Overcoming adversity has always been part and parcel of one’s journey through the music industry, yet what Indian musical prodigy Baluji Shrivastav OBE has forgone is nothing short of astounding.
Blinded at the age of just eight months, Baluji has spent a lifetime laughing in the face of stereotypes and becoming a tour de force behind the sitar, dilruba, surbahar, pakhavaj, and tabla. In 2008 the multi instrumentalist opened the Baluji Music Foundation with an aim to support visually impaired musicians – this was a move that inadvertently birthed the, now well-renowned – Inner Vision Orchestra.
Founded in 2012, the group marked the world’s only professional collection of blind and partially sighted musicians, brought together to break the same boundaries that Baluji toppled when he was a child. The ensemble currently sits 18 members strong and have gone on to play the closing ceremony for the 2012 Paralympic Games.
Baluji himself has rightfully been decorated for his achievements – having been awarded an OBE in the honours list of the Queen’s 90th birthday, a GG2 award for Overcoming Adversity in 2016 and the accolade of 2019 Non-Resident Indian by Times Group India for Art and Culture. Undoubtedly Baluji’s story goes beyond inspirational into something higher – a soulful musician with a warrior’s spirit.
Flash forward to the here and now and Baluji and The Inner Vision Orchestra are bringing their inspiring compositions back to the live stages with shows running up to the Summer of 2022. These are not to be missed so check out the dates below!
Live Shows
Carols by Candlelight – HENSHAWS, MANCHESTER – 16/12/21
Interactions: Indian Music and Flamenco – LAUDERDALE HOUSE, LONDON – 17/12/21
The Inner Vision Orchestra – KEELE, NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME – 16/03/22
Classical Indian and Jazz Orient – ROPETACKLE ARTS CENTRE, SHOREHAM– 27/03/22
Antardrishti – Inner Vision – WILTSHIRE MUSIC CENTRE, WILTSHIRE – 07/05/22
Baluji Shrivastav OBE – NORWICH ARTS CENTRE, NORWICH – 13/05/22
Check out Baluji down below!
