Because of the wars and other political tension that surrounds the country, Iraq has not exactly been known for its cultural scene. However, it’s a fact that Baghdad has been making an effort to revive its cultural environment that was once well-known all over the country and the world. This effort recently enjoyed some fruit as a 13-year-old prodigy from California graced the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra with his piano-playing prowess.

Llewellyn Kingman Sanchez Werner originally resides in Los Angeles but studies music in the prestigious Julliard School in New York. The young musician astounded the crowd when he played Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin which was met with a standing ovation.

Most of the audiences were Iraqi citizens although several American soldiers were also present in the crowd.

Werner arrived in Iraq with his parents and was instantly surrounded with security that included a bulletproof vest and checkpoints. The boy admits that he was nervous at first when he arrived in Iraq, knowing that he was in a war-stricken nation. However, he was also happy to say that the warm people that greeted him immediately made him feel relaxed.

The musician was apparently not just talented but was also impressively diplomatic, stating that he was aware of the conflict between his country and Iraq and he hopes that his performance shows the Iraqi citizens that something good can also come from the States to their land.

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