Spotlight on the Arts

by The Paradise Center

Lyla Mortenson – Home School – November 2024

Interviewed by Jo Carpenter

"Spotlight on the Arts" by The Paradise Center honors and encourages students in the arts by highlighting their talent and acknowledging the support they receive from a variety of people.

Lyla Mortenson is a 16-year-old home school student in 10th grade. She has been playing her violin for 8 years and takes weekly lessons from a teacher in Missoula. Seeing a friend playing her violin years ago was what got Lyla interested in that instrument. She likes stringed instruments and has dabbled in piano and guitar, but violin is her first love.

Lyla's first violin was a 3/4th sized one, but she has now advanced to a full sized violin. She focuses on classical violin pieces although she will play a little fiddle music now and then. Lyla's favorite piece of music to play is called, "A Postcard to Henry Purcell", a song from the 2005 movie "Pride & Prejudice". I listened to this song on YouTube, and it is lovely!

Lyla is the second oldest of six children. Besides playing the violin she likes to read all kinds of books, both fiction and nonfiction. Lyla also likes to bake bread, even croissants.

Some advice that Lyla would like to share with other kids interested in playing the violin is to stick it out in the beginning and it will all be worth it later. Someday she would love to be a violin teacher. With her dedication to her instrument, I have no doubt she will be very successful at that.

"Spotlight on the Arts" by The Paradise Center honors and encourages students in the arts by highlighting their talent and acknowledging the support they receive through their schools and teachers.