Arteaga then used that money to purchase a cheap violin, and the cafe owner helped pay half.
His parents, however, forbade him from playing the violin and impressed upon him the importance of religion.
At age 15, Arteaga decided to leave home and practice his music on the streets.
From then on, my music school has always been outside, hesaid.
Arteaga continued to perform through the toughest times in Venezuela.
The national guard shot him with rubber bullets, threw tear gas at him, and destroyed his violin.
Once he got out, he left the country for New York City.
Moving to Manhattan was intimidating at first.
One of his favorite places to perform in the city is Times Square.
There, its as if Im playing Madison Square Garden.
People scream and applaud and dance like theyre at a concert.
They make me feel like a star, heexplained.
Now, the video is recirculating onRedditwith high praiseand some raised eyebrows.
Reddit users quickly pointed this out, and some are even questioning if Arteaga is playing the violin.
Whether Arteaga is playing in the video or not, his talent is indisputable.
His talent is undeniable.
Here, day by day, I am learning its true meaning, he says.
