' opacity='.75'%3E%3Canimate attributeName='d' begin='0s' dur='40s' keySplines='0.2 0 0.2 1;0.2 0 0.2 1;0.2 0 0.2 1' keyTimes='0;0.333;0.667;1' repeatCount='indefinite' values='M0 0L 0 75.64819513889528Q 406.25 112.4168301155578 812.5 73.66658752010889T 1625 72.77768801794221L 1625 0 Z;M0 0L 0 70.27066641233544Q 406.25 105.11582540079095 812.5 66.23443937804959T 1625 74.91215786181142L 1625 0 Z;M0 0L 0 63.748043101733735Q 406.25 117.1537416424263 812.5 80.69702895565626T 1625 60.219627055844796L 1625 0 Z;M0 0L 0 75.64819513889528Q 406.25 112.4168301155578 812.5 73.66658752010889T 1625 72.77768801794221L 1625 0 Z'/%3E%3C/path%3E%3Cpath fill='url(%23a)' opacity='.8'%3E%3Canimate attributeName='d' begin='-20s' dur='30s' keySplines='0.2 0 0.2 1;0.2 0 0.2 1;0.2 0 0.2 1' keyTimes='0;0.333;0.667;1' repeatCount='indefinite' values='M0 0L 0 64.14621468674747Q 406.25 56.207820429190846 812.5 34.96182246125404T 1625 52.53020499967622L 1625 0 Z;M0 0L 0 67.1532400402574Q 406.25 74.68355025125305 812.5 30.6855377443568T 1625 31.500109538925187L 1625 0 Z;M0 0L 0 52.92223358265816Q 406.25 47.887234229968485 812.5 31.950744746854582T 1625 72.90677060884364L 1625 0 Z;M0 0L 0 64.14621468674747Q 406.25 56.207820429190846 812.5 34.96182246125404T 1625 52.53020499967622L 1625 0 Z'/%3E%3C/path%3E%3Cpath fill='url(%23a)' opacity='.7'%3E%3Canimate attributeName='d' begin='-40s' dur='25s' keySplines='0.2 0 0.2 1;0.2 0 0.2 1;0.2 0 0.2 1' keyTimes='0;0.333;0.667;1' repeatCount='indefinite' values='M0 0L 0 65.67594544511607Q 406.25 55.136280101214574 812.5 34.244613453375926T 1625 76.88852346663303L 1625 0 Z;M0 0L 0 36.205868457249565Q 406.25 109.10029884977885 812.5 75.23689473952035T 1625 40.939486599068914L 1625 0 Z;M0 0L 0 83.96905969987165Q 406.25 71.54130422296316 812.5 37.80081597814579T 1625 46.70639226669843L 1625 0 Z;M0 0L 0 65.67594544511607Q 406.25 55.136280101214574 812.5 34.244613453375926T 1625 76.88852346663303L 1625 0 Z'/%3E%3C/path%3E%3Cpath fill='url(%23a)' opacity='.6'%3E%3Canimate attributeName='d' begin='-60s' dur='20s' keySplines='0.2 0 0.2 1;0.2 0 0.2 1;0.2 0 0.2 1' keyTimes='0;0.333;0.667;1' repeatCount='indefinite' values='M0 0L 0 39.70631624579822Q 406.25 76.63022169313423 812.5 39.64373511656079T 1625 64.53511534105488L 1625 0 Z;M0 0L 0 32.4243712209352Q 406.25 77.20758117862968 812.5 39.59101754332273T 1625 88.09461280663866L 1625 0 Z;M0 0L 0 49.85226194243634Q 406.25 76.60046870236488 812.5 42.8220136050438T 1625 47.73269398373101L 1625 0 Z;M0 0L 0 39.70631624579822Q 406.25 76.63022169313423 812.5 39.64373511656079T 1625 64.53511534105488L 1625 0 Z'/%3E%3C/path%3E%3Cpath fill='url(%23a)' opacity='.5'%3E%3Canimate attributeName='d' begin='-80s' dur='15s' keySplines='0.2 0 0.2 1;0.2 0 0.2 1;0.2 0 0.2 1' keyTimes='0;0.333;0.667;1' repeatCount='indefinite' values='M0 0L 0 62.36137105881773Q 406.25 106.11818215691501 812.5 79.19644513096927T 1625 53.29880813222182L 1625 0 Z;M0 0L 0 85.67176174202038Q 406.25 107.65916943204796 812.5 75.74025877464994T 1625 42.750701426721356L 1625 0 Z;M0 0L 0 69.32186058368944Q 406.25 97.57562704392123 812.5 72.27821516297467T 1625 83.08049900770148L 1625 0 Z;M0 0L 0 62.36137105881773Q 406.25 106.11818215691501 812.5 79.19644513096927T 1625 53.29880813222182L 1625 0 Z'/%3E%3C/path%3E%3Cpath fill='url(%23a)' opacity='.4'%3E%3Canimate attributeName='d' begin='-90s' dur='10s' keySplines='0.2 0 0.2 1;0.2 0 0.2 1;0.2 0 0.2 1' keyTimes='0;0.333;0.667;1' repeatCount='indefinite' values='M0 0L 0 41.8842198873533Q 406.25 118.50977001725153 812.5 75.24644840787474T 1625 71.04846573664972L 1625 0 Z;M0 0L 0 88.55896780828176Q 406.25 48.10309737637557 812.5 30.623317141617896T 1625 88.40715542065973L 1625 0 Z;M0 0L 0 36.976425380985Q 406.25 82.25272458543867 812.5 42.75571863451296T 1625 82.89668078767245L 1625 0 Z;M0 0L 0 41.8842198873533Q 406.25 118.50977001725153 812.5 75.24644840787474T 1625 71.04846573664972L 1625 0 Z'/%3E%3C/path%3E%3C/g%3E%3C/svg%3E)
ETSU 2026 Festival of Ideas: Vijay Gupta
Sponsored by The Bob Owens Community Leadership Fund
Tuesday, February 24, 2026 • 7:00 pm
Internationally celebrated musician, speaker and author Vijay Gupta will headline East Tennessee State University’s 2026 Festival of Ideas with a public presentation combining music and conversation titled “Why Music Education is Essential.”
Gupta is the founder and Artistic Director of Street Symphony, a Los Angeles–based nonprofit that has presented thousands of musical workshops and performances in shelters, county jails, state hospitals and prisons.
Through this work, he has forged spaces of dignity and belonging for individuals recovering from homelessness, addiction and incarceration.
Gupta’s forthcoming book, “Restrung” — now available for pre-order—examines the role of the arts to heal, inspire and create spaces of shared dialogue. His work has been featured by the American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Congress, Hallmark, and the Richmond Forum, among many others.
A member of the first violin section of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for 12 years, Gupta has appeared around the world as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. He is a founding member of the Darshan Piano Trio and Tesserae Baroque, and his recordings span repertoire from Bach to contemporary works.
TICKETS
ETSU faculty and staff will receive early access to secure up to two (2) tickets before the public. ETSU faculty and staff may claim up to two (2) tickets on Wednesday, January 28, between 10 a.m. and 10 pm on the Martin Center for the Arts website. Please note that a limited number of early-access tickets are available.
ETSU students will also receive early access to secure one (1) ticket before the public. Student tickets may be claimed at the Carrier Center front desk in the D.P. Culp Student Center beginning Wednesday, January 28, at 10 am. Please note: one (1) ticket may be claimed per valid student ID, and a limited number of early-access tickets are available.
Tickets will be available to the public at 10 am on Thursday, January 29, on the Martin Center for the Arts website. There is a six (6) ticket limit.
This event is free and open to the public, but tickets must be reserved.
Rush Seating
In the event of a sellout, Rush Seating will be available for this event. Patrons
interested in Rush Seating should line up in the designated queue located at the front
entrance of the Martin Center, facing State of Franklin. Beginning at 7 pm, any empty
seats will be released to patrons waiting in the Rush Seating queue.
Please note: The Martin Center cannot guarantee all patrons waiting in the Rush Seating queue will be seated for the event. Rush Seating is first-come, first-served.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
EVENT - 7:00 pm
DOORS - 6:00 pm
LOCATION
ETSU Martin Center - ETSU Foundation Grand Hall
1320 W State of Franklin Rd, Johnson City, TN 37614
GET DIRECTIONS
FESTIVAL OF IDEAS