Dr. Maya Shankar

And yeah, I realized that, you know, my dreams were crushed and I could no longer pursue this path.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

So, you know, my parents had no connections within the musical sphere.

So, you know, my parents had no connections within the musical sphere.

So my dad is a theoretical physics professor.

So my dad is a theoretical physics professor.

My mom helps immigrants get green cards to study in this country.

My mom helps immigrants get green cards to study in this country.

And they knew that I had these big dreams as a kid, but they weren't really sure how to connect the dots and how to make my Juilliard dreams come true.

And they knew that I had these big dreams as a kid, but they weren't really sure how to connect the dots and how to make my Juilliard dreams come true.

So one day my mom and I were in New York.

So one day my mom and I were in New York.

This was, yeah, this was when I was nine.

This was, yeah, this was when I was nine.

And we just were, we had a mother-daughter trip and I happened to have my violin with me.

And we just were, we had a mother-daughter trip and I happened to have my violin with me.

And we walked by the Juilliard School's building and she said, hey, Maya, why don't we just go in?

And we walked by the Juilliard School's building and she said, hey, Maya, why don't we just go in?

Like, what's the worst thing that could happen?