Comments

From Terez Mertes
Posted from 75.31.96.27 on June 19, 2008 at 6:38 PM (GMT)
Oh, what a darling picture!

And on the girl quitting and your "Maybe I wanted to live out an alternate fantasy life as a music teacher" comment, awww. Well, maybe that's your calling for next year then, to take on a mentor's role, but with a different student. (Imagine how deflated you'd feel if you were so sure you were helping this reluctant girl and she quit anyway.) Bet you can find someone who needs the same help, but has an ounce more motivation.

From Ruth Kuefler
Posted from 24.255.238.188 on June 19, 2008 at 8:47 PM (GMT)
I love the picture! What fun. That's too bad about the girl quitting viola . . . I'm sure you'll still have fun helping your daughter along though. :)
From Bilbo Prattle
Posted from 206.105.184.8 on June 19, 2008 at 10:29 PM (GMT)
That looks like a finger tape fetish to me. I can't believe anyone should need them or that a teacher would insist on them for 4 years or more of playing (1/4 to 3/4 size)!

But that is an old and very sore subject for sure.

From Paul Grant
Posted from 72.207.64.86 on June 20, 2008 at 12:30 AM (GMT)
I love that picture...call me biased but I like the viola the best, hehe.
From Karen Allendoerfer
Posted from 72.93.107.185 on June 20, 2008 at 1:28 AM (GMT)
No, it's my daughter who insisted on keeping the finger tapes, not the teacher. I know they don't work for some people, but they really do seem to help her. When she's ready to let them go, she'll let me know.
From Karen Allendoerfer
Posted from 72.93.107.185 on June 20, 2008 at 1:32 AM (GMT)
Also, she only played the 1/4 size for a few months, she went up to the 1/2 size soon after, then quit lessons for a year. So, if you count from when she first picked up a violin, she's been playing for 3 years, but I'd say only 1 year of that really "counted."
From Pauline Lerner
Posted from 138.88.93.204 on June 20, 2008 at 6:42 AM (GMT)
I love your description of bad sounds on the violin as "like a cat being tortured."
From Mendy Smith
Posted from 64.1.198.36 on June 20, 2008 at 7:33 AM (GMT)
What a beautiful family photo. I too am biased, and think that the viola is the nicest in the bunch. What size is your viola again?
From Karen Allendoerfer
Posted from 72.93.107.185 on June 20, 2008 at 10:39 AM (GMT)
The viola is 15.5 inches long. It's clear there that it is more robust on the top than the violins. It's not just bigger in proportion. I hadn't really realized that about violas before. For a small viola, it has a rich and strong sound--I'm assuming the wide shoulders contribute to that.
From Tom Holzman
Posted from 167.176.6.8 on June 20, 2008 at 12:44 PM (GMT)
So who's the father?