The violin prodigy who found salvation on Skid Row, part 2

Available for over a year

Aged just 19, Vijay Gupta won a place in the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, becoming its youngest-ever musician. But this success did not bring the love and acceptance he craved. From childhood his Bengali Indian parents had tightly controlled his life, demanding excellence with no room for failure. Now as he started what should have been the time of his life in LA, his father left the family home in New York state to go with him. Vijay was keen to enjoy all that his new life and job had to offer, this led to him challenging his father's authority and eventually the two came to blows. Vijay's father returned to New York. His parents disowned him. Vijay found new purpose in Los Angeles' Skid Row. Encounters with homeless people, prisoners and residents at a psychiatric hospital inspired him to organise concerts for them. He set up a non-profit organisation to use music as a bridge to start conversations. Estranged from his family, struggling with his mental health and scarred by deep regret after missing his father's funeral, Vijay came to realise the marginalised people he had assumed his music would inspire were also helping to heal him. This is the final part of Vijay's story; part one is available via the Outlook website. He has written a memoir about his upbringing and his experiences in Los Angeles entitled Restrung. Plus, Ronald Kabuye grew up in the Katwe slums of Kampala, Uganda. He saw a performance by the M-Lisada marching band, a group made up of children from a local orphanage. Ronald was enthralled. He joined the band, took up the trombone, and learned to read music. Performing gave him an escape and ultimately the opportunity to travel and play with a wide range of musicians. Ronald then became a music teacher with the charity Brass for Africa, passing on his skills to the next generation. This interview was first broadcast in 2021. Presenter: Shahidha Bari Producers: Hetal Bapodra and Julian Siddle Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707 (Photo: Vijay Gupta in formal coat and tails, short beard and slicked back hair, plays his violin with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. Credit: Vijay Gupta)