In 1956, more  than 600 African-American families, including businesses and  institutions living in the Rondo neighborhood of Saint Paul,  lost their  homes to the construction of the new I-94 highway cutting across the  United States. Rondo's disaggregation was part of a national movement  that upended thousands of black, immigrant, and poor communities to make  room for more seamless coast-to-coast automobile transportation. Home  to such artists as Gordon Parks, August Wilson, Roberta Davies, and  Bobby Lyles, the Rondo neighborhood produced and inspired artists and  musicians who would go on to national fame. The Rondo Community Music  Series, presented by Walker West Music Academy, showcases a current  generation of artists who continue to be inspired by Rondo's history,  cultural expression, and resilience. The Rondo Community Music Series  presents a variety of musicians and artists from September through April  2024. Join us for all of the hour-long concerts and be inspired by the  power of music to convey and shape communities. All shows are FREE, but  you must register!

Kavyesh  Kaviraj is a pianist, composer and arranger from India. Although  primarily a jazz pianist, he is known for his versatility as a musician;  thanks to his experience in different musical climates he is closely  involved with settings of many different genres and styles.

Kavyesh was introduced to music at a very young age; born into a musical family, he started playing the piano at the age of 2, and has since been  garnering experience towards an expansive international career. Thanks  to his family’s rich musical ancestry, Kavyesh has been fortunate to be  educated in both Western classical and contemporary music, but also in  Indian Classical music, including both Carnatic and Hindustani styles.  He often attributes this wide span of musical taste and experience to  his education and cultural involvement within his childhood. Born to  Indian parents in Oman, he began his fledgling musical career in the  small town of Sohar, from where he moved to India to further his musical  development and education, and subsequently pursued a professional  music education in the United States. He has garnered attention and  acclaim from the various musical environments he has been a part of,  including Indian, Middle-Eastern and American shores.

Kavyesh  graduated from Columbia College Chicago in 2018, with a Bachelor of  Music (B.M) degree in Jazz Studies and Contemporary Music. In 2019,  Kavyesh received a full tuition grant to pursue a Masters’ degree at  Berklee College’s Global Jazz Institute, where he was under the eminent  tutelage of several jazz masters including Danilo Perez, Kenny Werner,  JoAnne Brackeen among many others. He graduated in 2020 with a Master of  Music (M.M) degree in Contemporary Performance.

Kavyesh  is a member of the jazz quintet Mississippi, set to release their  second album in 2022. He has performed with national and international  artists from many different genres, including Wynton Marsalis, David  Sanchez, Roosevelt Collier, Jay Young and the Lyric Factory, Justin  Robinson, Yolande Bruce, Debbie Duncan, Bruce Henry, Nooky Jones, Kevin  Washington Quintet, Jamecia Bennett, I Self Devine, Lady Midnight,  Desdamona, Toki Wright and several others.

Kavyesh  is also a passionate music educator, with experience as a private  instructor and experience as an educator in music academies and public  schools alike. Kavyesh is currently on faculty at the piano department  at The University of St Thomas, and is also at the music department at  Minneapolis College. Kavyesh is also an instructor for various musical  arts at Walker West Music Academy. Kavyesh enjoys leading jazz workshops  and teaching music classes for children and youth, and his work takes  him across the US. His compositions and arrangements for various  ensembles and configurations have been featured on radio, TV and  collaborative exhibitions.

Kavy plays Jamal