"MOMMY, I WANT TO PLAY THE VIOLIN"
by John Fryar
"Why on earth would you want to do a thing like that?"
Does this conversation sound familiar? Of course, you can substitute viola, cello, or string bass for violin, but the concept is the same. Why does a child in 4th grade decide he wants to learn to play a stringed instrument? I am sure that most string teachers have been asked this question for as long as they have been teaching.
I believe that foremost in the life of any child is the desire to emulate role models and follow peers. How may kids wear a shirt with number 23 and the name Jordan on the back, or want to dress like Madonna, or want to want to sing like Mariah Carey?
Children are exposed daily to activities in which they would love to participate themselves because they like the excitement of how the participants sound, look, and act. Never mind the fact that these adult activities may have taken years of training. It is no wonder a child wants to participate in a band program after being exposed to marching bands most of their young lives, or play football after seeing Deion Sanders play week after week with his multi-million dollar salary mentioned in every other breath.
Your child has been exposed to stringed instruments and the orchestra in their school music program since kindergarten. Chances are they have attended an orchestra concert with you, or on a field trip at school. They may have seen a small ensemble of string players or an orchestra visit their school through an artist-in-the-school series. So - when the string teacher finally visits their school in 4th grade, plays exciting songs for them, and tells them they have the opportunity to play one of these instruments - it is no wonder they jump at the chance. Adding to the formula may be the idea that many of their friends want to play also. Peer pressure is very strong in an activity such as this. Children are also very much attracted to the way the different instruments sound.
Unfortunately, that which makes playing an instrument such an exciting adventure also contributes to disappointment if success is not achieved early. As a parent and a teacher, I know that most kids are not afraid to try anything, but they also expect a reward for their efforts. If Michael Jordan can do it, why not me? Kids do not see the years of study or practice that have gone into the finished performances they see in any activity. They expect instant success. So - when the first bad notes emerge, a little bit of the enthusiasm goes away. "Why doesn't this sound the way it's supposed to?" This, coupled with the extra time requirements for practice, possibly missing recess for a lesson, or having to make up a test taken during a lesson, can take away a lot of that initial excitement. The wonderful sounding instrument to which they were initially attracted suddenly isn't quite making the grade.
So - what can be done about this? As a teacher I am always trying to promote success as early and as often as possible. That's one of the reasons we start plucking before using the bow. The kids can have instant success on a variety of songs. We move to the bow slowly, and give them ample time to develop a decent sound before we load them down with too many other concepts. But, this is not always enough. Constant encouragement is needed from both teachers and and parents. "Yes, you don't sound like a professional violinist yet, but they studied for many years and went through the same experiences you are going through. Keep working, and you will keep getting better." "I enjoy hearing you play." "What are you playing in your lessons now?" "How would you like to play for your grandma and grandpa this weekend?" Let your kids know that the extra work and time involved is worth it, that missing recess a couple times a week or having to make up a test or class work is a small price to pay to take part in such a wonderful activity.
One of the best ways to encourage kids is to let them see their peers, or kids closer to their own age, play these instruments. While attending a professional symphony orchestra performance is beneficial, of even more benefit is attending and/or taking part in school concerts. I believe that a fourth grader watching a ninth grader play symphony orchestra music creates a more powerful image in his mind of what can be accomplished than by watching a twenty year veteran symphony orchestra member with whom the child can not really relate. Our concerts in January and May feature multi-grade levels of performers. Our purpose for these concerts is two-fold. One is to give the students a chance to perform and show off what they've learned. Performance is a part of every musician's life, so that outlet is necessary. But, also, by allowing all age levels to perform on our concerts we hope to show the younger kids what can be accomplished as they progress on their instrument from year to year. The high school and middle school orchestras perform throughout the year, so there are many opportunities to attend a concert performed by young musicians. In addition, the PRESTO Newsletter will always contain news of our orchestra programs and helpful hints to keep your child playing to the best of his ability. We sincerely hope you will take advantage of all of these opportunities.