Sophie's Spotlight: Bridie

Sophie loves shining a spotlight on amazing kids with hearing loss around the world. Bridie’s mom wanted to share her story with us. To shine a spotlight on someone you know, write to us at info@hearingourway.com!

Bridie (an Irish nickname for Bridget), is a 12-year-old with hearing aids from Richmond, Virginia. When Bridie was six, she begged Santa for a violin for Christmas. After three years of lessons, she discovered Irish fiddling, a fun twist on violin that honors her heritage.

Bridie practices six hours each week, competes in Irish Fiddle competitions, and plays violin with the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra. Bridie feels no different than any other kid trying to learn an instrument. She enjoys meeting other kids with hearing loss and even visited Virginia Commonwealth University’s T.A.L.K. program to introduce younger children to the violin.

Playing live competitions can be challenging. Bridie once made a mistake in a competition and had to start from the beginning. She learned that anything can happen during a live performance, and you have to be prepared. Bridie’s mom says, “Bridget doesn’t come from a musical family. In fact, no one in our family can play or read music. Violin is among the most difficult instruments for someone with hearing loss to work with, and yet she is drawn to it.”

Awesome, Bridie!

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