“All humans are musical. Why else would the Lord give you a beating heart?” American author Mitch Albom couldn’t be more correct when he wrote this line in his book, “The Magic Strings of Frankie Pesto.” It only shows that music will always play a crucial part in our lives no matter what genre.
However, some can hear the call of music at a very young age and there are only few who are able to answer. Axelle Mielle is one of those who answered the call at a very young age and continues to use her calling not only to inspire people but also as an avenue to share the joys of music.
Ever since Axelle could remember, music has always been a very present thing in her everyday life. Playing the violin since the tender age of four, she has been playing her heart away and, at the age of seven to eight, she was the youngest member of the Cebu Symphony Orchestra, which eventually became the Cebu Philharmonic Orchestra.
Over the years, she has been performing in various parts around the country and the world under the baton of Coke Bolipata. Axelle has also competed nationally specifically at the prestigious National Musical Competition for Young Artists and has studied solo repertoire from various Filipino and international mentors.
It is without a doubt Axelle breathes music and it has enabled her to share the joy of it to countless people around the world. She remembers fondly the times she was able to reach out to her fellow kababayans from different parts of the world.
“I performed in Qatar with a youth orchestra. Qatar has many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) working as domestic helpers, so we wanted to expand the locals’ perception of Filipinos while also giving our kababayans a treat from home. It was wonderful to hear the joyful sound of recognition from Pinoys in the audience when we played familiar favorites such as ‘Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko,’” Axelle shared.
Excelling in her own craft, Axelle is also academically on the top. A consistent honor student since her middle school days, Axelle is now currently studying at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. A political science major along with psychology and music as her minors, she has made it clear that music will always stay with her no matter what.
Axelle shared: “Playing the violin has had a two-fold effect on my life. First, it’s allowed me to move people through performance and teaching. I think that music has a disproportionate ability to touch hearts—for example, you can hear four seconds of a song and your mood already changes.”
Balancing academics and her career as a violinist have always been the norm, so at a very young age she knew how to manage her time well as she elaborated:
“I grew up doing both music and academics, so I guess that I’m used to having a very full schedule. It was normal for me to rush from an eight-hour class day to a three-hour rehearsal, sit in traffic for two hours on the way home, and then do homework.”
With what Axelle has achieved in life, it is no doubt that she is out there to conquer the world in her own unique way. She serves as an inspiration to the generation of today, and sends a clear message that there is always room for music whether in the academic or professional realm.