It started with piano...
Priya began piano lessons just after her third birthday, after watching her father teach others and begging for her own lessons. Ten years later she was playing Level 8 of the Celebration Series and now she sight-reads at the piano much better than her father. Though piano is no longer Priya's main instrument, she's continued exploring diverse repertoire at the keyboard, including Schubert, Grieg, the Piano Guys, and the Arcadian Wild.
...and continues today with cello.
Priya enjoys trying new instruments. She's a natural at guitar and mandolin, plays cajón and electric drums, and has experimented with other bowed instruments like bass and viola. She capably fills a variety of roles as a member of our church music team.
Since 2022 the cello has become Priya's primary instrument. She began playing cello at age 9, when we discovered the homeschool strings group SoliMusica Academy. Since we could not afford regular private lessons, most of Priya's early cello learning happened as a member of string orchestras. After SoliMusica discontinued in mid-2022, our family switched to Bravo Homeschool Strings, led by Lachlan McBane, violist with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. That fall Priya also joined Atlanta Music Project and early in 2023, through AMP, she finally began regular private cello lessons, studying with teaching artist and performer Ismail Akbar.
Priya's cello skills have improved rapidly since then:
- She won the principal cello position in the Georgia All-State Grades 9-10 String Orchestra in March 2024.
- She earned a spot in the 2024 YOLA National Festival, a week-long summer intensive music camp in Los Angeles.
- She placed 6th chair in the cello section of the 2024-25 Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra, one of Georgia's top pre-college orchestras.
- She advanced to 3rd chair cello in EYSO in January 2025 and won it again in September 2025.
- She won 4th chair cello in the Georgia All-State Grades 11-12 Full Orchestra for March 2025, then won the same chair again for the same orchestra in March 2026.
- She was accepted into Interlochen Arts Camp, Walnut Hill Summer String Quartet Intensive, and MasterWorks Festival for summer 2025, choosing to attend the latter.
- She was a finalist in a concerto competition with Dekalb Symphony Orchestra in November 2025.
- In early 2026 she was accepted into multiple excellent music schools, including Eastman School of Music and Manhattan School of Music (see "News").
Priya returned to MasterWorks Festival for four weeks this summer, playing in several honors recitals and serving as principal cellist for a week. This fall Priya begins studies at the Hodgson School of Music (UGA), studying under cello professor James Kim.
"Playing" Debussy's Children's Corner as a toddler.
Priya at GMEA All-State 2025, where she was 4th cello in the Grades 11-12 Full Orchestra.
Priya playing in a Solo Honors Recital at MasterWorks Festival 2026.
Photos of Priya's musical life:
Below: Priya testing her first cello, at SoliMusica Academy (instructors Susan Brown and April O'Keefe), playing with family at a wedding, Bravo Homeschool Strings director Lachlan McBane, Atlanta Music Project (instructor Ismail Akbar), 2024 All-State Orchestra concert, performing Debussy's Rêverie at a recital in 2024, YOLA National Festival (conductor José Salazar), Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra concerts (11/2024 and 5/2025), Saint-Saëns Concerto No. 1 concert (12/2024), in a master class with Denielle Wilson (4/2026), principal cellist at an AMP concert (4/2026), with Dr. Paul Bhasin of EYSO (5/2026), principal cellist at a MasterWorks Festival 2026 rehearsal, and other musical adventures.
