Acclaimed composer Jessie Montgomery is a trailblazer, and an inspiration to many – including the violinist in today’s video.
For today’s Daily Joy, 16-year-old violinist Ava Kenney is sharing a powerful performance of Montgomery’s “Rhapsody No. 2.”
Madison, WI Ava appeared on Show 403, which aired the week of October 4, 2021.
Ava Kenney (violin), 16, is a junior at Memorial High School in Madison, WI. She studies violin with Eugene Purdue and performs with the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras and Chamber Ensembles. Ava was the winner of Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s Stars of Tomorrow Competition in 2020 and will perform with the orchestra this season. She has also performed with the Madison Symphony as a youth concerto competition winner. Over the summers, Ava has attended the Heifetz International Music Festival PEG program, Center Stage Strings, and Bowdoin International Music Festival. Outside of violin, she loves traveling, composing music, and spending time with her family and two dogs, Jascha and Odin.
Music has the unique ability to bring joy to our lives – especially in the hands of young people. Daily Joy is a reminder of music’s power to uplift, inspire, and unite.
Daily Joy is a project of From the Top. It began in the very early days of the Covid-19 pandemic and continues today to offer a much-needed respite from the anxiety and worry that we encounter in the world.
From the Top is a non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating the stories and artistry of young musicians through media and leadership programs. Learn more.
From the Top is grateful to the Richard K. Lubin Family Foundation for their generous support of Daily Joy.
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Daily Joy is a program of From the Top, an independent non-profit organization that relies on support from individuals. Your support will help ensure From the Top's work of celebrating the joy, talents, and stories of extraordinary young musicians.