Music moves my soul. When I impart the ability to play the violin to a student, the impact strengthens the beauty of knowledge and of music. The transmission creates a shift in the person’s inner self.
Each growth in musicianship encourages a personal maturity. Knowledge imparts wisdom, wisdom provides tools to maturation, and maturation, we hope, will build a foundation for empathy and compassion for others.
The opportunity to provide music as a foundational aspect to all ages builds blessings upon blessings in my life. Each smile from a student creates an open door for another person to become hopeful for tomorrow.
Violin lessons online are not as difficult as piano lessons online. With the violin, it is in the arms, but I can demonstrate easier while propping the computer up. Each student works so hard. They listen to instruction, they replicate what is shown, and they keep practicing.
A teacher’s heart melts. My heart melts.
Often, the idea pops in my head how if I were to video these little musicians and play it back for them in a year to show them where they were, they would be amazed. My goal is to send each parent an email and encourage them to video their child playing a song once every two weeks.
That way, they can compare their growth and see how far they have come from following simple instructions geared specifically for them.
Music is more than an instrument. Suzuki suggests a teacher teaches to the heart. I’ve seen parents turn to their children and carefully instruct them after I share words of instruction. They guide their children to know and to learn. Kind, gentle, and focused, they know their children. In each session, I observe parents engaged with their children. The moments are priceless.
My students are moved to shine. They shine each day they pick up their instrument and scratch out a simple scale or a small song.
Because today’s scratching makes tomorrow’s Itzhak Perlman.
What motivates you? What provides you with encouragement to engage with others? Sometimes, the right question provides the impetus to change.
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This post was previously published on ILLUMINATION and is republished here with permission from the author.
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Photo credit: Unsplash
