Silence and darkness permeate the Patil Theater as the audience quietly waits for the orchestra to begin playing in the annual BAD assembly. Suddenly, with a quick wave of the conductor’s arms, high-tempo music starts to fill the theater. The melange of different instruments, ranging from clarinets to cellos, overwhelms the initial silence from the room. Among the instrumentalists is viola player Harshini Chaturvedula (12), who matches the rhythm of her fellow players while exuding radiant energy through her confidence and enthusiasm.

Harshini’s first exposure to the world of music started in kindergarten when she was awed by a clip she saw of Indian Carnatic music online. Sparked by an aura of inspiration, she decided to take Indian violin lessons. After a few years, she wanted to branch out into a different realm of music, eventually moving on to playing classical violin before settling on the viola. It wasn’t until when Harshini joined orchestra at the upper school that she realized the value the viola, as well as music in general, had to her.

“I did viola for fun until senior year,” Harshini said. “I realized how going forward in the future, I’m not going to have a lot of the opportunities that I have now. I realized too late what it means to me. It’s just really beautiful to get to play an instrument and to be able to express yourself through music.”

Harshini also credits singing as an important part of her personal and musical growth. Having taken lessons ever since she was a toddler, she describes the fundamental role that both singing and playing the viola have allowed for her to express her emotions in a new medium.

“I knew that music was going to be a part of my life,” Harshini said. “It was my thing. Music’s just fun, and it’s hard to say why it can be such a big part of your life, but it can really take over. Singing specifically actually comes from within you and you’re in control of it. You’re in control of your voice. Music is an art and it’s beautiful.”

Katelyn Hsu (12), a close friend of Harshini since elementary school, witnessed the large impact of music on Harshini’s perspective. She recalls how music shaped Harshini’s approach to everything from intimate discussions with friends to her own interpretations of the world around her.

“There’s always something that comes up in conversation whenever we watch any type of media,” Katelyn said. “She always notices the music first. It’s just natural because she plays viola and because she’s so involved in music. I would say she veers more towards auditory elements. She’ll probably notice sound first and then she’ll incorporate that into what she sees as an interpretation.”

Through closely honing her music skills, Harshini reflects on all the life lessons she takes away from every person she meets. Whether it be compassion or courage, she pushes herself to discover the connections between music and real life.

“From my choir days, I used to sing a lot of songs and learned a lot  about compassion from my past conductors,” Harshini said. “With a lot of the songs we sing, we have to put ourselves in other people’s positions. With the conductors I had, they were some of the nicest people I’ve met because of their ability to connect and teach us life lessons while we’re doing music.”

Along her music journey, Harshini encountered many challenges. In particular, a persistent struggle she faced at the beginning of her music career was how she constantly compared herself to those around her. However, over time, Harshini worked to change her mindset to try and focus on her music journey.

“Online, all these prodigies exist and it makes you think, ‘Why am I even doing this?’” Harshini said. “But I keep reminding myself, it’s because I like doing it and it’s not because there’s a seven-year-old who’s beating me. So, I kept going because I liked knowing that you can continue, even while there are other people who might be better than you.”

This recognition of the pressure often surrounding Harker students also encouraged Harshini to run for Student Activities Board in her freshman year and eventually led to her becoming her class’ SAB representative all four years. Through hosting fun spirit events and encouraging her class to be as spirited as possible, Harshini uses her lessons of perseverance from music to inspire her fellow classmates.

“I’ve always been on SAB because I see all the other kids for who we are,” Harshini said. “We are so academically competitive and focused. I want to be able to create events where people can take a step back and create spaces where people can chill with their friends and not have to worry about things. It means a lot to me to be able to see that.”

Close friend Ananya Mandal, who first met Harshini in freshman year, reflects on how Harshini’s compassion and perseverance translates on a personal level. She recalls how Harshini ensures to take other people’s perspectives into consideration while also striving to work hard. 

“She’s a good listener, and she’s very sure of herself,” Anaya said. “When she knows what she wants, she’ll do stuff to get to it and it’s very, very admirable. She cares a lot about her friends too. She will go to almost any length to do stuff for the people she cares about.”

By playing music and spreading kindness and compassion, Harshini hopes to leave a positive legacy wherever she goes. Whether it’s by playing the viola in the Patil Theater or carrying out her SAB duties, Harshini strives to encourage others around her to be kind and possess empathy.

“Everyone’s facing a different battle in their family environment and within themselves and with their surroundings,” Harshini said. ‘Whatever it is, everyone has their struggles, and before your fuse goes off or before you’re too quick to judge, you have to think about that.”