Longwood is a small school. It so small that faces become easily recognizable. One such face is that of Farris Hallaj. You have probably seen him walking to and from his classes with his cane tapping the ground to help him find his way. Hallaj has optic nerve hypoplasia, a congenital disease that he was born with. His condition has rendered him legally blind. Many students may have guessed that Hallaj was visually impaired while passing him on campus. Could you have guessed that this talented young man has performed at Carnegie Hall?
Before Hallaj came to Longwood to pursue his bachelor of arts with a focus in music, he was able to sing at Carnegie Hall with the All American Honors Choir. Performing at the dream venue came just after his 19th birthday, after which he enrolled at Longwood. During his time he has been involved in some pretty daring performances.
Hallaj has performed in L’Fiorl, L’Amour and Trojan Women. However, none of his roles were quite as challenging as the one he took on for Sweeny Todd. Hallaj and the theatre department collaborated to find a way to make him a fully active participant. Hallaj was paired up with partners for the group numbers. This way he was able to dance and move freely with the other actors. While he enjoyed his foray into musical theatre, Hallaj insists that his passion lies in vocal performance.
“I’ve always been very interested in music.” Said Hallaj. “Since I was very little, anything that made music I was very interested in. Also I was very touched and inspired by a lot of singers I heard, by what they sang about and also the tone of their music.”
Hallaj isn't exactly sure which genre of musical performance he would like to pursue once his time here at Longwood is over. The specifics of what he is singing doesn't matter nearly as much as the feeling of catharsis he gets from performing.
For Hallaj, stage fright has never been a major issue.
“I would always go out there. I did not have stage fright, I would go out there and stand and sing. I would get out there by myself and find the right spot and basically perform and let it all out.”
When asked if he ever felt that his impairment might hold him back from achieving his dream of becoming a performer, Hallaj simply responded, “No, not at all.” The thought of not getting to chase down his passion was never an option in his mind. Being held back is not an option for neither him nor anyone else who might feel held back when it comes to pursuing their goals.
“If you can think about it and know what you wish you could do, just go for it. Do your very best at it and give it your all.”
