Vijay Venkat

Vijay Venkat is a multi instrumentalist/vocalist, multi-genre performer/composer specialising in the violin, viola, flute, vichitra veena (an ancient Indian fret-less slide instrument) in the South Indian Classical (Carnatic) music style. Vijay has performed in major musical festivals and organisations in India and abroad as a soloist. Madras Music Academy, Autumn Festival - Paris, Soest - Netherlands, Manchester International Festival, Summer Solstice Festival of South Asian Arts-UK, Leeds, to name a few and many other festivals such as the Leeds International Festival, Womad Festival, Marsden Jazz Festival, Migration Matters Festival Sheffield, Bradford Festival, Preston Mela, Birmingham Commonwealth Games Festival 2022 and several others, collaborating with bands and musicians from other genres. Vijay has also composed a composition for the members of the BBC Philharmonic orchestra and performed with them on vichitra veena. In 2015, he played with the members of the BBC Philharmonic orchestra for the first ever BBC music day live creating new themes and music. Apart from his solo concerts, he played for bands like Rafiki-Jazz - World music with influences from around the world, Caution Collective- Leeds - showcasing the genres of Soul, Reggae, Hip-Hop, RnB etc, Ruhaani Trio - Sufi Folk and Indian music, been a part of the award winning Orpheus opera of Opera North, Leeds, Royal Shakespeare Theatre's The Empress, etc and continues to collaborate with musicians from other genres and Vijay Venkat's Jazz-Fusion and also is a part of many music productions of a wide variety of organisations. Vijay is an empanelled member of Indian government's Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) spreading good will around the world as a cultural ambassador. He holds an M.Phil degree in Anthropology from the University of Madras, India and a Masters degree in Music from the Middlesex University, London.