Jessika Valentim de Albuquerque

My story with music started a couple of years ago before I decided to play the violin. The very first time I noticed how music was incredible and it could change people's lives was when in
Elementary School I had a school outing and my friends, and I went to a symphony performance. The musicians were playing “Beethoven symphony no 1”. My seat was next to the violin session, and it contributed to making that moment so special. In February of this year (2022) I was selected to join the Honor Society silver member, making the possibility of earning an excellent scholarship possible. I’ve been paying per semester over 7,000 and because of that amount I've been working sometimes as a nanny to help me with my budget but because of that, I feel that I’m not enjoying all the opportunities school has to me because of this fact. I’m from Brazil and I’ve been asking my family for help but the money in Brazil is too low compared to the United States. One "real" (name of the Brazilian money) is compared as 20 cents and because of it the possibility of my family sending money for me gets harder and harder according to the increase of the dollar. I came to the United States in 2019 to participate in an English program called “Au Pair”. Through this program I could meet Dr. Yon (currently Associate Professor of Violin and Chair of the String Division at the University of Houston). Dr. Yon has been an incredible violin teacher and mentor for me.
Because I dreamed of Studying abroad, I had to leave my whole family to pursue my career as a violinist. I’ve been living in the United States for over three years and having a scholarship that
can contribute to this dream become even more realistic is a blessing for me, especially now.
As a violinist and performer, I had many opportunities throughout my journey such as in the year of 2009 when at my fifteen years old being the Concertmaster at Orquestra Sinfonica Santa Marcelina (Youth Symphony Orquestra) for three years where I had the opportunity to be conducted by George Stelutto (conductor from The Julliard School Symphony Orquestra) in New York. In 2011, I started being accepted to participate as a performer in international festivals including masterclasses with great musicians such as Francesca dePasquale, (member of the violin faculty at Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts), Davi Graton (Concertmaster of Sao Paulo Symphony Orquestra, OSESP), Anastasia Petrunina (Concertmaster of The Augusta Symphony),

Tomas Joiner (Professor at The University of Georgia School of Music).
Before coming to Houston, I worked at the Symphony Orchestra of Guarulhos for four years, holding the second violin position. The consideration of this scholarship is extremely relevant to
me because it will help me in a way that I can’t describe, contributing to pursuing my career being able to work hard on what I love, music. Thank you, Honor Society, for coming into my
life, making this dream possible.