In fourth grade I began violin lessons. Ah, here my memory fails. I can't remember my string teacher's name. But I was in Mrs. Mattson's class. Here's a photo I posted in a previous blog.
(That's me in the middle of the first row, between Terry Skog and Harold Varney. )My first string recital was another Campton Gym experience. The old Campton Gym - I realize now that in my childlife the Campton Gymnasium was a universe unto itself. There on one end of the gym was the raised stage where I saw my first play, PINOCCHIO. And there I danced with other little girls who were students of Mrs. Baum (a topic of previous blog entry). For this string recital of beginning players I believe we joined with string students of Mary MacDonald. I still possess music from the recital - hand-written and then run off a ditto machine. So faded that I can't scan, still readable although about 50 years old. The music on this sheet music includes Aunt Julida's Polka and the Merry Widow Waltz.
My first violin was a small one, a 3/4 size. Before long I was ready for a full-sized violin.
And here it is, my second violin, newly stringed, but lonely indeed.
I played violin from 4th grade until the final week of senior year. That was it. I stopped. Now I long to play it again. Playing again, even minimally, will require time, practice, dedication, probably lessons and also enormous patience. In short, it will be a challenge, and one I'm sure to write about another day.
