by Emily Hall

Created on: January 07, 2009

As a student, professional player and teacher of the violin, I have seen many compatriots travel the path from beginner to proficient player. Some of them have gone on, like me, to begin to earn their living from the violin. Some have continued playing as a hobby, in semi professional or amateur orchestras. Some have allowed their playing to tail off, the instrument to gather dust in a forgotten corner. Not one that I know of has ever given their violin away, or chosen not to have a violin in the house. It seems to me that more than any other instrument, picking up a violin is a one way street to a life of affinity with the instrument. Whether someone continues playing or not, a bond is formed between player and violin that I haven't seen mirrored with many other instruments. A Finnish friend of mine who studied at the same college returned to Finland after completing her course in theatre, and was able to take only what she could carry on the train. I was intrigued to note that on the outside of her backpack, attached firmly with bungee cords, was a violin she had picked up in the market a year previously. She had played it a total of perhaps a dozen times, but she told me that she felt she could not leave without it. It would be tantamount to a betrayal.

Beginning the violin is, for children, often a seemingly small step. For their parents it may be a more significant one, particularly if they intend to play an active role in the child's musical development. When I began learning at the age of 3, it was recommended that my mother begin learning as well. Cheerily, she picked up a violin and began to learn alongside me, only to find that it provoked enormous frustration for me! As a three year old, motor skills are still being developed and learning the violin is limited by the range of movement one has developed in the fingers at that time. It is a clear memory for me - unusual from such a young age - that I felt deep frustration at not being able to put into practice what I could clearly hear in my head was right. I'm told I threw my violin at the wall several times. It says something for student violins in a 1/16 size that they are built solidly enough to withstand such treatment - mine only needed a brief once over and a dust off and it was back to playing!

As an older beginner you are faced with a mountain to climb. You have to set everything up yourself, find a teacher who suits you without the help of a school, buy or hire a violin and think about how

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