Aarushi Kumar, flute

Meet Aarushi

Aarushi performs on Show 448.

Aarushi Kumar (flute), 17, started playing flute when she was eight years old and has been in numerous ensembles during her nine years of playing. She in the Vanderbilt Blair School of Music’s most advanced orchestra, the Curb Youth Symphony, in which she plays principal flute under the direction of Associate Conductor of the Nashville Symphony Nathan Aspinall. Aarushi has made the Tennessee Mid-State band consecutively since the seventh grade and the All-State band throughout high school, sitting principal twice and second chair three times.

Aarushi attended the Interlochen Arts Academy summer program in 2023 as well as the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles National (YOLA National) under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel, conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, in which she also sat in the principal chair. Aarushi has been an active musician in the Nashville Symphony Accelerando program since 2021 and receives her direction and private lessons under the Nashville Symphony’s Assistant Principal Flutist Leslie Fagan.

Because of the Accelerando program, Aarushi has been fortunate enough to play alongside the Chicago Symphony and Cincinnati Symphony musicians at the National Pathways Festival, an annual festival run by Equity Arc. She will finish her years as a musician in the National Pathways Festival with their 2024 festival with the Nashville Symphony sitting principal chair.

In the future, Aarushi hopes to pursue a career in freelancing as a woodwind doubler in musicals, a substitute musician in reputable orchestras, and playing music at gigs all while pursuing her interest in neuroscience research as a day job. Music has influenced Aarushi to become her best self, and she wishes that her journey in musicianship will be never-ending and will cultivate herself to be the best she can be both musically and personally.