My Violin

I played my violin for the first time tonight in probably over a year. It made me really sad when I started playing, because I realized just how much I have forgotten. At least I still knew how to tune it without a tuner!

I started playing the violin when I was in 3rd grade, and played all though high school, and even some college. (I played in an orchestra my freshman year, and took lessons that year as well.)

My parents bought me the violin I have now when I was 15. (It's the same violin in the photo above.) I forgot how much I loved my violin and playing it. I forgot how beautiful it's sound is, and how far it can carry.

All growing up, I thought I really disliked the violin. My parents forced me to practice and take lessons. But as I got nearer to the end of high school and had so many opportunities to play, I started to realize how much I love it. I was in the All-State Orchestra all three years in high school, and loved every minute of it. I played in the North Arkansas Symphony Youth Orchestra, Northwest Arkansas Civic Orchestra, the school orchestra, and took private lessons.

When I was a senior in high school, I had originally wanted to major in music. But I decided that I wanted my violin to simply be a hobby and not my career, because I feared I wouldn't enjoy it as much.

I really want to take private lessons again. I know it won't take me long to catch up on what I have forgotten, but I don't know if I can do it on my own. I want to improve as well. I don't want to just stop getting better, and I feel I need a teacher to do that. Hopefully I can find an affordable teacher, because violin lessons from a good teacher can be pretty pricey.

My violin has been on my mind all night long. :)