Vijay Gupta

Vijay Gupta is the founder and Artistic Director of Street Symphony, a nationally recognized pioneer in creating musical experiences for people in reentry from homelessness, addiction and incarceration. Since 2011 Street Symphony’s communities of artists have presented thousands of musical workshops, performances and lessons in Los Angeles shelters, clinics, county jails, state hospitals and prisons – delivering the music of classical, choral, Jazz, Reggae, Mariachi and West African drumming traditions to communities beyond the concert hall. Vijay believes that the transformation brought on by music is a “two-way symphony”: a pathway to mutual healing. 

Vijay is a celebrated violinist, curator and music director, performing as an international recitalist, soloist, chamber and orchestral musician for over 20 years. Vijay served as a member of the first violin section of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for 12 years, and was the 2023 Artist in Residence at Music Worcester. He is a founding member of the Darshan Piano Trio, and is a member of Tesserae Baroque. A dynamic recording artist, Vijay’s critically acclaimed discography includes an array of chamber music and solo works. He was named to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2024. 

A riveting speaker, Vijay has shared his work and music with dozens of corporations, campuses, conferences and communities across America over the past 10 years, including The Richmond Forum, The Aspen Institute, Hallmark, Accenture, Mayo Clinic, US Psychiatric Congress, American Planning Association, and the League of American Orchestras, just to name a few. His three TED talks have garnered millions of views. He is the author of a forthcoming memoir on the intersection of loss, hope, and music.