Violinist Dawning Vajdi is a dynamic performer, researcher, and educator based in Indianapolis, Indiana. A graduate of the Jacobs School of Music, she earned her Master’s degree in violin performance under Grigory Kalinovsky and completed her undergraduate studies at Vanderbilt University, where she studied with Cornelia Heard and pursued minors in International Leadership and Development and Arabic. Dawning is co-founder and Artistic Director of Empowered Creatives, an arts empowerment nonprofit that harnesses music to nurture artistic expression and foster meaningful connection across diverse communities. A dedicated chamber musician, she performs regularly with the Sileo Quartet, Grand Prix winners of the Małopolska International Music Competition, with performances across the United States and abroad. When not onstage or leading a workshop, she is engaged in grassroots community-building efforts alongside her husband, Aarya, and their spirited two-year-old, Cyrus.