Mark Dawes, senior staff reporter 
IT IS Sunday February 19, 2005. The congregation at Grace Missionary Church in Kingston listens as 11-year-old Nadjé Leslie, accompanied by her father, Michael, on keyboards, gracefully plays her violin. With a rhythmic sway and a smile, Nadjé oozes confidence as she plays a medley of popular gospel arias, thereby transporting her audience to another dimension in worship. Re-sounding applause greets her at the end. The congregation knew they had received something special and they look forward to many more such treats.
Nadjé has been hitting all the right notes lately. She won four gold medals and a plaque at the World Championship of the Performing Arts which was held last year, August 6-15, in Burbank, California where representatives from about 50 countries competed in this eight-year-old contest. Specifically, she won two medals for dance, and two for instrumental music performance. The plaque was for overall best performance in her age category.
For the music segment of the competition, Nadjé entered the instrumental category for the 11-12 age group. Her dad, Michael Leslie, who travelled with her to the contest, pointed out that there was a wide range of musical genres to choose from including ethnic-folk, classical and contemporary music. He explained: "We thought, coming from Jamaica, it was best for her to go in the ethnic-folk category; she would be doing stuff that is us (Jamaican). So in the end, it paid off."
Nadjé competed against eight other individuals before emerging champion
instrumentalist for her age group. She played two pieces which were arranged by Paulette Bellamy - Have a little talk with Jesus, and Jamaica Medley - which as the name suggests was a medley of popular Jamaican folk songs. Dennis Rushton created the sound track for Have a Little Talk with Jesus while John Williams did similar work for Jamaican Medley.
Her dance medals came about as part of the group ESOR - a choreography ensemble comprised of students of Mona Prep School where Nadjé attended until her enrolment last September at Wolmer's High School for Girls. ESOR performed a pop dance and then a folk dance.
One peculiarity of this championship (also called the Olympics of the Performing Arts), is that all competitors are given just 90 seconds to perform - irrespective of whether they are in dance, music or drama. Even after a winner is declared - that person is called back and given 90 seconds to perform.
Mr. Leslie, who is the Director of Worship and Music at Grace Missionary Church in Kingston and a keyboard player with the popular gospel band, Birthright - explained that the 90 seconds time-frame is in part a response to the numerous entrants in the competition. He recounted one of the judges who explained that they (the judges) did this kind of adjudication everyday and thus they knew within the first five seconds of a performance whether a contestant 'has it or not'.
It was this kind of judging in 2003 that unveiled the singing talents of the sisters Ana and Samantha Strachan - both of whom earned eight gold medals and were the toast of that year's competition. Both Ana and Samantha are like Nadjé members, of Grace Missionary Church. Nadjé acknowledges that the success of these sisters has served as an inspiration to her.
Mr. Leslie reported: "Some of the judges said that what they liked about Najdé was the spirit that she brought to bear on her music."
Marjorie Scott Anderson, the local representative for the championship, said Nadjé "was gentle, but very dynamic on stage. I think that is in her personally... She stood out as a performer on the instruments and did us proud.... Nadjé could go places with that (playing the violin). When she started her piece, Jamaicans got to their feet and then the whole audience got into an uproar. The Jamaican Medley was full of energy and full of life... She was really dynamic."
Was she nervous doing her violin routine? "Not really," said Nadjé with a sparkle in her eye that seems to underscore her confidence as she and her family spoke with Outlook at their Barbican Terrace home, in Kingston 6.
Mr. Leslie explained that the decision to allow Nadjé to enter the championship "was primarily for her character development. We just thought it was a good opportunity for her to develop as a person."
Mrs. Grace Leslie, her mom, intoned: "The discipline of the preparation for the competition and the opportunities to meet people and perform at different places in Jamaica and overseas will serve to ensure that she develops a rounded personality."
Nadjé began playing the violin as a seven-year-old studying first under Lisa Holness of Mona Prep where she was taught using the Suzuki Method. Other musical tutors have included Maria Lee, and Paulette Bellamy who arranges all of Nadjé music, gave special coaching for the championship.
Mrs. Bellamy, who continues to be Nadjé's music teacher, described her young charge as "a talented and responsive individual with a special flare for the violin. Since I've been working with her, she has risen to the many challenges and I've been extremely satisfied with her achievements. She enjoys performing and I'm working on expanding
her repertoire in preparation for any opportunity which may occur. We both
look forward to the sessions. She will go very far especially with the inspiration and encouragement from her parents.
Apart from regular musical renditions at her church, the young violinist has been in demand to perform at a number of civic and corporate functions in Kingston. Nadjé does not know exactly what she wants to do career wise. But that is not strange for someone of tender years who is in grade seven.
The Leslies expressed gratitude to the many persons who assisted financially and otherwise to ensure that Nadjé got a chance to shine at the championship.
Arising from her success in California, her parents are studying expressions of interest from the United States show business talent scouts. Mrs. Leslie, senior social development officer based at the a National Housing Trust, said despite the scouts, the family is content to "wait on the Lord in order to be sure that they are in His will. We are careful because we do not want to be out of His purpose."
