Keepviolinin

I’ve been teaching private lessons for more than 13 years now.  Through the years of teaching students from the age of 4 all the way to the age of 18 has been quite challenging, but also the most rewarding experience.  I remember when my violin teacher, Dr.William Starr, told me that the only way I can become even better is to start being a violin teacher myself.  What he really wanted to me to understand is in order for me to become an even better player, I’d have to spend lots of time practicing.  However, he didn’t directly just tell me to PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! Instead, he wanted me to realize it by obtaining students of my own and telling my own students the only way they’d become better players is if they PRACTICED on a regular basis.

You see, I started learning violin from Dr. Starr when I was 12 years old.  My previous violin teachers were all very strict and they all used the Russian traditional method of teaching me how to play the violin.  It wasn’t until I began studying with Dr. Starr that I found out there is actually a fun side to learning the violin.  I remember I always looked forward to our violin lessons together.  Dr. Starr encouraged me to audition for all sorts of ensembles and orchestras.  As I began to become more involved in different ensemble groups, I found more joy in playing the violin.  I think my personality also became alive after being in groups and seeing others who played much better than me on the violin with their hearts out during rehearsals.  Not only did attending different ensemble groups encourage my daily practice, it also helped me understand how to appreciate music and make friends with other students that had similar experiences like myself.

I want to dedicate this blog to the people that helped me KEEP VIOLININ’ throughout these years.  My parents are the first ones I have to thank, because they are the ones that kept me going on the violin even though I wanted to quit so badly.  They are the ones that rode their bikes for an hour to bring me to group lessons every Sunday while I was little.  Now that I am a parent, I can only imagine what I put them through by fighting with them and complaining to them how much I disliked the violin.  Although I wanted to quit, they never once told me it was OK for me to give it up.  Secondly, I want to thank my violin teachers, even the ones that hit me, yelled at me, and made me cry during our lessons, because they made me a stronger person and they did what was best for me as a violinist.  They didn’t teach me the wrong posture, they saved me at an early age and they all believed in me!  Thirdly, I want to thank my students for allowing me to have so much fun with them during our lessons.  I love their curiosity, their enthusiasm, and their humor in appreciating music.  If it weren’t for the students, I would have no fun teaching by myself, AND…my job would not be rewarding, since I wouldn’t be able to see steady progress if I didn’t have any students:)

Finally, I want to thank God for allowing me to enjoy teaching violin wherever I am.  Whether it was living in California, China, or Taiwan. God has allowed me to teach students every time I moved to a new place.  He also has allowed me to develop strong relationships with my students and their families, which I have enjoyed thoroughly.  Now I have friends allll over the world:) This year, He has allowed me to teach the orchestra class at a Christian Academy in Taipei, Taiwan, even though the school knew I was leaving in June of this year.  I have truly been blessed by my Father in heaven.  I have to remind myself to always be thankful for what He has given me and be glad in it:) AMEN!