Vijay Gupta, Los Angeles Philharmonic violinist, will explain how he uses music to uplift the spirits of people from all walks of life.
Gupta’s interest in neurobiology and mental health issues has made him a world-renowned advocate for the regenerative power of music. A TED Senior Fellow, Gupta founded Street Symphony—a musical engagement program presented by distinguished musicians of various genres. It aims to empower citizen-musicians by engaging with communities experiencing extreme poverty, incarceration, and homelessness.
Gupta joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2007 at age 19, after having completed an undergraduate degree in biology from Marist College and a Master’s degree in violin performance from the Yale School of Music.
In 2015, the University of La Verne presented Gupta with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, and at age 29, he received the Leonard Bernstein Lifetime Achievement Award for the Elevation of Music in Society from the Longy School of Music of Bard College.