From the Projects to Carnegie Hall! Local Violinist Makes it Big

He’s only 19 years old, but Rasheik Trammell has already gained notoriety as an up and coming violinist who got much of his inspiration right in Fort Greene.

Trammell, now studying at Brandeis University on a scholarship, has already performed at Carnegie Hall after serving as the concert master of the local Noel Pointer Foundation School of Music.

But long before Trammell hopped on the fast track to success, he was living in the Walt Whitman Projects and learning to love music simply by exploring the neighborhood.

“Right in the center of the community, embedded in the ground, is a gorgeous park,” said Trammell. “There were, and often still are, programs that happened in the park which brought in musicians, dancers, and other various acts. Sometimes a resident, inspired by beautiful weather, would come out and give an impromptu performance.”

Inspired by the sights and sounds right outside his door, Trammell developed himself into a stellar violinist.

An internship at MoCADA gave him a thorough lesson in the arts and the African Diaspora, further enriching his craft.

But Trammell hasn’t forgotten his roots, and still regularly returns to the neighborhood to teach other kids about the violin.

“Fort Greene is home,” Trammell said in between classes at Brandeis University. “It gave me a diverse community from which to learn, but also an inspiration to reach for greater heights than the projects.”