Restrung: A Memoir of Music and Transformation

For years, Vijay Gupta lived in the world of major orchestras and international stages. But the work that reshaped him — and eventually reshaped Street Symphony — began in the shelters, clinics, and community rooms of Skid Row and inside L.A. County jails. That is where he learned the power of listening, and where he saw up close the way music can be a lifeline for people carrying more than the world usually notices.

Restrung tells that story from the inside. It follows Vijay through burnout and collapse, and into the work that rebuilt his life: showing up week after week with musicians and neighbors who taught him what it means to listen with care. It is a book about finding purpose in community, and about how music can hold people together when everything else falls apart.

All proceeds from the first year support Street Symphony programs, helping us continue the work that inspired this memoir and strengthening our commitment to human connection through music.