Kendall Isadore, M.A. ’19, discovered her love for music when she was just 8 years old. Playing the violin quickly became an avenue of self-expression and a path to self-discovery for the young girl.
As an adult, she became a strong believer in music’s power to inspire and provide solace during life's challenges and began to use her talent to teach. She is now part of the trio The String Queens and has been invited to play at events and venues that include President Joe Biden’s inauguration, Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center.
Isadore grew up in Houston. Whenever she visited her grandmother’s house, she couldn’t resist getting on the piano to play simple tunes and sing along. Her parents spotted her early talent and decided to enroll her in formal piano lessons, nurturing her gift and allowing her passion for music to flourish.
When Isadore entered the third grade, her family moved to Pensacola, Florida and at her new school she heard an orchestra perform live for the first time. The captivating sound of the violin instantly mesmerized her.
“The violin immediately called out to me,” she said. “ Even though it's a stringed instrument, an inanimate instrument, it sounded like a human voice to me. And I never knew anybody in my family who played a string instrument or anyone in my community or my church. So, I just wanted to try something new.”
Determined to master a new instrument, Isadore spent hours practicing on the violin, not knowing it would forever change her life. Her early lessons focused on classical music but it didn’t take long for her to begin exploring other genres.
“Traditionally, you’re always taught classical,” Isadore said. “But because of my culture, I grew up going to school with Janet Jackson and Whitney Houston on the radio. I wanted to play the music I liked. So, from the beginning, I was interested in playing non-classical music.”
Isadore longed to play the kind of music she loved, fueling her desire to break the boundaries of traditional violin repertoire. One Christmas morning, she opened a gift from her godfather that inspired her to do just that. It was a CD by jazz violinist Regina Carter, and the sounds inspired Isadore to play music that felt and sounded authentic to her identity as a musician.
She began living a dual life where during her music lessons, she would play classical music, and once she got home, she would turn on her favorite radio station and play along to the songs she heard.
While music was undoubtedly a big part of Isadore’s life, her parents encouraged her to pursue a career in another field.