all sorts of venues including Carnegie Hall in New York City and Severance Hall in Cleveland. Enhancing the musical scene in Monroe has been a goal of his for a while, and he is eager to see what the Monroe Summer Orchestra can do. Outside of music, he is a public health scientist and serves as a Commissioner and the Treasurer for the Lake Zoar Authority.
Anthony Granata - Music Director
Anthony Granata is an orchestra teacher living in Fairfield County, Connecticut. After graduating from Western Connecticut State University, he began teaching and has taught at the high school, elementary, and middle school levels, including beginning band, chorus, elementary music and orchestra. As a published composer for Alfred Music, Anthony also enjoys writing music to help teach challenging concepts to younger string players. An advocate for public school music programs, Anthony Granata received his entire preliminary string education during his years in the Norwalk public school’s music program, and currently teaches elementary and middle school orchestra in Fairfield, Connecticut. He is an accomplished violist and still performs regularly, and he holds advanced degrees in Special Education from Fairfield University and School Administration from Sacred Heart University. A Monroe resident, Anthony Granata is excited to be apart of the Monroe Summer Orchestra and give back to his home community.
Anand Veeraraghav - Co-Chairman
Anand V. Veeraraghav is a violist, and he has been playing for nearly 20 years. Having lived in Monroe for almost his entire life, he began playing viola at Fawn Hollow Elementary School, continuing all the way through Masuk High School. Anand also played in the Greater Connecticut (then Bridgeport) Youth Orchestras, and subsequently with both the UConn Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra Club. He currently plays in the Hamden Symphony Orchestra, serving as the assistant section leader; he has also traveled to Ohio and played as a guest with the Parma Symphony Orchestra. Anand has also remained active in the music scene in Monroe, advocating for the music program at Board of Education and Budget meetings. He and his twin brother Avi (left) decided to find a way to bring community music to Monroe, and they embarked on starting the MSO. Professionally, Anand is an Assistant Clerk at the Danbury Superior Court, having finished law school at Quinnipiac in 2021. He is also a member of the Monroe Water Pollution Control Authority.
bottom of page