Some loose string and an empty tissue box.
That’s all it took to ignite Daisy Jopling’s career as an internationally acclaimed classical rock violinist.
As a young child, the London-born, Peekskill-based musician received her first makeshift “violin” — assembled from the aforementioned materials — from her aunt, who was a professional violinist herself. By the age of 14, Jopling performed her first solo concerto at the Royal Albert Hall in London, and years later, she played for an audience of 30,000 at the opening of The Wiener Festwochen (Vienna Festival) in Austria.
In the meantime, she has performed with world-renowned musicians such as guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel, singer-dancer Omara Portuondo, singer Boris Grebenshchikov and singer-musician Shubha Mudgal, at major venues, including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York City, the Wiener Musikverein and Salzburger Festspiele in Austria and the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland.
When not traveling, she can be seen performing at Peekskill’s Paramount Hudson Valley Theater with The Daisy Jopling Band. Since 2010, the four-member group has drawn audiences with its eclectic sound that blends classical, pop, reggae, Irish folk and gypsy violin and rock styles.
But Jopling isn’t only a musician. She’s also a performer. As her enthusiastic, bubbly personality takes center stage at her concerts, her passion for song is apparent.
With violin in hand, she moves audiences by offering a harmonious escape from the everyday world, she says.
This not only provides a soulful experience for audience members, but a feeling of freedom for Jopling, who cleanses her mind before every show by dismissing all distractions.
With a love so strong, she is compelled to share the beauty of music with others and as a lifelong performer, she’s always believed that music could profoundly impact a child’s life. After moving to New York, Jopling longed to provide musical opportunities to children living in the Hudson Valley.
This vision became reality with The Daisy Jopling Foundation, a nonprofit that provides children living in the region with the chance to study, play and perform music. One of her foundation’s initiatives is the Ovation! Music Project, which offers tuition-free classes and local music programs to help foster creativity, critical thinking and self-expression.
She also includes children from area high schools and organizations in many of her shows. Her past performances at the Paramount featured members of the Westchester Youth Choirs, the Hendrick Hudson High School all girls choral group, the Treble Makers, and Dance Expression of Westchester, in addition to young soloists.
It’s evident the musician-philanthropist finds inspiration in the ability to impact others through sound and song.
For more about Jopling, visit daisyjopling.com. For more about The Daisy Jopling Band, visit daisyjoplingband.com. For more about the Daisy Jopling Foundation, visit daisyjoplingfoundation.org.
