Vishnu R is an award-winning performer, composer and multi-instrumentalist based in Bengaluru, India. Blending his roots of Indian Classical Carnatic music with Western classical and Jazz, Vishnu has created an original voice on the instrument he invented “NAVTAR®️”, a unique 9-string instrument that combines distinct fretted, fretless and 12 harp elements into one. Vishnu delivers steady new music that continues to push boundaries combining technical brilliance, magical rhythms, mellifluous melodies, and out-of-the-box improvisations, gaining him international acclaim, with over 600+ performances and workshops across India, USA, and Europe.

In his latest USA 2024 tour, performance for the President of the Oscar’s Academy Awards, Ms. Janet Yang, educational talks to music students in Northwestern University and CalArts University, Swadesh Symphony sold out shows (endorsed by Indian music legend Mr. Shankar Mahadevan) deserve special mention.

He is a Fellow of the US Govt Bureau of Education and Cultural affairs “OneBeat” program and has served as a Mentor of the British Council India-UK Exchange program. His works “Moksha” and “SiMchezo” were declared winner in the Swiss-based Beyond Music International Project Year 2023 and Year 2024 respectively. While ‘Moksha’ was produced by 5-time GRAMMY award winner Snarky Puppy, ‘SiMchezo’ will soon be produced by 5-time GRAMMY winner Angelique Kidjo.

The magical ‘NAVTAR’ sound adorned Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Center (NMACC, Mumbai) in the opening ceremony and Vishnu was invited to perform twice at NMACC.

Vishnu has collaborated with Indian Classical Legends like Padma Vibhushan Sangeetha Kalanidhi Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman, Padmashri A Kanyakumari and well-known
musicians like Vijay Prakash, P Unnikrishnan, BC Manjunath, Ghatam Giridhar Udupa
among others.