Duo Vís

Violinist Shalini Vijayan and percussionist Lynn Vartan have been combining their passion for new music with their deep connection and friendship for over 20 years. The have performed and recorded extensively, and continue to work to expand the repertoire for the combination of violin and percussion. Commissions include works by Andrew Norman, Carlos Rivera, Kurt Rohde, Jeffrey Holmes, and Steven Gates. After some time away from their duo for various other projects and positions and reuniting while performing at the Ojai Festival in 2021, they have come together again to perform, commission and share the new music they are so deeply committed to.

Shalini Vijayan

Violinist Shalini Vijayan is a member of the Lyris Quartet, the founding resident ensemble of the Hear Now Music Festival in Los Angeles. She is also the solo violinist of Brightwork New Music, one of LA’s most exciting contemporary chak,re groups. Shalini was a founding member and Principal Second Violin of Kristjan Jarvi’s Absolute Ensemble, having recorded several albums with them including 2001 Grammy nominee, Absolution. As a part of Absolute, she has performed throughout the United States and Europe, most notably in London’s Barbican Hall and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

A member of the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida from 1998-2001, Shalini served as concertmaster for Michael Tilson Thomas, John Adams, Reinbert de Leeuw and Oliver Knussen. She was also concertmaster for the world premiere performances and recording of Steven Mackey’s Tuck and Roll for RCA records in 2000. In Los Angeles, Shalini is featured regularly with Grammy Award winning Southwest Chamber Music and can be heard on their Grammy nominated Complete Chamber Works of Carlos Chávez, Vol. 3. Most recently, she has been a featured soloist with the Los Angeles Master Chorale in Chinary Ung’s Spiral XII and Tan Dun’s Water Passion. Shalini is on the performance faculty of the Nirmita Composers Workshop in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Lynn Vartan

Biography available here.