Ocho Rios Jazz Artist - Lila

Lila (LEE-LAH), the essence of love, good, creativity, strength, and imagination. Lila is a seasoned, professional multi-instrumentalist whose dedication to her craft is shown through her musical expression, compositions, and enthusiastic performances. Her primary instrument is the violin and her mastery of the instrument’s intricacies gives her the innate ability to touch the heart, soul, and spirit of her listeners. Lila is.

While at Georgetown University, Lila was selected out of a nationwide audition to participate in the New York String Seminar Orchestra, where she had the opportunity to be mentored by Maestro Emeritus Alexander Schneider and Maestro Isaac Stern. Through consortium, she went on to become a founding member of The Howard University String Quartet, and a student at The Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University. After participating in classical performances at Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center, Lila felt a strong desire to explore the musical genre of jazz and became enthralled with incorporating violin and other orchestral instruments into this endless sea of creativity that is given to us all through jazz.

In the last year, Lila has performed in numerous venues locally and nationally including The Memphis Italian Festival, The NeoSoulville website launch party, and Fire and Ice Jazz Club. In September of 2007, Lila opened the Congressional Black Caucus’ Jazz Forum and Concert with her rendition of “The National Anthem” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing”, and she was the featured entertainment for the VIP Reception at The Congressional Black Caucus’ Annual Legislative Conference. In October of 2007, this outstanding band also opened for and backed up The Drifters at a show in Missouri. Locally, you can hear Lila and her soulful jazz ensemble at Café Soul Jazz Club, www.cafesoulrestaurant.com, in Memphis, TN on the third (3rd) Friday of every month. Additional performances are listed as booked via Lila’s website, www.musicbylila.com .

Currently, Lila is an Orchestra Instructor at a local middle school in Memphis, TN, where she has designed a youth, jazz and hip-hop orchestra. She also manages her own private studio in which she teaches Suzuki violin and piano. In June of 2008, Lila will be a featured artist at The Jamaica Ocho Rios International Jazz Festival, where this year’s theme is “Women in Jazz”. Lila has agreed not only to perform, but also to conduct workshops throughout the festival week at The Alpha Boys Orphanage, which will be the festival community’s fundraising focus this year.