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Little girl plays incredible violin version of “Hallelujah” to astonish the crowd
She's only 12?!
Blake Hyatt
07.30.20

I think we can all agree – talented children are impressive.

Both Mozart and Beethoven started playing the piano by age five. Their musical passion and countless hours spent practicing led to their eventual recognition as two of the greatest musical figures of all time.

Needless to say, mastering a craft takes a lot of work! The younger you start, the better.

So meet 12-year-old Karolina Protsenko.

She’s here to play her violin cover of the late great Leonard Cohen’s tender “Hallelujah.”

Accompaniment to the familiar classic exits some nearby speakers. The performance begins…

YouTube/Karolina Protsenko Violin
Source:
YouTube/Karolina Protsenko Violin

Gentle piano tones flutter, as Karolina paces back and forth, anticipating her entrance.

Our young violinist sports a light-blue dress and plain white sneakers.

Within 15 seconds, her bow’s armed and ready to roll.

YouTube/Karolina Protsenko Violin
Source:
YouTube/Karolina Protsenko Violin

Her violin takes the place of Leonard Cohen’s original melody and vocals. Although it’s hard to compare to a legendary artist like Leonard Cohen, she does his work justice, paying him the highest degree of musical respect in the form of a cover.

This is the epitome of street performances!

The crowd looks on, intently.

The young violin prodigy flexes her bow, playing perfectly atop the backing rhythm of “Hallelujah.”

YouTube/Karolina Protsenko Violin
Source:
YouTube/Karolina Protsenko Violin

Karolina’s body language demonstrates extreme confidence and comfort. You can tell she’s been playing for a long time.

Turns out, she’s been busking since 2017!

She actually has a rather extensive recorded discography, especially for a preteen. In fact, she’s already recorded four cover albums! How?! She’s only 12!

Unsurprisingly, her YouTube channel has over four million subscribers. Her music’s currently available on most platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music!

The expression she puts into her music demonstrates an emotional maturity beyond her years.

Instagram/karolina_protsenko
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Instagram/karolina_protsenko

She’s even appeared on a few television programs, eventually garnering praise from Howie Mandel!

The smooth rhythm of Cohen’s opus continues, her violin floating brilliantly atop.

She smiles and looks around the plaza.

Karolina couples her stellar musical performance with playful interactions with the audience.

She takes a few steps back, flashing an endearing smile for all to see.

Despite her growing fame, this Santa Monica 3rd Street promenade has remained her favorite venue.

Plus, it’s almost always a beautiful day in southern California.

YouTube/Karolina Protsenko Violin
Source:
YouTube/Karolina Protsenko Violin

She adds a lot of emotional depth to her performance. Leonard Cohen would absolutely be proud.

“Hallelujah” isn’t a song that’s simply meant to be played. It’s meant to be played – with soul!

And Karolina does just that.

It’s easy to forget that she’s only 12! I’m not sure I had accomplished much of anything by that age.

Cohen’s chorus repeats, marking an upcoming conclusion. Karolina lets out a few more expressive flutters, bringing the legendary classic to a close.

YouTube/Karolina Protsenko Violin
Source:
YouTube/Karolina Protsenko Violin

The audience lets out a firm applause, overjoyed by her sensational performance.

The cheers continue for quite some time. Karolina looks incredibly appreciative, letting out a giant smile.

She certainly deserves the praise.

Her unforgettable violin performance surely just made quite a few days.

So what’d you think of Karolina’s incredible outdoor violin performance? Have you heard Leonard Cohen’s acclaimed original?

If ya dig, definitely check out some of her work on the streaming service of your choice! But first, check out the entirety of her amazing performance below.

With the violin in hand, Karolina has her whole life ahead of her. I wonder where her musical journey will take her next!

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