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I've played my violin for 28 of the last 36 years of my life. I stuck with this instrument through school budget cuts, countless rehearsals, concerts, festivals, violin repairs (including three upgrades to my current violin), state competitions, even doing a bit of Irish fiddling in university for money. And I still play, which is why it occurred to me at 34 to take the next natural step and become a violin teacher.

There's nothing like looking back over a period of years to put a bit of perspective on things. So as I prepped myself for my first ever lesson as a teacher with sisters who wanted to learn, I realised something. Why does ANYONE pick up a complicated instrument like the violin?

If the violin were an animal, it would be a frenetic little dog with bladder problems. You have to tune it all the time, keep it dry and warm, don't drop it, keep the hairs on the bow in good shape...it's the fussiest instrument I've come across. It goes out of tune if it gets cold or hot. The strings are metal which means they expand with warmth and go flat or tighten up with cold and go sharp. The body is wood, so it gets dry, brittle, and creaky if not properly stored. If you faff with the strings too much, they'll snap in your face or at some other inopportune time.

And you sound simply dreadful the first time you try to play something-scratchy, out of tune, much like a colicky cat going through a combine harvester.

So why does anyone ever pick up a violin?

Good violinists, ones that can REALLY play, are worth their weight in gold. So are good violists and cellists...but not double bass players. They're worth their weight in platinum. All instruments in the string family are ridiculously awkward to play, probably having been invented on a dare to see who would drop over from neck and shoulder cramps first. So if one perseveres and gets to an impressive level of competence (and intonation), one can go anywhere and be welcome in a respectable group. And earn ridiculous amounts of money. I once got paid $170 for 90 minutes of fiddle music.

My current student, 5 year old Thomas, has had 6 lessons from me with remarkable progress. He's gone from making his mother clasp her hands over her ears and curl into a fetal position when he plays to making her eyes water ever so slightly. But it's relative because the first three years of learning the violin is spent trying to hold it properly. He sounds horrible, which means he's doing it right. But he's sticking with it because he "wants to be as good" as me.

Held and warmed right, the violin becomes a third arm. Its strings resonate in sympathy to one's voice. The instrument chooses the player, not the other way round. Violinists often find themselves humming to the music they play without realising it. The vibrations of the strings go right into the chest and, if played correctly, can run up and down the spine. There is no other instrument like it.

Now I'm happy teaching beginners because they're usually so eager to learn, and they want to develop a genuine love and appreciation of the instrument which is what I have...and it's what I teach.

Learn more about this author, P Childs.
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