Musician Damien Escobar is making waves with his unconventional approach to playing the violin.
His hip-hop style seamlessly combines his New York upbringing and Puerto Rican heritage with his classical training.
The hip-hop violinist stopped by the WJCT studios last week during his tour stop in Jacksonville.
Damien Escobar first touched the violin at age six. By eight he had begun a journey that led him to play on a tour with Oprah Winfrey before headlining his own sold-out concerts.
“I was classically trained, but the style of my instrument came from my culture. You know growing up in New York City in South Jamaica Queens where hip-hop is prevalent and being a young kid going to Julliard on the weekends, classical was kind of prevalent,” he said.
Escobar said he hopes his success helps dispel conventional wisdom that the violin is a single-purpose instrument.
“It’s a stereotype that I think, not only me, but a lot of crossover violinists are trying to break: that this instrument can only be associated with classical music,” he said.
The 30-year-old child prodigy, graduated from Juilliard at the age of 13, and in 2008, gained national attention, placing third on the television show “America’s Got Talent.”
Escobar said he hopes his success serves as an example for kids of all backgrounds.
“The key thing is being innovative. You know, not following the leader. If there’s something that you like, that you believe in, do it,” he said.
Escobar said he’ll be back in Florida for another tour in May.
Listen to the full version of this interview and an in-studio performance by Damien Escobar. The interview will also air on Indie Endeavor on 89.9 WJCT-FM at 11 p.m.
Listen to the entire interview
Reporter Ryan Benk can be reached at rbenk@wjct.org, at (904) 358 6319 or on Twitter @RyanMichaelBenk.