Shaped Through the Strings

Senior Akshay Dinakar steps out of the shower, throws a towel around his waist and checks his phone. One unread email from Carnegie Hall. Dinakar opens the email and sees an acceptance letter from the National Youth Orchestra of the USA (NYO-USA).

“I went absolutely bonkers,” Dinakar said. “I ran around my house laughing and kind of collapsed on the floor upstairs. I was so overcome with joy.”

But it should’ve been no surprise that he was accepted into NYO-USA. Not only has he been practicing his violin almost every day for 15 years, he was also previously accepted into the program his sophomore year. His experiences from two years ago have made looking forward to this year’s trip much more exciting and rewarding.

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“I don’t actually have a conscious memory of starting to play violin,” Dinakar said.

He can’t remember this, in the same way people don’t have a conscious memory of learning to walk. From a young age, violin has almost always been a constant in his life. The rhythmic patterns help him to do things like solve math problems and shoot a basketball. Dinakar’s familiarity with his violin and emotional understanding of music allow him to communicate with the audience when he is performing. For example, when Dinakar performed in a fundraising concert for Parkinson’s disease, he says the piece he prepared helped him to communicate hope to the crowd.

Dinakar’s violin coach, Gregory Sandomirsky, says Dinakar is extremely gifted.

“To be a musician and to be the best of the best is very tough,” Sandomirsky said. “Akshay being in this prestigious orchestra speaks of his accomplishments themselves.”

Dinakar’s passion, focus and drive have assisted him in his success of being chosen as one of 40 violin players. Out of thousands of applicants, only 120 students are chosen to represent the U.S. on the annual tour beginning in Carnegie Hall and, this year, continuing through famous halls in China. This year’s trip is about more than just sharing musical gifts — it is also one of the U.S. government’s four pillars to better the diplomatic relations between the U.S. and China.

Although language and culture are two large barriers between countries that are so far away, there is one thing that brings everyone together.

“They say that we have 192 nations in the world,” Dinakar says. “But the thing all of them share is music.”

The first time Dinakar was accepted, sophomore year, the orchestra traveled to Russia as well as the United Kingdom and performed sold-out shows in Moscow, St. Petersburg and London.

According to Dinakar, the students were treated with just about the same luxuries the President would be treated with, such as personal trams, photographs when they were seen outside and constant interviews. They were practically famous. The amount of exploring and growing Dinakar experienced in Russia was enough to inspire him to practice more and even better prepare for this year’s trip.

Dinakar expects to have more life-changing experiences on the next trip, just like the first time. He got to work with many world class musicians, such as Robert Chen, that taught him essential points like how to stand upright and poised for hours at a time.

Dinakar says the month of practice prior to being in New York as well as the two weeks of prep in New York are well worth the time and effort. There is more to look forward to than just performing for thousands of people.

“It’s an all expenses paid month long sleepover with 120 best friends,” Dinakar says.

But for Dinakar, the most important part of the whole journey is getting to do what he loves: play music. And through his music and the opportunities that National Youth Orchestra gives him, he is able to make friends from across the country, and bond with them through their shared passion for music.

“I see music as a broad beautiful thing that cannot be limited to one definition,” Dinakar says. “Music acts as a universal language. I think that that is one of the main objectives that the National Youth Orchestra strives to achieve. Strengthening bonds between people through music.”