I invented Stikato in order to improve the health & wellness of musicians. I've been playing violin since the age of 3, and there's nothing my violin teacher has ever said to me more than "DON'T SLOUCH."

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My traditional music stand was always too short for my height, and I often forgot my flimsy portable stand when traveling. I'd end up putting my sheet music on a low table or chair and practice hunched over. And then I'd still wonder why my back hurt afterwards!

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It's unfortunate that so many professional musicians spend thousands of dollars on chiropractors & medical treatment to manage their back-pain. With that in mind, I realized that practicing with proper posture wasn't just important to my personal well-being: it's critical for any serious musician who wants to play life-long.

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As a recognized violinist who has been lucky to spend several years as a member of the National Youth Orchestra of the USA, a not-for-profit entrepreneur who founded Carnegie Hall's NYO-U music education platform, and a designer at Stanford University who has invented prosthetic arms for string-instrument players, I realized that this was the perfect opportunity to create a solution that could really help other musicians. And after nearly two years of prototyping & testing, I'm so excited to share Stikato with you.

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Say hi to me!

Akshay Dinakar

team@akshaydinakar.com