Welcome to the valley of violin frustration

September 6, 2009 at 8:44 PM

Today I asked myself for the 100th and definetly not the last time why in the world I chose to play violin. I stil have yet ti find completely an answear to that question but stay tuned!

I happily skipped off to violin lesson today with Vivaldi Spring and Mozart 2nd concerto in my bag. I was looking forward to get cracking on those pieces, especialy Mozart. Well.....things never turned out the way we exactly want them to in our violin world. By the end of the lesson my teacher had announced to me flatly that he didn´t think I should play Mozart. He said that he´d heard that one should´t really play Mozart unless one is world famous. Well I happen not to be. If anything I am world anonimous. So......Mozart 2nd flew out the window, at least for the time being.

Was I dissapointed? Well....yes! It´s hard to explain but I want to improve so much in my repetoire. I have good technique and I know I can play harder pieces that I did last year .I want to play hard pieces (not talking Beethoven or anything).. I wil never be world famous but I want to play Mozart and I know I can play it with good practise.

My teacher said that he much rather wanted me to play Haydn G Major or C major. I use to love Haydn G Major but now I find it to be too simple. There´s doesn´t seem to be much to the music, it´feel superficial for me. I want something real! So I flatly told my teacher that but told him I´d rather play C Major. I took on the role of the obstinate violin student. Not something I like doing but....I want to have a say too.

So my teacher said then that he rather wanted me to play Mozart 3rd Concerto as he felt more comfortable with that one. So yet again I am going to be obstinate. I told my teacher I really wanted to play a real concerto not just short pieces as I did last year as much as I loved that. So I am going to be obstinate yet again and I determine to play Mozart 3rd. Even though it´ll mean working my fingers till they near fall off, I am going to work on it .

I am a good violinist an I want to really try out my violin skills. I want to expand my repetoire and I want to learn, work and suceed. So playing something like Mozart is important to me. I want so much more from my private violin playing. I get so much from orchestra where we play really feisty music which really moves and is real and asks a great thing of the player and takes him on a journey of musical exploring. I want as much from my private pieces.

I hope and pray that I´ll get rid of this frustration soon. And although I haven´t dicovered the answer yet I sure will do one day :)

From Anne-Marie Proulx
Posted on September 7, 2009 at 12:07 AM

Hey this is great! Crazy ideas from stuburn students can be good!!! In the Mozart concerto in G. (I think it is the same as you). I wanted to play the Oistrakh Cadenza... My teacher said try and I'll speak after. (this was not good sign...) After the summer, she admitted that in the beggining she thought I was completely crazy. (ready to go to asilum as she joked with me) but she also admitted that I have succeded all the technical requirements that now I just had to focus to put it "well" together and pay it with more virtuosity (I'll try...). She said she didn't even though I could pass through... and that she was so happy I suggested this crazy idea!!! It inspired her to try another crazy thing with me: Kreisler' preludium and allegro!!! This last one is her crazy idea for me as she told me. So my crazy idea brough a so interesting crazy idea to her... It is contagious if well done and good communication + respect (as you did) is essential to have successful crazy plans! I know my teacher has tons of experience I don't have and I always make sure she knows I know this!!! But I am lucky she also is open minded when I show my good will!

Anne-Marie

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