Written by Mackenzie Manley, Content Specialist, Downtown Main Library
This post is part of a larger series that spotlights local music acts performing at the Meet Me at Main Music Festival. Check out our website for more interviews with performers leading up to Saturday, July 11.
Nine music acts will take over the Downtown Main Library on Saturday, July 11 for the inaugural Meet Me at Main Music Festival: a family-friendly, multi-stage, multi-genre showcase of local music, including two after-hours performances. The event coincides with the second anniversary of Downtown Main Library’s reopening. See the full lineup and read more artist interviews.
Catching up with Victoria Lekson
Cincinnati-based harpist Victoria Lekson has studied the harp since she was five years old. In 2016, she earned a classical harp performance degree from Pepperdine University. Since, she has traveled across Greater Cincinnati, the country, and even the Atlantic to Germany and Austria to perform. Her sound blends classical training with modern influences to create unique arrangements.
The interview is edited for brevity and clarity.
Mackenzie: Your music draws from both contemporary and classical influences. When composing music, where do you draw inspiration from?
Victoria: I love many genres of music, so it’s hard to pinpoint an exact inspiration. I will say, I love all of the artists that the label Gondwana Records is currently supporting and releasing. Specifically, I love Svaneborg Kardyb which is a Danish electronic jazz duo. I am inspired by the atmosphere and mood they are able to craft, and I would absolutely love to see them live.
Mackenzie: You've done several local collaborations. Can you speak about getting to work with other artists?
Victoria: Getting to work with local artists is a dream! It’s a way to learn and be inspired by what others are working on and expressing. Collaborations for me are not limited to musicians; I love to collaborate with artists of all mediums. There is an incredibly vibrant community of creatives in Cincinnati, and I am fortunate to be a part of it. Seeing other creatives making art gets me excited to wake up in the morning, and it inspires me to further hone my craft.
Mackenzie: What does it mean to you to be able to play music in a public space like the Library?
Victoria: I love playing in public spaces like the Library. A large part of my work is bringing the harp to settings where people would not expect it, because it is truly an extraordinary instrument. The Library is the perfect space for folks to learn more about the instrument and my unique approach to it, and I love that it’s all ages! Kids have such a natural curiosity when they see a harp, and I love to imagine that moments of interaction with my art might inspire a kid somewhere to play music.
Mackenzie: To you, what part does the Library play in the larger local music scene?
Victoria: I love that the Library has been putting on the Sunday on the Stairs series! It’s so neat to see artists represented in that beautiful open space. I think it’s vitally important to bring music and art to public spaces. Art, for me, is the lifeblood of human connection. We need artists to be supported in their work so they can continue to express themselves and try to make sense of this human experience we are all having.
Victoria uses effects pedals on her harp to create sounds not typically heard in the instrument. She will perform in the Reading Garden at 4:45 p.m.; if you have questions or curiosities, she encourages questions after the performance.
Meet Me at Main Music Festival is made possible by The Johnson Foundation and The Thomas W. Jones Fund of the Library Foundation.
Mackenzie Manley is currently reading “Room to Dream”by David Lynch and Kristine McKenna.
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