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Lots of us took music lessons as kids. Playing violin, piano. or trombone. But few of us who took music lessons played like this. This is the classical music of South India also called carnatic music. The violinist here was nine years old when it was recorded. Her name is Aishu Venkataraman. She's now 14 years old. She joins me in the studio.

MULLINS: Tell us about your beginnings.

AISHU: I started playing western classical, traditional Suzuki style music.

MULLINS: How old were you?

AISHU: I was 18 months. I picked up my first violin at that age. It was 1/16" size.

I was born in California. My grandmother played the violin, my dad plays the drums, and now I play the violin. I guess you could say instead of passing down a family heirloom we passed down the music from generation to generation. My grandmother started me off. Because of her I'm playing the violin today. Her teacher, when she was younger, is my teacher now.

His name is T.N. Krishnan and he's about 80 years old now. He flies to California, teaches me a few songs, tells me to practice, and flies back to India.

MULLINS: Tell me a story about your grandmother and how she wanted you to know about Indian classical music.

AISHU: My grandmother passed away two years ago. When she was diagnosed they said she only had a year to live. And during that time she wanted to teach me everything she could. I'm really thankful that she was able to show me so much while she was alive. And in a concert we always reserve a seat for my grandmother because she's somewhere in the room.