Tags
Classical music, Compact Disc, Fiddle, Lia, Music, Music education, Teacher, Violin
After the kids won the talent show, someone approach to me and asked who is their teacher. He assumed I will say the names well-known locally. Well, one of their teacher, Calvin Dyck, teaches Lia classical music is a famous musician who owned a doctor degree. But that’s not the reason I chose him for the lessons. He has a very powerful colorful style and uses a fun method to teach. And he loves fiddle music. I was amazed by the detail and expression he brought into music and surely he made a big change to the kids performance. I understands why others always want to know who is the kids’ teacher, most parents want the best for their children and if they can get the same teacher as my kids, they will give their children a jump-start.
My children might be lucky to have different teacher to help them through different stages. Their second classical teacher force them to read music instead of copy him. He also took out the tape on their violin from the previous teacher to train them get in tone by ears and it really open another chapter. Their third teacher speed up their path by introduce fun pieces. And their last teacher is like a martial art master bring them into power and style which are not on the paper. When they were 8 and 9, fiddle master Calvin Vollrath took them in his own class in the fiddle camp, a pioneer step no one else dare to do. he gave them a chance to learn in professional level at very young age.
Yes those good teachers make significant changes. Buy when my son start to teach as charity, Dr Dyck told him, he can’t just teach anyone, but only the one who want to learn. I found out later it is true. But not just about the kid but also the parents. Kai has a couple brilliant students who learn fast. We helped them get a donated violin and drove Kai to their place to teach for free. We suggested them to join the local fiddle club to get in camp free. When all sounded good, their parents kept cancelling lessons because they are busy and they never show up in the camp or club. Why they were asking help and not cooperate with the teacher?
I also heard a friend said her son got MVP but she can’t let him be in the baseball game that summer because they HAVE TO go to their share-time cabin for vacation. What? Anything special happened to my kids maybe the only chance to make a change to their life, what are those parents thinking?
It bothers me when I see kids stand like statures in a fiddle group while others perform because they only know a few songs. The first time my children join the local fiddle club they are just beginners in playing violin. I didn’t let them sit there to watch other’s play. I told them picking up their little violins and follow others’ fingers. in a half year they are winning in contest, getting paid gigs and even recorded with the club in the CD. Do you dare to let your kids try?
To find a good teacher is important but more important is your input for your children. When you complain your kids don’t practice enough, please play some music to let them fall in love with it. When you envy with other kids play better, maybe work with the music teacher a little close, not just drop the kids off for lessons and take off. My daughter heard a Beethoven piece played in the movie, she said it’s so beautiful, I want to play it. So I searched all night on-line to find the sheet music. Do you ever do that? When you kids want to play something harder than the level they are learning, do you encourage them or say you can’t do it? Do you ever let your kids holding a pretend violin to mimic the musician? Do you play music for your kids since they still in the womb? So don’t blame the kids or teacher, check how much did you do.
Fiddlin' Frenzy 