The Accidental Violin Student

 Right up till now, we are still the evasive, accidental violin student.

I mean, that's me saying this (not Kiki).  I don't know why I'm feeling reluctant. Yet at the same time, the journey has brought us many self-discoveries, tears of frustrations as well as warmth in our hearts. I feel like the Girlfriend who is afraid to commit. Because firstly, I have no idea what it would take to be a good violin student. Or perhaps I do know what it takes to be a good violin student and I am afraid of the grueling process. I've heard of students giving it all up at the verge of whatever grand exams, yet I've watched many young students belting sensational, moving music from their violins (and cellos). 

Secondly, I feel that music education is kind of out-of-my-league. Surely those private lessons are costly so I don't even think about it. I have no expectations as to what we will become but of course I am happy that we will be going for our first exams next year. Once in a while we meet a seemingly difficult new piece (like now, it's the Gavotte from Mignon) but after the hard part in having learned a new piece, it will get easier and after a few weeks, we would soon have forgotten that it was initially tough. So we just go song by song, week by week and I will take comfort that all difficult pieces started out being difficult but we jump through the hurdles each time.

Last week, teacher introduced us to a secondhand violin that a fellow mommy from an older class was parting with. They were going to upgrade to a bigger violin and instead of trading it back to the shop, they asked if we would like to have it (at two-third of the original price). Both the mommy and our teacher, looking at how lost I must have looked, assured me that this is a very good violin. Handmade, German. Not knowing how much it would cost, I said okay. (so silly right?)  But it was really okay. I have no reservations about people. Sometimes. And that moment happened to be one of those times.  That mommy has nice vibes and she rounded down the price and also parted with a bow and a good brand shoulder-rest.

 We met up immediately the next day on Sunday and we now have a new violin named Joey. (Kiki named it. I told her Joey could be a boy or a girl, but she hasn't decided on its gender). I don't know what's with the name Joey, Colin also calls himself Joey when he pretends to be a puppy. The two of them are always pretending to be puppies. They take turns to be puppy and human. Sometimes, they quarrel over whose turn it is to be puppy.

I can't wait to get a small, plush toy to pin on the new violin case. 

We've Mickey on one violin case, a Skunk on another one, and this latest one,

 I will give the honour to.... Bing Bong!   =) 

 

 Last night, she was goofing on fours, knee pads on, wrists guards on, crawling around, pretending to be a puppy. When it was time to practise the violin, she wanted to keep the wrist guards on. And an idea came to me. Since I always have to remind her to straighten her left wrist while playing the strings, I told her to keep the wrist guard on until she gets the posture right. That way, I don't have to nag and she can still carry on pretending to be a puppy. Well, it's the MacGyver way of solving a problem isn't it. 

Next, I will have to think of another MacGyver method for her to use the jawbone to hold the violin instead of using the chin (it was my mistake having taught her to use the chin and now the correction)