Vijay Tellis-Nayak

July 26th, 2010 by #2 in Chicago, Chicago musician images, Chicago Studio Club, Chicago Studio Club photos, Chicagostudioclub livemusic, Chicagostudioclub livemusic photos, Illinois, Jazz, Jazz Showcase, live music photos, Music, Music news, photos, piano

Vijay Tellis-Nayak

Vijay’s began playing piano at the age of five. His musical acclaim began early, winning local piano competitions. Starting at ten years old, he won the Eastern Illinois University Young Composers Contest three years in a row, garnering national attention for his orchestral compositions. He continued studying music and began performing professionally in high school on piano and guitar. He attended Northwestern University on scholarship from the Oak Park Arts Alliance and received a bachelors degree in Music Technology in 1997. During that time, he studied recording arts as well as jazz and classical piano, composition, music theory and communication studies. In 1999 Vijay received his masters degree from Northwestern University’s Communication Studies department. During undergraduate studies, Vijay began performing with Chris Clemente and Chris Siebold in what would become "Kick the Cat".

In addition to currently being a member of Kick the Cat, Ernie Denov’s "Bad Dog U", Nicholas Barron Hyperactive, Band of Joes, Frank Catalano Group, and Louis Stockwell Organ Quartet, Vijay has performed with Fareed Haque Group, Orbert Davis, Bill Quateman, Street Dancer, Luis Ewerling’s Acor do Brasil, the national tours of The Lion King and Wicked, Sumo, Kalyan Pathak’s Jayho Jazzmata, Tributosaurus, Brother Brother, Mike Ferro’s Townsound, Funk House, Ross Bon and too many others to name.

In addition to performing, Vijay also is one of the owners of the celebrated Chicago recording studio Curried Bagel Recording.

These photos of Vijay Tellis Nayak were taken by and are property of Chicago Studio Club. They were taken at a July 2010 performance featuring the Band of Joe’s, at Jazz Showcase. Click on pix for MORE about Vijay Tellis-Nayak!