Today we’d like to introduce you to Kavyesh Kaviraj
Hi, Kavyesh; having you on the platform is an honor. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
I have always had a little try with music. My father is a musician and educator; his family is steeped in musical ancestry. Different kinds of music always surrounded him: Indian Carnatic, Hindustani and film music, European classical music, and early pop; he was sure to immerse me in it all. I began playing piano when I was 2 and quickly fell in love with expressing myself through music. I was sure of a career path when I graduated high school, so I followed the engineering route. But even there, I was always deeply involved in music, so I left that path to pursue an education in music. That pursuit brought me to the Twin Cities for school, and I always stayed, putting roots down here and contributing to the immense music scene that lives here. I’ve been fortunate to be mentored by the best, and I’ve had a fantastic time being a sideman in many different genres in the cities. I am incredibly grateful for the scene and happy to find myself as a composer and a leader in my projects.
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I took the ‘road less travel’ and in retrospect, I wouldn’t change a thing. But finding my way to music was a struggle. As a personal journey, the most challenging thing was finding an identity that felt honest and grounded in all my life experiences. Having belonged to several musical worlds on my trip, I couldn’t find a way to put myself under any label. Finding myself as an adult in search of belonging was a difficult challenge. As a child of two immigrants who found their way to the Middle East and now an immigrant in the American Midwest, I didn’t know which world to pull from if I had any validation in those spheres. Suppose I could belong to a society of people who did the same things I did, But I had the best help anyone could ask for. In an arduous career like music, every little bit of artistry that I got to experience from the masters was priceless. I learned a wealth of knowledge from them, which became the conduit that led me to embrace myself in my own identity, encompassing all the worlds I’m part of.
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a pianist, composer, and educator in the Twin Cities. I am primarily a jazz pianist, but I find great joy in being part of the infinite musical worlds of genre and style that the Twin Cities contain. I’ve had the opportunity to play with some of the best in the cities, and I’m lucky to have played with some international music royalty, all thanks to the incredible music scene here that embraced me. I am now embarking on my first release, FABLES, a musical storybook containing all the tales of my life, outfitted in a modern jazz style, with a little of the musical influences I have from my life. In the eight years I’ve dreamed of this record, I have always wanted to bring all the different musical worlds I grew up with in a way that meets my new and unique experience. I am very proud that I fulfilled that desire in this first dream project to the best of my ability. And I got to make my band with all my most excellent mentors!
Can you talk to us about the role of luck?
I have had plenty of bad luck in my journey, but I’ve learned not to count those occasions too numerously within my path. However, I cherish all the opportunities that fell in my lap, mainly because my mentors and friends thought I deserved them. I have had to learn to be brave in my endeavors, and e fortune favors the brave!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kavyeshkaviraj.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/kavyeshkaviraj
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/kavyeshkavirajmusic
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/kavyeshkaviraj
