Leslie DeShazor shares valuable perspectives that educators, parents and anyone who mentors children and young adults will find inspiring and thought-provoking. We talked a lot about why kids quit playing music, why so many young adults today have trouble figuring out the direction of their life, and how the educational system can take away people’s innate creativity and confidence. Leslie DeShazor is a multi-style violist, violinist and composer based in Detroit. She teaches students both through the Sphinx Organization and the Detroit Symphony as well as privately. She was named one of thirty Professional Movers and Shakers in the Performing Arts by Musical America in 2019 and in 2022 she released her jazz and R&B album “Journey With Me” which features herself as soloist, bandleader, and composer.

Full transcript of my conversation with the engaging Veronica Thomas, a violinist, educator and General Director of the Preville Fine Arts Centre in Montreal. We talked about her unique and interesting childhood, and the wonderful and special work that the Preville Centre is doing, including their unique online offerings, the outreach they’ve been doing with remote Indigenous communities, and Veronica’s personal perspectives on her life in music. Included are links to the video, and podcast, with bonus episodes.