Vijay Gupta

Vijay Gupta believes that the work of the artist and citizen is one: to make a daily practice of the connected, creative, and courageous world we long to live in Hailed by The New Yorker as “a visionary violinist...one of the most radical thinkers in the unradical world of American classical music” Vijay is an esteemed musician, speaker and thought leader, serving to create spaces of belonging, healing and wholeness through music. Vijay’s labor of love lies in the founding and directing of Street Symphony, which brings music to people in shelters, clinics, county jails and prisons. His work serves to engage people across vast differences to create new connections and transformative conversations. For his work in bringing beauty, respite, and purpose to those all too often ignored by society, while encouraging us to reflect on many ways we can all make a difference and truly be citizens in our world today, Vijay Gupta is the recipient of a 2018 Catherine D. and John T. MacArthur grant. A dynamic speaker and facilitator, Vijay shares his vision of transformation through artistic practice in the form of musical keynote lectures, workshops and strategic conversations for companies, conferences, universities, and non-profit organizations. In June 2020, Vijay Gupta delivered the 33rd annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy, introduced by the Honorable Speaker Nancy Pelosi, entitled “The Next Response: Practicing the Future, Now”. His 2010 TED Talk, “Music is Medicine, Music is Sanity”, has garnered millions of views. Vijay is a strategic and artistic advisor for organizations across the United States, and serves on the Board of Directors of Americans for the Arts. An esteemed violinist, Vijay is a recording artist, ardent chamber musician and collaborator. Vijay served as a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for 12 years, which he joined as the youngest violinist in the orchestra’s history, and has appeared as a guest concertmaster with the Philharmonia Orchestra of London and Los Angeles Opera. In October 2020, Vijay will headline with Kronos String Quartet in UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance “Tune In” festival honoring Pete Seeger. Vijay believes that an artistic and civic practice is a spiritual practice. He embodies a creative “sadhana” - the Sanskrit word meaning “daily spiritual practice”, and is the creator of the hashtag #creativesadhana on Instagram, where he shares his musical, literary, spiritual and artistic practice. He invites you to create your own sadhana, and to follow his journey at @guptaviolin. Vijay plays on a 2010 violin made by Los Angeles based luthier Eric Benning. His 2012 Kickstarter album Suryodaya is available on Spotify.

Ray Lewis & Ashe Ashe Drummers from the Heart

Drum Circle Ensemble

Ashe Ashe Drummers from the Heart includes many amazing drummers I have known for years and practiced with within different parts of Los Angeles. We express our own Divine uniqueness in Hip Hop and World music in Love, rhythm, and vibration.  We convene drum circles in the Skid Row community to share our gifts of musical healing and bonding. It is an honor to join today's celebration with Esperanza Community Housing and Street Symphony. Today, we are joined with three beautiful drummers: Bara Mboup, my mentor from Senegal, dear friend Will Gordon, and myself, Ray Lewis. – Ray Lewis, Director of Ashe Ashe Drummers from the Heart

Pachanga Latin Band

Salsa Music Band

Pachanga Latin Band se formó en Los Angeles en el año 2007 bajo el liderazgo del pianista y cantante Andrés García.  Desde sus inicios la orquestra ha tenido una gran aceptación en el público latino de los Estados Unidos. Pachanga Latin Band ha viajado extensamente por los Estados Unidos presentándose en eventos públicos y privados, alternando con reconocidos artistas latinoamericanos y locales.  La agrupación está conformada por talentosos músicos latinoamericanos que ahora residen en Los Ángeles y formaron parte de reconocidos grupos musicales de sus respectivos países en el pasado.

Pachanga Latin Band was formed in Los Angeles in 2007 under the leadership of pianist and singer Andrés García.  Since its inception the orchestra has been widely accepted by the Latino public in the United States.  Pachanga Latin Band has traveled extensively throughout the United States presenting at public and private events, alternating with renowned Latin American and local artists. The group is made up of talented Latin American musicians who now reside in Los Angeles and were part of renowned musical groups in their respective countries in the past.