On Monday night, the lake area will experience its first youth orchestra concert. I am excited and overwhelmed.
Bows will be rosined, strings stretched. We will warm up and then we will play.
And history will be made. It will be a glorious beginning.
Please join us at the Lake Presbyterian Church in Osage Beach at 7:00 pm this Monday night and support this very important cause. Thank you!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
My new friend
He got my phone number from a magazine.
And he called.
And called.
And called.
He said, “I love to play!”
He couldn’t wait to see me.
And he called.
And called. Every day.
“Is this weekend okay?” he asked. “I just love to play.”
She drove, not him. He can’t drive anymore.
Both were old. Very old. Both had walkers.
It was difficult getting them up the stairs and into the house.
And we played, this stranger and I.
Duets, solos – two violins in bad timing and desperately out of tune.
As his wife sat and smiled.
After an hour, she was tired. He could have gone on all night.
And so they drove back – four hours across the state.
All this way just to play one hour with me.
He called today and told me that he had a good time.
“Did you?”
Yes, Richard, my new friend. Our joy was mutual.
And he called.
And called.
And called.
He said, “I love to play!”
He couldn’t wait to see me.
And he called.
And called. Every day.
“Is this weekend okay?” he asked. “I just love to play.”
She drove, not him. He can’t drive anymore.
Both were old. Very old. Both had walkers.
It was difficult getting them up the stairs and into the house.
And we played, this stranger and I.
Duets, solos – two violins in bad timing and desperately out of tune.
As his wife sat and smiled.
After an hour, she was tired. He could have gone on all night.
And so they drove back – four hours across the state.
All this way just to play one hour with me.
He called today and told me that he had a good time.
“Did you?”
Yes, Richard, my new friend. Our joy was mutual.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Mom
When I was little, my mother was my world.
In elementary school, I thought that things had changed, somehow.
In Junior High, I knew that she didn't like me very much.
In Senior High, I no longer liked her.
In college, we spoke occasionally.
After that, we hardly spoke at all.
After I moved out of state, and thanks to my Lord and Saviour, we reconciled. There were no admissions of guilt. Just an understanding that things shouldn't be the way they had been in the past. We spoke. We loved. She was my mother again.
And now that she's passed away, she is once again my world.
In elementary school, I thought that things had changed, somehow.
In Junior High, I knew that she didn't like me very much.
In Senior High, I no longer liked her.
In college, we spoke occasionally.
After that, we hardly spoke at all.
After I moved out of state, and thanks to my Lord and Saviour, we reconciled. There were no admissions of guilt. Just an understanding that things shouldn't be the way they had been in the past. We spoke. We loved. She was my mother again.
And now that she's passed away, she is once again my world.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Practice Every Day
When it comes to learning, especially on an instrument, I have long been a proponent of short practice sessions on a daily basis rather than one long one.
Let's take two student examples. Jimmy plays six days out of seven for 15 minutes per day. Johnny returns home from his lesson, puts his instrument in a corner and then waits all week to put an hour and a half in just before his next lesson.
They've both put the same amount of practice time in. However, Jimmy will come to his next lesson confident and prepared and with a greater understanding of what the lesson was all about. Johnny will play as if he's not practiced at all.
The constancy of daily practice goes a long way toward evolving your playing from point A to point B. Your brain has time to absorb, sort and calculate all of the minute activities that have to happen to make your performance consistent and available at a moment's notice (i.e., the day of the concert!!!).
Practicing only just in time for a lesson only exhausts you. (And your teacher.)
The bigger question really is: how much do you really enjoy playing? Think about it!
Let's take two student examples. Jimmy plays six days out of seven for 15 minutes per day. Johnny returns home from his lesson, puts his instrument in a corner and then waits all week to put an hour and a half in just before his next lesson.
They've both put the same amount of practice time in. However, Jimmy will come to his next lesson confident and prepared and with a greater understanding of what the lesson was all about. Johnny will play as if he's not practiced at all.
The constancy of daily practice goes a long way toward evolving your playing from point A to point B. Your brain has time to absorb, sort and calculate all of the minute activities that have to happen to make your performance consistent and available at a moment's notice (i.e., the day of the concert!!!).
Practicing only just in time for a lesson only exhausts you. (And your teacher.)
The bigger question really is: how much do you really enjoy playing? Think about it!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Lake Area Strings
By the way, this is my adult string ensemble, the Lake Area Strings, collectively. We are currently preparing for a concert on the 18th of May.
We are also guest appearing on a concert for the benefit of Medical Missions for Christ on the 19th of April.
Top left is Paul Morrison, viola; bottom left is Lyn Hoeft on violin with Penny Williams across from her on the right. Top right is Mike Nichols on the 'cello and that's me in the middle.
Not pictured here is Dr. Thomas Hoeft who joined us regularly after this photo was taken.
E-mail me at fiddlin1@gmail.com if you'd like to be on our mailing list for future concert information.
Friday, April 10, 2009
For Samantha
I love to take things apart and put them back again.
I'm getting ready to work on a violin and potentially do some things to it that I don't really understand just yet. You know, you'd think as long as I've been around these instruments that I would know a little more. The technical stuff is usually left to the experts, though, so I've always taken my violins to someone else to have work done.
I have to cut a bridge and possibly move a soundpost. And new strings, of course. I hope the thing still plays when I'm done with it.
Samantha is waiting....
I'm getting ready to work on a violin and potentially do some things to it that I don't really understand just yet. You know, you'd think as long as I've been around these instruments that I would know a little more. The technical stuff is usually left to the experts, though, so I've always taken my violins to someone else to have work done.
I have to cut a bridge and possibly move a soundpost. And new strings, of course. I hope the thing still plays when I'm done with it.
Samantha is waiting....
Thursday, April 9, 2009
I Could
I could organize my scrapbooking supplies.
I could practice my violin.
I could clean my bathroom.
I could exercise.
I could fix this old violin.
I could organize my Strings music.
I could do laundry.
I could go to Wal-Mart.
I could fly to the moon.
I could!
I could practice my violin.
I could clean my bathroom.
I could exercise.
I could fix this old violin.
I could organize my Strings music.
I could do laundry.
I could go to Wal-Mart.
I could fly to the moon.
I could!
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