MacArthur ‘Genius’ Vijay Gupta on trauma, choices, and excellence

LA Phil violinist Vijay Gupta recently won a MacArthur “genius” grant. He’s known for launching Street Symphony, a nonprofit that brings classical music to Skid Row, homeless shelters, and the LA County jail. He explains that now, he can finally write his own rules and choose his own excellence. He didn’t have many choices as a kid, raised by Indian immigrant parents in New York.

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LA Philharmonic violinist Vijay Gupta performing at KCRW. Photo by Amy Ta.