So I placed an advertisement for a violin teacher on facebook a little over a week ago, and promptly assumed that little would come of it…until I got a reply from a local music student, who teaches violin.
I had my first real lesson in 10 years on Wednesday afternoon, and boy did I demonstrate that my technique sucks something terrible. But that’s why I wanted lessons – so it was actually very constructive. I immediately got some very helpful tips about my bowing, and I made an improvement within the first hour alone. Not that I’m surprised – without a teacher to remind me of what I should be doing, and constructive criticism, I had become quite accustomed to a more “baroque” style of bow hold.
The bowing wasn’t the only thing that needed work, and it was just the first lesson, but I really enjoyed it, so I am going to try to make this a regular thing for the time being – I really would like to get to a point where I can play in a small ensemble and not feel terribly out of place. I’ll start by practicing the musical studies that were recommended, but I also need to quickly brush up on my music theory. Which reminds me, in the US, they don’t have an equivalent of the “Associated Board of the Royal School of Music” (ABRSM) and so there are no grades 1-8. So far, I haven’t found any such testing standard to exist here whatsoever. Not that it really matters, because the true judge of this will be myself – success will be measured in terms of personal satisfaction.
Jon.