I am a violin player from Taiwan, and I would not call myself a “violinist”. Well, you’ll know the reason if you read on.
I am now majoring in special education and minoring in music at the university. This year(2023) is my fourth year. I started learning to play the violin when I was 6 years old. There was an orchestra in my school. My mom made me join the orchestra and began the violin lesson with a group.
After that, I even went to one on one violin class. I enjoyed playing the violin indeed, especially when I performed in front of people who were not familiar with the violin or classical music. They were concentrating on me, making me feel I was admirable. Their applause always gave me a sense of accomplishment.
For every plus, there is a minus. The feeling was like a double-edged sword. It seemed that I played the violin to please somebody, not for myself. I lost the purest mind. I didn’t know whether I had to keep learning and practicing it or not. I couldn’t find a reason to insist on it, and finding the motivation to practice the violin had been my biggest challenge.
Although I didn’t want to persist in learning the violin from teachers, I continued to play it in my free time. Sometimes practicing a piece that was easy to play would calm me down. It helped me get through the boring and stressful days.
After being released from the suffering (attending university), I started to play the violin more and had a new try. I put my effort into practicing for almost two years, and I finally passed the test and got the chance to study at the department of music. Now, I find myself not only enjoying the music but also being longing for the history, the culture, and the knowledge of everything about music. I even become more confident.
I am probably not a professional, but I am a happy violin player. I am sure that I like it and I will enjoy every moment of playing the violin. On the violin-learning road, we can have a temporary pause but don’t forget our origin, pure joy. When we get ready, we’ll find the beautiful view in the front.