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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, March 5, 2010 · 26 26 Artscene · FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 2010 Hearing is believing with violin virtuoso By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF I t's obvious that age is definitely not a barrier for 12-year-old violinist Leslie Ashworth. The young Oakville resident will perform as a soloist with Symphony Hamilton in a concert Sunday, March 7. Ashworth will be one of two youths to solo at The Magnificent Seven concert. She was selected last June in the Symphony Hamilton Young Artists competition. Also selected was Hamilton's Slavko Popovic, 15, who plays the clarinet. "Both my wife and I (Allison) are proud and excited," said Leslie's father, Stephen. Leslie will play the first movement of Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto. Popovic will play Carl Maria von Weber's Concertino for Clarinet. "They bring a freshness," said the symphony's music director James McKay. "I've conducted the Mendelssohn concerto and the Weber concertino many times with professional players, but the young kids always bring a freshness that always amazes me. They've got their own brand new ideas and they bring energy." Of the performance of his two young stars he said, "People should be prepared to be dazzled. The virtuosity of these two young kids is quite amazing. They are both exceedingly self-assured and they are both well prepared for the concert." Taking its title from some of the pieces it will include, the concert will feature the likes of American film-score composer Elmer Bernstein's theme to the film The Magnificent Seven and Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 7. Each of the youths' pieces is approximately 15 minutes long while the symphony will perform on its own in the second half of the concert. McKay said featuring youths in the concert LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER VIRTUALLY DAZZLING: Oakville's Leslie Ashworth will be performing with Symphony Hamilton at the Royal Botanical Gardens Sunday, March 7. provides a service to the community and to youths. "It gives a chance to feature some of the young, upcoming talent that the area has. We do it to encourage young kids to study classical music," he said. Leslie is no stranger to performing. She has been playing the violin since the age of four and at age five, she took first place at a children's talent show for her music talents. Since then, music has led her to public performances, music scholarships, awards and a CD. The CD, Precious Musical Moments, is a compilation of well-known classical tunes and half of its sale proceeds go to Free the Children. It's available at www.leslieashworth.com. "Neither of us are musicians," Stephen said of his daughter's influence, referring to himself and his wife. "I think at the end of the day, it's just a gift that Leslie has and she has the love and the passion. You have to have the technical ability, which she works very hard on, but she just has the passion." Leslie is home-schooled by her mother, a former teacher, in an effort to ease Leslie's busy schedule. She practices the violin four to five hours a day, she is a scholarship student at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and she also takes jazz piano and ballet lessons. The piano lessons were the idea of her uncle, Stephen's brother, who is a professional jazz musician in England. "She's a child that takes pleasure in many different types of music," Stephen said. She also composes music. "We avoid using the word `prodigy' because that really is for the audience to decide. I think one thing that is important is that she's an inspiration for other children and adults as well," Stephen said. "Of course I have a bias, but I truly believe she has a tone quality that is enjoyable to listen to. If you close your eyes, would you know it's a 12 to 13 year old or would you enjoy the piece for the artist merit? I truly believe it will be the latter." Leslie's younger sister, Kirsten, 9, is a cello player. The concert takes place at the Royal Botanical Gardens, 680 Plains Rd. W. in Burlington, at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $25 for adults, $12 for students and seniors, and $5 for children under 12. For more information on the concert, visit www.symphonyhamilton.ca. Oakville Health & Wellness Club For Boomers Grand Opening Weekend Saturday, March 6 and Sunday, March 7, 10 am until 7 pm Come out and enjoy tours, demonstrations, prize draws, gourmet food (Saturday), healthy cooking demonstrations with Chef Michael Killip from the Twisted Fork (Saturday), and much more! 3517 Wyecroft Road (RIOCAN Centre Burloak), Oakville, Ontario 905-827-1112 www.upwardlymobilehealth.com