“She has been bugging me for a year to get a violin and lessons. I wanted to make sure that she was serious but she hasn’t let up.”
I don’t know how many times I have had a statement like that from a parent about their child. I’ve also had probably just as many adults say something like this:
“I took lessons when I was a child for a year or so but I quit. I wish my folks had made me stick with it but I’ve decided that I’m going to take it up again and learn to play.”
I had one adult just today that was very enthusiastic about taking up the cello. She had learned violin as a child but always was drawn by the sound of the cello and was delighted to be able to rent one and begin her journey. She also bought not one but two different method books in order to make a strong start.
This is the best part of my Job. This is what makes setting up the instruments, doing inventory, repair, ordering and doing paperwork all worth while (actually, I pawn a lot of that paperwork to my wife, our bookkeeper). I really enjoy working with people who are getting ready for the journey of a lifetime. I love the shine in a little child’s eyes when they hold their new prize – typically a shiny little violin often not much bigger than a Christmas ornament. I tell the little ones stories about airplanes and eagles, analogies about the value of practice to help them soar into the sky.
Music really is a gift. It’s a gift that parents give their children, It is a gift that teachers give their students and it is a gift the Creator gives mankind. It is also a nice gift to me to be able to watch it begin.
Keep Practicing