At just 15 years old, Pilar Winter Hill is an accomplished violinist and children’s book author who is passionate about classical music and being a positive role model. She was first introduced to the violin at age 6, and she’s been mesmerizing audiences ever since, performing at prestigious venues like the Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Pilar has gained a global audience online with over 500 thousand Instagram followers and more than 66 million views on her performance videos.
With her incredible talent, Pilar has achieved an unprecedented level of success, becoming the first African American female violinist to gain admission to the Juilliard Pre-College program and to be a major prize winner in an international violin competition. Pilar’s work as a children’s author has also received national recognition. Her book A Neighborhood Walk, A Musical Journey tells the story of a young girl who becomes enchanted by the magical sounds of musicians playing their instruments in a busy city. In 2021, the book was awarded a Starred Review by the School Library Journal, and the American Library Association (ALA) named her as a leading author, inviting her to the ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition as a featured speaker.
As part of the library’s Black History Month celebration, Pilar will read her book during Children’s Author Storytime at Orlando Public Library on Wednesday, February 16, 11 a.m. Aware that African American women are often underrepresented in the field of classical music, Pilar aspires to make her mark as a musician and author. She hopes that by sharing her love of music, she can inspire other children to pursue their own passions.
