Surya is a Pianist and composer who is about to complete his bachelor in arts at the California Institute of the Arts in December. He is studying jazz and plans to continue his musical journey in composition beyond school.

Surya started playing piano at the age of 6, and he took informal piano lessons for a few years until he needed advanced lessons. Since we could not afford those lessons, he decided to study on his own, learning more complicated pieces while teaching himself how to compose. With no formal theory or musical training, Surya played by ear until high school, where he began to learn the fundamentals of music. He later was accepted into CalArts, and while he was not a college-ready pianist, the dean of the Jazz program decided to accept and personally mentor him. Since then, Surya’s knowledge of music and piano has grown exponentially. His diligence and success as a student were noticed by the school, and he was chosen out of many candidates to tutor in piano and music theory.

As Surya continues to pursue his dream and passion, he finds himself in need of equipment for professional work (he already has been offered future composition projects). With his birthday approaching in September, I would like to gift him the equipment he needs.

Equipment: Electric Piano, A computer, and various software.

I am deeply grateful for whatever amount you can contribute to support Surya’s journey into the professional world.