Healing Through Music

In his passion with a purpose keynote Robert Gupta talks about his experience playing for audiences in the most unlikely of places. Gupta begins his speech by addressing the fact that many famous classical pieces by composers such as Bach and Vivaldi grew out of places such as orphanages, hospitals and asylums, locations associated with depression and pain.

Having a deep fascination and respect for doctors that went beyond the call of duty, Robert Gupta wanted to pursue a life of medicine while still being captivated by the power of music. Gupta describes it as "if science was the language of [his] mind, music was the language of [his] heart."

Combining his two passions, the violinist began the Street Symphony, an organization that plays for inmates, people suffering from mental disorders and other hospital patients. Through this, Gupta has encountered remarkable experiences of people being healed by music. The project demonstrates that people still have the capacity to experience something beautiful and that beauty and spark exists within them.