Rumman 1

Mayda Nicole Rumman

Professor

ENC 1101-17 0M05

Monday, October 16th, 2017

Paper 1 Final Drat

Learning the Violin: Note by Note

When my mom was pregnant with me, she would always listen to the legendary

composers while rubbing her belly awaiting my arrival. Then, as a newborn, she would continue

to play the music in the house. At 8 years old, I fell more in love with classical music. I felt it

was my outlet of expression; I would create stories in my head while listening. With all of the

concertos and sonatas played, I always loved the passionate sound of the violin and the

overpowering effect it had on the orchestra, ballet or opera performance. In almost all songs,

violins have a that is like a cry of happiness, sadness or help. If you have listened to opera-

Carmen- or Por Una Cabenza- you know what I am describing. Through this music, I was and

still am able to release all of my emotions. Playing in minor keys helped me release my sadness,

while major keys, specifically D major, help me encompass my joy. Whatever it is Im playing,

afterward, I always feel like I am within a new atmosphere; like I am floating above all of the

negative energy that was previously around me.

The moment I transitioned from simply listening to the violin, to wanting to play it was

when my younger sister started taking violin lessons. I would attend her recitals and lessons and

wonder why I never started learning the violin earlier. With my passion for classical music, those

around me were always shocked that I started actually playing an instrument so late. I think I
 Rumman 2

could never make up my mind on which instrument to play, and ended up giving up. So, I asked

my mom if I could take lessons with Mrs. Francie (my violin teacher until this day), and she told

me she would ask her to check if she was accepting students at the moment. When my mom took

me to my sisters lesson in which we were going to ask the teacher, I was ecstatic and couldnt

wait to get a hold of a violin and start making music. Unfortunately, I was not able to hold a

violin as soon as I hoped- my teacher was not willing to take me as a student because of how old

I was- 11 years old. She was trained to take in students of younger ages like my sister. I would

have been devastated, but I didnt have much time to think about it because my mom instantly

began convincing Mrs. Francie as to why she should accept me. She began telling her about my

passion, how much of a quick learner I am, and that I would practice very hard to catch up.

Thankfully, she agreed, and I began taking lessons in the October of 2010.

After my first obstacle was conquered, I had to tackle the task of practicing really hard to

be able to catch up. Being a pre-teen and playing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star with a bunch of

toddlers is not the best feeling in the world, so I worked hard to perfect my posture and

techniques to be able to advance to the level of kids my age. My teacher uses the Suzuki method

of teaching, so there is a lot of specific details students must remember. According to the

International Suzuki Association, The Suzuki Method is based on the principle that all children

possess ability and that this ability can be developed and enhanced through a nurturing

environment. All children learn to speak their own language with relative ease... Also, Shinichi

Suzuki always wanted his students to get accustomed to listening to the repertoire they would

work on. So, my teacher gave all her students CDs of all the songs the book we would be

working on. My mom would ensure I listened to my songs as much as I could; she would even

play it in the car. After months of home-practice, I reached the next recital playing all of the
 Rumman 3

same songs that the kids my age were performing. All of my hard work had paid off, and I was

driven to continue on this path.

With my journey of learning the literacy of playing the violin, I consider my mom,

teacher, and social media to be fundamental supporters of my education. These people helped

keep me motivated, encouraged, and supported throughout my journey. A way my mom and

teacher would help me with advancing in my Suzuki method books was to film me practicing

and film my teachers hands as she played so I could re-watch it later to remember the technique

she used. In addition to those videos, my teacher gave me sheets of paper at each lesson that

guided me through the process practicing at home. I feel like those minor details really helped

me advance quicker, and allowed me to practice more efficiently. As time went on, I ate, slept

and practiced violin until in the December of 2011 I graduated from Suzuki Book 1. I held a

graduation recital with all of my friends and family to watch me perform all of the songs in that

book. At that moment, although I was playing simple songs, I was so proud of how far I have

come, and I learned that practice truly does make perfect. And a year later, I graduated from

Suzuki book 2. Looking back, book 2 was not as hard as book 3 or 4, but it did require extra

effort to ensure the pieces were up to my teachers expectations as well as my own personal

goals. As I got older and lost the motivation and energy boost that young children often have, I

turned to social media for inspiring musicians. On Instagram, there is a multitude of musicians

tracking their progress and offering advice to their followers. Accompanying Instagram, I was

accepted into a Facebook group- the Facebook Violinists- in which members could post videos

or questions about songs they are playing or about to learn, and other members are able to offer

constructive criticism and help the subscribers of that community. With these tools, I was able to

watch professional violinists raw practice videos, and often they had mistakes. And in the
 Rumman 4

captions, they would point it out and teach viewers how to fix it if they were to encounter the

same issue. I remember one of my favorites, Chloe Trevor, posted a video of her at a concert.

She was very nervous and her hands were shaking, so her vibrato was not up to par. In her post,

she explained to her viewers, that it is a very common issue and to take deep breaths to help

steady your hand. My eyes were opened to the world of professional playing, and I discovered

that they do, indeed, make mistakes. This helped me loads during my journey.

Starting book 3 was challenging for me, because the repertoire was more difficult, and I

had less time to practice. I started to fall back in my music and I was frustrated. Learning vibrato

(which is when the violinists have to rotate their finger back and forth to allow the note to

resonate and add passion) and shifting (moving positions up and down the violin to play higher

notes) was not easy and required constant drilling of etudes. Doubt of pursuing the violin began

flooding my brain. I, of course, still adored classical music, but wasnt sure if violin was right for

me. My teacher, mom and I discussed if I should switch to learning the viola or even cello. I took

some time to strongly think about this decision because switching would cause me to fall behind

even more than I am with the violin, and frustrate me more. A few days later, we were driving to

the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts where they were showing The Nutcracker (my

favorite ballet), and she said, Have you decided if you want to switch to viola or cello? I

replied, Im not sure yet, I just dont know. We attended the ballet. Once it came to an end and

the pas de deux began I was thrilled. As a piece and a performance, it is legendary for its display

of passion and love; it can pull anyone in. Once the opening arpeggios of the harp, I was on the

edge of my seat amazed at the ballerinas. Then the strings chimed in, and my eyes departed the

dancers, and I tried to spot the violins in the orchestra pit and wanted to spot how they were

playing the passages. With this piece, in particular, the dancers combined with the violinists
 Rumman 5

illustrate a certain passion and professionalism that I craved and dreamed of having myself one

day. The grand ending occurred, and the ballet was sadly over. The whole way home I was

humming the tune and attempting to imitate the sugar plum fairys choreography. I made my

decision. I told my mom that I wanted to stick with violin, and never quit. I even told her- never

allow me to quit, I may want to, but dont let me because I dont want to make a drastic decision

on a temporary feeling.

In 2013 I attended the ballet, and this past summer I was blessed enough to have my

parents gift me a trip to Italy. As my mom and I were deciding where to go, I was very flexible

and did not mind what we did or where we went, but there was one thing I asked- to see an opera

in Firenze- the musical mecca of the Middle Ages. My mom kept in contact with her aunt and

cousin that live in Firenze, and they helped us get the best experience without being scammed as

tourists. So, I ended up watching a legendary opera- La Traviata- in an ancient palace in the out

and open- I could look up and see the stars. My dream truly came true. As the opera progressed,

and Violetta (the main character) sang her renowned aria, I couldnt help by shed a tear at how

beautiful the orchestra and the performers were, and how grateful I was to have such an

experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. As for now, my long-term dream of

playing in Firenze is still in the back of my mind, but my short-term goals are almost achieved. I

have been working on perfecting all of the pieces in the Suzuki book 4 for my graduation recital

in December. Also in this coming winter, I will be auditioning for the University of Central

Floridas symphony orchestra and will have the experience of playing regal symphonies with my

peers. And eventually work my way up to Italy- where the unforgettable memory of the end of

the opera- Violetta on her deathbed, I thought to myself- I love this city, and I love this opera.

One day- I am going to come back and play in this orchestra just like these people did.