Bharat Chandra  

First season with the SO: 2001

Degrees / Colleges: Undergraduate work at Southern Methodist University, and Master's degree from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, along with the Conservatory's highest individual honor, the Gunther Schuller Medal. 

Award / Musical Accomplishment you are most proud of: Being presented the Gunther Schuller Medal from the New England Conservatory in front of my father, Sharat, my teacher, Richard Stoltzman and my fellow graduates. It was a complete surprise to me (and to my father). I hadn't even known of the award's existence before that day.  

Hobbies / interests: Practicing, playing with my daughter, Eila, hanging out with my wife, reading and working on various home-improvements.  I'm a big fan of the Dallas Cowboys and “The Economist” magazine.

My dream is to: Someday look back and see that I had helped create a generous, diverse, and interesting life for my family through music – and to have been appreciated by my community.  

Personal Fact / Something you would like people to know about you: I'm the son of the late poet G. S. Sharat Chandra, a two time Pulitzer Prize nominee from India.