I always dreamed that someday my offspring would play the piano and/or some musical instrument.  This stems from a few different things: (1) I desperately wanted to play the piano but it didn’t work out for me (2) despite not getting to learn the piano, I was able to join the school band (3) music is awesome and fun.  (As an aside – why on Earth would policy makers take away the chance for a kid like me to learn music/play an instrument?!?!?  My parents could eventually afford to buy my instrument without the burden of paying lots of money for private lessons.  I really truly feel badly for the kids that will miss out on music education in the public schools.)

When Rachel was a baby, I played lots of classical music in her nursery, in the car, or just wherever.  I took her to MusikGarten.  Whatever it was a determined parent was suppose to do to develop a love of music, I did it. Especially teaching her that my music choices were superior to Bryan’s – hahaha.  Several years ago, I purchased tickets to the

Rachel having fun at her “MusikGarten” 2nd birthday. As you can see, she is already a musical genius!

family concert series for the local symphony, and Rachel became a “junior patron”.  These concerts are just perfect for kids.  Even my highly distracted kid loved them and the instrument “petting zoo”.  There were always three instruments she HAD to play – the trombone, the trumpet, and the violin.  Go figure that the child of a woodwind player would ignore the woodwinds!  She always thought that the violin was really fun.  At the time, I told her that she must start with the piano, mainly because I am a selfish parent using my kid to live my unfulfilled dream. After two years of begging to take violin lessons, I relented.

There is a reason that there are not many kids playing the violin.  It is expensive!  Holy cow!  After about a month of lessons, Rachel has a decent bow grip and violin position and has learned to play Mississippi-hot dog!  Her teacher is pretty interesting.  She has a very impressive CV of training and experience, which includes playing with John Denver and Cat Stevens (before he became “radical”).

Rachel resting with her violin 🙂

I must say, I had a few flashbacks to my old saxophone playing days.  It’s kind of funny how all music teachers have certain things in common.  But, not all music teachers occasionally do ballet plies with her students 🙂

Aside from the financial and time commitments on my part, I have to video the entire lesson and take notes.  The best part – I have to learn all of this violin stuff and be Rachel’s teacher

Rachel learning how to position her fiddle

every time she practices (and that is daily)!  If she messes up, guess who gets the heat????

Anyway, at least I remember enough about reading music that I am not a total mess.  For the first time, Bryan took Rachel to her lesson this week.  When the teacher asked Bryan if I ever got a metronome, he apparently had no idea what she was talking about.  LOL!  She was so shocked by this, she called and left a message.  Lets just say, I better have that metronome by next Saturday….

Rachel playing for little sis!