A new teacher for my daughter

March 5, 2009 at 10:09 PM

Today wasn't really my daughter's first lesson. She had some back when she was 6, from a Suzuki teacher, but wasn't really ready for them and quit. We both found that to be a discouraging experience. But then, looking on the bright side, if my daughter hadn't been struggling so much back then I might never have gotten out my own long-forgotten instrument to play along with her. And I might never have been surfing the internet for teaching tips, and so might have never found violinist.com.

My daughter is now 9 and in 4th grade. She has been learning violin in school for a year and a half, and is in the middle of Essential Elements 2000 Book 2. She is certainly one of the better, maybe even the best, violin student in her school class, and she's shown she has a good ear for intonation. She still needs work on rhythm, but who doesn't? She's been asking me when she can start learning vibrato and positions other than first. Neither of these topics appears to be in the remainder of the EE2000 book.

She has also started practicing more on her own. At first she just wouldn't do that at all. I still play with her at times because I found that it helped her intonation and rhythm to play duets with me. I wrote a few easy B parts to some fiddle tunes last summer and we played them together at the Farmers' Market. But, as with positions and vibrato, I was starting to feel like I was getting in over my head.

In the fall a young music teacher joined the community orchestra where I play violin and viola. She announced that she was looking to start up a private studio, and it seemed like she and my daughter might get along. After some scheduling snafus, we had a trial lesson today, and I think it went well. My daughter wants to have more. She played pretty well at the lesson, and got a lot of positive and constructive feedback. I was amazed to see her willing to repeat passages several times when her teacher asked her to--this is something she doesn't like to do for me.

Her teacher allowed her to sit down during the lesson, and sat next to her, which I think was a big plus. I can remember both from my own training and my daughter's earlier training, a number of intimidating and/or unpleasant incidents related to playing standing up, and especially posture. Having the teacher hover over you when you are short can be just plain scary for kids. And, when she had to stand, there was always the inevitable whining about her legs hurting, her arms being tired, needing a bathroom break, and so on. Sitting, she was able to focus on playing for the entire half hour. It flew by and was over before we were ready.

From E. Smith
Posted on March 7, 2009 at 1:49 PM

Great! Not all kids are cut from the same cloth, and not every kid is ready to study a difficult instrument like violin at 4, 5, 6. I've seen this in my own family, with two kids who took to instruments like ducks to water while still in pre-school and two who were not suited to learning at a young age. My youngest started and re-started so many times I lost count, but by the time she was 11 or 12 was finally able to concentrate enough to accomplish anything. She's 14 now and a respectable violist, although she will never want to be a professional. But she enjoys playing and has taken ownership of the journey, which is always the goal.

Also, I totally hear you about the discomfort of standing and of being hovered-over. My 3rd daughter, who was a duck-to-water violinist was tiny for her age and studied for 8 years with a teacher who is 6'7". He never stood up during lessons, on purpose, and told me that he made a point of staying in his chair for all his younger students because his height was intimidating. When he wanted to demonstrate, she would go over to him and look over *his* shoulder.

My 2nd daughter has always had a lot of pain/sensitivity issues, and over the many years we've discovered that certain teachers can deal with her problems creatively and certain can't. When a child complains of pain or discomfort, it's important to pay attention.

Good luck with your new adventure. :D

From Terez Mertes
Posted on March 7, 2009 at 2:56 PM

Yay, Karen, for both you and your daughter (and her teacher, who is surely thrilled to have found a good-fit student)! It sounds like a great set up.

E. - I found your stories great as well. I sense you could share a LOT of interesting stories about child violinists and the challenges/rewards. It's great that you've had a variety of experiences and can appreciate the different levels of ability and interest a child might harbor. Your kids probably appreciate that you can appreciate that, as well!

From Tom Holzman
Posted on March 7, 2009 at 7:31 PM

It isn't easy to find the right teacher for a kid. I had one out of about 6 (and that one for only a year when we lived in France) during my childhood and adolescence. You and your daughter are both very lucky. I hope she will take full advantage of such a great opportunity.

From Karen Allendoerfer
Posted on March 8, 2009 at 12:57 PM

Thanks for your comments! I have a little nagging concern at the back of my mind that I might be too close to the situation, because my daughter's teacher 1. plays first violin in my orchestra and has been my stand partner a couple of times (just during a few rehearsals for the last concert and I'm playing viola for this concert anyway); and 2. is playing first violin in a quartet that we are forming for the orchestra's 75th anniversary. I'm playing 2nd violin; the quartet is being organized by the orchestra's principal cellist.

We seem to get along pretty well musically, and I don't want to lose that. And sometimes the mix of money and business into a friendship can be challenging. But it's just some lessons for my daughter; no need to make it more complicated than it needs to be!

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A new teacher for my daughter

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