A rare few of us have never had trouble meeting new people or standing in front of an audience. Most people can relate to being a little bashful at times, especially as a kid. Some of us come out of our shell as school and then work force us to interact with others, give presentations, and generally become comfortable with naturally uncomfortable situations. As we begin to learn an instrument and play music though, it’s back to being bashful. We lack confidence, fear what others will think of our abilities, and are terrified at the idea of performing in front of a crowd.
Somehow, it seems to work otherwise for kids. As they learn to play, performing seems more natural for them than it does for adults, even if they possess a naturally shy personality. Hence the story of Sophie Lyle, a young bluegrass musician.
A naturally shy young lady, Sophie’s mother worried about how to draw Sophie out of her shell and get her to interact with others. Bluegrass music proved to be the cure. At age 7 (she’s now 11) Sophie was given a mandolin and she fell in love with the sound of bluegrass music. Since then she has developed a passion for sharing that music with others. She’s spoken about the music, and performed publicly a number of times, winning a Communicator Award from her middle school, and participating in community theatre productions in Chattanooga, TN.
Times Free Press has the full story. It’s a feel good bluegrass story for the holidays.
