1. Watching Melissa Portámento play the Violin, I remind myself why I wanted to learn this beautiful instrument as a child. I learn how her musical journey began. Well, it all started from a young age. I found a box of instruments, as my grandma used to be a musician, and found the Violin was the only instrument intact so started playing around with it. After a couple of weeks I pleaded my grand-parents to look for classes and fund for them. So at the age of 5 I took my first lesson, and by the time I was 10 I wanted to learn another instrument – and went for the Piano. Aged 11, I was lucky enough to be asked to join a music academy in London, where I played the Violin along with other students. There was a variety of ages, and a vast amount of instruments played here. But it was at the age of 15, unlike other teenagers, where my taste for classical music was formed. I needed music to escape; I was put into another world. I used to listen to and still listen to the likes of; Bach, Beethoven, Carlos, Haydn, Mozart, who have inspired me through their great concertos and symphonies.<br />How has your day-to-day life changed since you became a musician?Becoming a classical musician has changed my life dramatically. My life revolves around music. By this I mean, making appointments with people who have offered me the chance to perform and having enough time to practice, compose and record. A lot of my family members are musicians, so catch ups with them tend to be turned into a musicians gathering. It’s enjoyable because we play together and for me to have the support from family members keeps me motivated. I’m guessing this is far from an ordinary 27 year olds life. I mean don’t get me wrong, I do have a social life, where I visit my friends and have a catch up with them. But most of the time it’s just me, my music and my cat.<br />Who have been the influential figures in your life?My grand-parents. If it wasn’t for them generously paying for my music lessons, I may not be here being interviewed, but instead sitting and reading the magazine. I grew up as an ‘only child’ not knowing who my mother was and my grand-dad was my father figure.<br />How did you overcome the difficult life you mentioned, to be where you are today?When growing up I always wanted to know who my parents were, and why they’d left me to grow up with my grand-parents without them. As I grew older I guess it became harder and harder, and I had times in my life when I felt pretty low. However, listening to music gave me the escape, and when I started writing my own compositions my mind was taken off things. I guess having that close support from my extended family members kept me going through the tough times when I searched for my parents and when I lost both my grand-parents in the space of four years.<br />