Yasheen Modi

In the early 1830s, Polish composer Frédéric Chopin wrote the Revolutionary Etude, one of his most difficult pieces that symbolized Poland’s fierce resistance to Russian rule. Hearing this piece ignited my journey as a pianist.

Three years later, at age 12, I entered my first national music competition, progressing to the final round. My fingers slipped during my performance of the etude – the silence was deafening. I didn’t win.

A year later, however, I re-entered that same competition, made it to the final again, and made no mistakes. I played like I’d never played before, and I won.

As a pianist I can recreate any melody by ear within minutes, and blend songs seamlessly. I’ve performed and composed music from classical pieces (sharing the stage with the Cape Town Philharmonic orchestra) to jazz (winning Battle of the Bands), film (earning best original score for the 48-hour film festival), hip hop (producing an album with a long-time friend and local rapper) and live scores (performing for The Universe On Stage). I also finished high school as one of South Africa’s top students, graduated summa cum laude from Wits University and qualified as an actuary.

I see music as the purest and simplest form of expression. With my background and performance experience of over 25 years, I believe I can give any occasion the distinction and emotion that it deserves.

You don’t become a Sanlam Best Young Pianist award winner at 12 by being ordinary. Yash skillfully evokes emotion through both musical covers and original compositions. As a speaker and co-director of the Universe on Stage, I’ve seen him craft scores effortlessly, matching the grandeur of our performance. Yash is versatile, precise and a joy to collaborate with – an auditory storyteller and craftsman of emotion.

Luca Pontiggia, Data Scientist at Discovery and Founder of The Universe On Stage

Yash was the lead musician at our wedding - tremendously gifted individual, that brings professionalism, passion and brilliance into his work. He adapted his style to suit our preferences and created an unforgettable, blended and emotion-rife wedding entrance for both the bride and groom. He managed to mix our favourite songs, across genres,

at the perfect times in all the sets he played. He has numerous accolades behind his name and was able to play a range of other traditional instruments to support us in creating the right ambience at the right time. A truly gifted individual, who has an incredible ability to tailor music to lift the ambience of any occasion. He is a pleasure to work with and I would strongly recommend him that you consider working with him.

Yashtil Moodley, Chief Product Officer, Discovery Health

Having Yasheen Modi perform at our wedding was an absolute delight. His exquisite talent added elegance and charm to the evening. From classical pieces to modern melodies, his music set the perfect ambiance for our dinner service. We couldn’t have asked a more talented and professional musician to play for us on such a momentous occasion.

Niraj Rijhumal, Investment Manager, Old Mutual