Developing sensitivity, discipline and endurance =) (Violins)

Member Name: malteser1987

Product:	Violins
Date:	13/07/09 (45 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beautiful instrument, challenging yet rewarding

Disadvantages: Needs dedication,motivation and cash!

My favourite piece of music to play is 'Concerto No. 5 1st Movement' by F.Seitz. I also loved Elgar which made my teacher roll her eyes and tut that only the boys like to hammer away on a violin which such speed and intensity as I do and that it wasn't acceptable to her...and she did not 'grin and bear it' like most teachers would.

This review will seem a little jubbled - you might think that from the stories of my tuition, a ritualistic burning of my violin would be more apt than reviewing it, but no because I get far too much pleasure racing through the exciting parts with as much expression and flight as I can, and trust me, it doesn't sound half bad if I do say so myself.

****How it started****

I first asked my mother if I could play the violin when I was about 8 which in comparison to the other members of my violin group, was fairly old to begin to play and I was made very aware that I would struggle for being older (!). I watched a student at my primary school play and he was incredible, apparently dedicating 2-3 hours a day to practice. So I turned to him, my mother turned to the school and lessons were arranged.

I was taught the 'Suzuki' Method. Dr Shinichi Suzuki perceived music as a means of expression; of freedom through song and bringing beauty to a childs life and develop beautiful, sensitive human beings in the wake of World War II. I think my teacher had taken this initial idea and warped it to suit her. In a lot of ways she was an incredible teacher who produced some incredible students. In other ways she could be cruel and harsh; she had favourites, of which I was not one. She was demanding, not merely expecting one-on-one tuition, but also a dedication to a minimum number of 'concerts' and performances within a school term, extra group sessions at weekends which as I moved up to 'Master Class' moved to 3 hour evening sessions and the amount of in-school time taken to go to her lessons grew as I developed.

My first violin was a small cereal box with a 30cm ruler through it and garden cane with colourful stickers. My cereal box was renowned for years on as my mother opted to use textured wallpaper to decorate my box. People would laugh later, but I knew they were jealous really. My box rocked. My first actual wooden violin was 1/4 size Chinese tinny screech box. So was everyone else who had the county subsidised instrument. As I was a child at the time I never really got into the financial aspects, but I know it was costly and in a lot of ways I regret the effect that economic dent had on my parents.

So onwards I went - my 1/2 size was also a chinese screecher but my 3/4 was a beautiful deep dark brown/red French piece costing around £360 and a £50 bow. The instrument I have today is German, noted for its deep and loud tone in the region of £1000 these days and a £300 bow. Believe it or not that is fairly good for a decent violin. My teachers violin cost the same as a small house and had a few 100 years behind it with a flamed back and neck. Beautiful yes!

I am now 22. I stopped lessons at 14 before my GCSE's as I felt a lot of pressure to perform - to do concerts when I wanted to go out with my friends, to learn to read music and undertake examinations, to rehearse straight after school but without the the attentions of my mother who had been the one who would sit and listen to me rehearse and give a little applause or say what she thought might have gone wrong.

****What do you need?****

Dedication. This is meant to be the most difficult instrument to play and it is un-natural at first. I am lanky and stringy - I would have suited the larger viola in reality and I am double-jointed in my thumbs which meant that the strict structure of the Suzuki Method way of standing, holding and playing the violin is demanding and tiring at first. That particular method has strict expectations - a Suzuki violinist is an elegant instrumentalist who sways with the music, has perfect posture with flat knuckles, perfect foot spacing and never has a pointy thumb or elbows out. My teacher used to tie elastic bands to my elbows and thumbs to try and 'condition' them to stay in the required posture. This is not something ANY teacher should get a way with but I was young, she was old and demanding and there was no one to say that it wasn't inappropriate. It took 6 years for her to realise that my thumb naturally clunked out of place and I wasn't just being a pain in the ass...!

The teacher needs to be patient but not relaxed. If you/your child has not practiced it will show and you will be wasting both your time if you're not aspiring to the same goal with similar expecations. Ask around, ask to contact current students, find out who is taking lessons at your school and definitely meet the instructor if it is for your child. My lessons are all tape-recorded so I could practice the lesson at home and could play along to the exercises and songs I was rehearsing for that week.

Money - it's not cheap. For me there were tuition fees, instrument hire, the purchasing of CD's and books specific to the Suzuki method but similarly traditionally taught students will need resources to use. I inherited a music bag from a previous violin student. I have a metronome (counts the beat!), rosin which rarely runs out, extra strings, violin case. I also have a metal music stand. Sometimes you might need to restring your bow, your bridge might collapse (!) - a particularly expensive instrument will need insuring as violins are worth a lot of money - just check out ebay!

Motivation - if you want to take it up you need to be dedicated. If your child takes it up sit with them every time they rehearse. Make constructive comments, let them do mini-concerts. Encourage practice! My mum lost interest and would fall asleep listening to me because I had to practice for 1-2 hours at night and was used to the tunes. I wasn't amazing at reading music because my instructor didn't take a lot of time ensuring I understand. A wonderful man tutored me in sight-reading and I am now quite capable of reading most music. He also helped me 'changing positions' which is where you slide up and down the neck of the violin. All in all, you progress in major steps throughout your education and can only succeed with motivation and dedication.

****My Two Pence****

Yes my tuition was bad in terms of treatment - but I love the violin now. I never hated it as a child, I hated my teacher and cannot put enough emphasis on researching your teachers. She was strict but she was also OTT resulting in me crying the night before my lessons. Be supportive of your child if they take up the violin. With the Suzuki Method you have to learn every song off by heart. There's nothing more rewarding then performing a complex concerto - the adrenalin rush when you really love the music is amazing. But you have to love it, otherwise it will become a chore.

To end with Suzuki's original message, I think that learning any instrument can help your childs sensitivity in a lot of ways - develop their memory, their ability to multi-task and has been associated with a better understanding when learning different languages.

"I want to make good citizens. If a child hears fine music from the day of his birth and learns to play it himself, he develops sensitivity, discipline and endurance. He gets a beautiful heart."
--Shin'ichi Suzuki

Summary: An instrument I have never regretted learn and am always proud to admit I play