Young violinist takes patients on musical journey

Clarissa Bevilacqua performs for patients at UI Children’s Hospital.
Photo: Roberta Dupuis-Devlin (click on image for larger file size)

With her 200-year-old violin tucked under her chin, Clarissa Bevilacqua — a kid herself — played for pediatric patients and their parents at the UI Hospital.

As part of her project, “A Musical Journey Together,” Bevilacqua, 11, performs for children who are unable to leave the hospital, taking them on a “virtual journey across the ocean” with her music.

Bevilacqua finds time to share her gift with others even though she practices four to six hours a day.

“I like to donate my time to those who can’t leave the hospital,” she said.

Standing confidently in front of her audience in the pediatric unit May 30, she played everything from Bach to one of her favorite violinists, Paganini, giving a brief synopsis about each song and its composer.

“I think music is an international language,” she said. “And I like to speak it.”

Bevilacqua has been perfecting her violin skills since she was five. She performed as a soloist at the 2011 Chicago Inauguration Ceremony in Millennium Park and the 2012 NATO Summit.