Leading creative music director returns to SCU

Ramesh Sathiah, the musical director behind some of Australia’s best known television shows and commercials, will return to his former stamping ground at Southern Cross University on Tuesday, October 19.

Ramesh, the creative director and a partner in Song Zu, the leading music and sound design company in the Asia Pacific region, studied contemporary music at SCU in the 1990s.

He is returning to present a $5000 Song Zu prize for the best composition folio by a student in the Bachelor of Contemporary Music program. He will also be presenting workshops for students in the areas of writing and production and careers in sound production.

Since leaving SCU, Ramesh has worked with bands including Grinspoon and Spiderbait. He has also created the music for television shows such as Beyond 2000, Water Rats and a number of Discovery Channel productions. Last year he worked on Guy Sebastian’s hit “All I want is you”.

As Song Zu’s creative director in Singapore he produced the music for advertising campaigns including Motorola and Singapore Airlines. He has also worked on the Qantas advertisements which involved hundreds of children in locations all around the world.

“For a television show you have a pallet of sound and you work within a certain style. Advertising is quite unique; you usually have a big budget and you can have anything from an orchestra to a big band or dance music.

“The music is the emotion. It tells the story. I find it really creatively satisfying.”

Ramesh said SCU’s music program had an excellent reputation and Song Zu had decided to offer the $5000 prize as a way of encouraging the students and to see what sort of talent was around.

“There have been some great people come through SCU, such as the Grinspoon guys. It’s always been a really good course with great teachers and we wanted to offer some support.”

Associate Professor Jon Fitzgerald recalled that he was struck by Ramesh’s musical potential and dedication from the time of his first audition for SCU’s music program.

“He had the best portfolio I’d ever seen. He was a very impressive character,” Professor Fitzgerald said.

“This prize has generated quite a bit of excitement among the students. It will also be great for the students to talk to Ramesh and hear about his career in contemporary music.”

Photo opportunity:
The prize ceremony is being held at noon, Tuesday, October 19 in D129 followed by student workshops.

Media contact: Brigid Veale, SCU Media Liaison, 66593006 or m. 0439 680 748.