11-yr-old Violin Virtuoso Hopes to Increase Diversity in Classical Music

By: Issuewire

Sanford, Mar 20, 2019 (Issuewire.com) - Leah Flynn is a violin soloist, whose talent was discovered by her father Lennox when she was three years old. Lennox a self-taught musician, noticed Leah's natural ability to play simple melodies on the keyboard when she was 3 years old. At age 5, Leah found her true passion to be the violin. Leah is now 11 years old and has been playing for six years. She has developed an impressive resume, with four performances with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra,https://www.youtube.com/watch/?v=uORmBCJFgw The White House, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Congresswoman Val Demings and the City of Orlando's Mayor Demings. Leah's "Let it Go" video on Youtube has 2.2 million views. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC5eMgePakk

Leah reads music and she also plays by ear. Leah is what many call a music prodigy. https://www.wesh.com/article/local-girl-is-violin-prodigy/26408310

Leah's mentor and coach is her dad Lennox. Lennox who became disabled after having a stroke when his wife Paula was three months pregnant with Leah, discovered his true passion and purpose in his daughter's amazing ability and musical gift. Leah practices daily her many music styles for 2-3 hours with dad Lennox. Leah is gifted and authentic, performing on stages with no performance anxiety or discomfort. These audiences are not expecting a child of her age to play the violin with such expertise, and they are not expecting a child who looks like her.

In recent years, due to budget restrictions, music theory has been removed from schools across the country. Most children in underserved communities with a natural interest in music do not have access to basic instruction or a nearby program where they can study a musical instrument. Leah's parents, Lennox and Paula Flynn have launched the organization Heart for Strings Foundation, a 501(c)(3) to be a source of information and resource in the underserved community.

In an NBC report, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lack-diversity-top-orchestras-remains-major-challenge classical musicians are auditioning with blind auditions, which has not changed much for African-Americans. Presently, there are no mainstream concert violinists of color. Jazz icon Nina Simone once admitted to having being denied access to a career in classical music.

Through the Heart for Strings Foundation, Flynn's' are working to raise awareness of the lack of diversity and inclusion in classical music. Leah herself serves as an advocate every time she places her violin to her chin. The Flynns' remain encouraged that the time is now for diversity and inclusion in classical music.

Media Contact

Heart for Strings

info@heartforstrings.org

4078831298

5217 Forest Edge Court

http://heartforstrings.com

Source :Heart for Strings

PDF Version : issuewire.com/pdf/2019/03/11-yr-old-violin-virtuoso-hopes-to-increase-diversity-in-classical-music-IssueWire.pdf

Data & News supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Stock quotes supplied by Barchart
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.