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Parsi Times caught up with the talented and vivacious Leah to know more about her fabulous and inspiring achievement…
PT: How does it feel to have graduated from the prestigious SOI Music Academy is just 15? What kind of practice and dedication went into this success?
Leah: It is definitely strange and feels unreal to believe that I have played at the NCPA for seven years now! When you’re surrounded by loving and encouraging people like our teachers, the years just fly by! It’s still to settle in that I stuck through the process and kept at it and turned out good enough to perform solos at all our concerts. Through these seven years, I’ve put in a lot of hard work and time, and in the end it has all been worth it.
PT: Tell us about your teachers and the SOI experience.
Leah: Our teachers have basically become our family at this point. Our classes are fun – and full of jokes and smiles and all the teachers at the NCPA, whether they directly teach you or not, are most willing to help every student. Our orchestra rehearsals were super fun, no matter how long we have to sit in our chairs. The teachers make the SOI Music Academy a warm, comforting and loving home, where talent is nurtured with expertise and passion.
PT: What brought you to choosing the Violin as your musical instrument of choice?
Leah: Initially, when I was just four years old, I started off by learning to play the piano. It was only when I was six years of age, that I started learning the violin – our school was in a collaboration with the Suzuki Music School, which was teaching children how to play the violin. I connected with the violin the moment I picked up the instrument – I just knew it was for me. Then, two years later, when the NCPA Special Music Training Program was launched, I knew I could never give up playing the violin, no matter what. The violin is now an integral part of me and it motivates me to work hard and keep going through even the most tiring days.
PT: Who or what is your biggest motivation?
Leah: It is only in the last few years of playing have I really started to enjoy listening to Western Classical Music and being moved by it. I have two main motivators – one is the music itself. My teacher knows exactly what pieces fit my personality and I love every single one that she picks. Listening to the pieces motivate me to practice and work hard in order to be able to play them as well as the violinists who have performed them. After week of getting my notes wrong and messing up all the rhythm, when I FINALLY play the piece correctly, it fills me up and gives me immense happiness. It’s something else to know that the beautiful music I hear is coming from my instrument, and that I’m producing this sound that I so love! That is the most satisfying part of playing the violin for me.
My second and biggest motivation is my lovely violin teacher – Ms. Gulzara. She makes every single class fun and enjoyable for me (whether I have practiced or not)! She knows exactly what pieces suit my style of playing and she knows how to motivate me to practice harder. She is such an amazing player – I endeavor to, someday, play even half as well as she does! She is caring and treats me like her own child and I am so very grateful to her.
PT. What career do you wish to pursue in the future?
Leah: Honestly, I’m interested in so many things that I have no idea what career I will end up pursuing. I think it will be something related to the Arts, like photography, law, music or acting… but that’s just what I’m interested in for now. Who knows what I will want to do in ten years’ time! However, what remains certain is that music will always be a big part of my future.
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