Violin prodigy from USA to raise funds for HIV patients

Rishi Shet, a 14-year-old US-based violinist from Bengaluru is already a pro. He has been playing the violin since he was seven.

BENGALURU:Rishi Shet, a 14-year-old US-based violinist from Bengaluru is already a pro. He has been playing the violin since he was seven.

It all began with Rishi learning Indian carnatic violin in the city for four years. He then proceeded to study western classical in the suzuki style at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore where he currently lives.

Rishi will play at the String Theory Concert here organised by The Bangalore School of Music (BSM) and will collaborate with other string music students of the school. The concert aims to create awareness and raise funds for Snehagram, an organisation working for the empowerment of HIV-affected youngsters through educational, vocational training and health programmes. City Express speaks to Rishi.

Talking about his start in music and particularly his interest in playing the violin, Rishi, says, "My grandmother is a singer in a church and my mother plays the veena. My father and my uncle are both singers. One day I was at an L Subramaniam concert, and was struck by the beautiful instrument he was playing – the violin. My mother helped me find a teacher and I started learning carnatic music on violin when I was seven-years-old." He was fascinated by how L Subramaniam was able to combine carnatic with western classical. Rishi eventually decided to learn western classical music. Besides L Subramaniam, Rishi was also majorly influenced by American violinist, Itzhak Perlman.

Reminiscing his time spent in Bengaluru, Rishi says, "I was three years old when I was in Bengaluru with my parents and brother. As a child, I remember being surrounded by a large family and lots of laughter and music."

Presently, Rishi is busy preparing for the concert and says he is excited to get the opportunity. "My teacher at Peabody Institute helped me pick out pieces for the concert last summer and she has been helping me hone these pieces over the past year. I am extremely excited to be playing at this concert, especially as this is for a good cause," he says.

This is the first time he will be performing in Bengaluru. "I have done other concerts in my school in Baltimore, as part of the orchestra at the Merriweather stadium in Maryland, and as a solo performer at Sunrise Retirement community hall and at Peabody Institute," he adds.

Besides music, Rishi is also a cross country runner. Asked about taking up either as a career, he says, "I am not sure. I am still exploring the possibilities"

String Theory Concert will be held on June 30, 2018, 6:30pm at Aruna Sunderlal Auditorium, The Bangalore School of Music