Violin Lessons

Currently, I've been taking violin lessons for the past two years and have every intention to continue with them for the foreseeable future. Before that, I had learned to play the cello, although for logistical reasons it was necessary to switch over to a smaller instrument. My goal overall with this activity is become proficient enough to play the music that I like to listen to (mainly classical music). This is no small feet, as the majority of the classical pieces involve various degrees of complex techniques (such as bow crossing, 2nd and 3rd position, and vibrato just to name a few). Currently, I'm practicing 3rd position and attempting to learn vibrato, although that technique requires one to build up the muscles in the fingers over time. At times, it can be quite exhausting, doing repetitive exercises and scales. Indeed, I was once tempted to stop altogether while I was practicing a song for an upcoming festival (as I kept getting stuck at one particularly nasty spot). Yet, one of the more satisfying experiences was when I actually performed this piece (it was a Bouree by Bach) on two seperate occassions, one at a local christmas concert and the other at the annual Tauber Music Festival. The first time I used the music and the second was entirely memorized, the first time for me! I can't express the feeling of accomplishment that overcame when I finished playing the piece at Tauber, although it was far from perfect, it was nevertheless a great feeling of accomplishement. Indeed, I'm looking forward to expanding my profiency on the violin for years to come, so as to hopefully tackle the devilish Hungarian Dance #5 (by Brahms)!