THE inspirational Inner Vision Orchestra will be one of the first acts to play in the revamped Salisbury Arts Centre next Friday and we had a chance to catch up with the man behind the band, Baluji Shrivastav.

All of the members of the group are blind or partially-sighted and it features music from across the globe with songs from Iran, Lebanon, Afghanistan, India and Nigeria, as well as soulful Gospel and Blues through to Indian Ragas and Western Classical compositions.

Shrivastav, 55, is affectionately referred to as ‘Sitarist to the Stars’ after recording with Massive Attack, Madness, Doves, Stevie Wonder and Chris Martin at the Paralympic Games closing ceremony.

He said: “I got in touch with some blind people about forming a band and with London being a cosmopolitan area it was a very popular idea. We had about 15 blind people who wanted to play with us.”

One of the band members is 95-year-old Peggy, who only started playing when she was the ripe old age of 93.

“She had never played music in all of her life,” Shrivastav continued.

“When she came to me I said ‘Don’t worry Peggy, music is as easy as breathing’.

“If you don’t know how to play my aim is to give you confidence because I think that everybody has the ability to play music.”

Shrivastav was born in India and became blind at eight months old and started singing at the age of one and a half before playing his first musical instrument at three.

“From an early age I learned that if you have the courage you can do it,” he added. He was taken to a special school for the blind at just six years old where he learned to play a number of musical instruments before beginning his musical career playing in tourist shops in Agra – home of the Taj Mahal.

Moving to the UK in 1981 he built on his musical career, becoming a teacher and finally performer on the big stage.

His biggest moment came at the London Paralympic Games, where he played at the closing ceremony with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.

“I played with four members of Inner Vision,” he said. “When I finished playing I heard the noise.

“I asked how many people are here, and when they said 85,000 I couldn’t believe it.”

The Inner Vision Orchestra perform on Friday, January 23 at 8pm. Tickets are £12 or £10 concessions, available from salisburyarts centre.co.uk or on 01722 321744.

Salisbury Arts Centre Loyalty Card holders earn double points on this event.