Sunday, March 23, 2014

Fiddler in the making.

My younger son, who is 17, has discovered the joys of having wheels. Last week he spent a few days camping with buddies, driving over to the next state to the Cataloochie area of the Smokies. This weekend, he drove the 200+ miles to visit his brother. I try not to worry, but I still worry. One of his goals on his visit was to go into Nashville and buy a new, better violin.

Several years ago, my son became interested in Irish music, and memorized the long lyrics to ballads like "Rocky Road to Dublin" and "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda." On his 16th birthday he decided he'd like to be able to play them as well, and he bought a violin. It seemed like it wouldn't be an easy instrument to teach yourself to play, but when he is interested in something, he is driven.  He practices every day, often waking me early in the morning. I lie in bed and listen to one of his Irish songs or Pachelbel's Canon. But it is the same sort of enjoyment I get from waking up to birds singing. I love to hear him playing the music he adores. And fifteen months after he bought it, the music has become so familiar to me that I find myself humming it as I work around the house. Here a short medley of a few of the songs he plays.

32 comments:

  1. ah that is so cool...i love the sound of the fiddle...what a thing to wake up to as well..it would be like a breath of fresh air..

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    1. It really is. I used to love being in my room and hearing my older son play piano. Or sax. Or guitar. Or bajo. :-)

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  2. He's doing very well, isn't he?
    I love Irish music.
    Maggie x

    Nuts in May

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  3. He's even using fiddler position in holding the violin. It's remarkable that he could teach it to himself.

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    1. A violin and fiddle are the same instrument, just depends on what sort of music you are playing. And he definitely prefers fiddle music.

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    2. Yes. I play violin, and now and then get sucked into the blue grass community and end up fiddling.

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  4. *thunderous applause*

    BRAVO to your son!!!! What a great video clip! And what blows me away is that he taught HIMSELF how to play, which I happen to know is not easy when it comes to the violin. And think I've shared this with you before, but the violin is one of my favorite instruments, along with the cello, because they both carry so much emotion within their sounds.

    Thanks for sharing, girl. ENJOYED!

    X

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    1. Thank you! He watched YouTube clips and practiced and practiced. And he's always been good at hearing music and "getting" it. His band director says he has perfect pitch, so at least that part comes easily to him.

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  5. Your son is very talented--thank you for sharing. My grandparents lived in rural Arkansas and I have great memories as a child of going and listening to instrumentals at the park--I still have a soft spot for classical and period music on stringed instruments.

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    1. There is something so wonderful about listening to music live in an outdoor setting.

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  6. 200 miles? Yeah, I would have been worried!

    It's nice to hear about a kid who is self-motivated to learn something.

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    1. Both my kids have always been like that. He taught himself to blacksmith, too, and his my other son taught himself to carve and play banjo and piano.

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  7. I remember when my niece was learning to play the violin... it was painful, at times.

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    1. You know, the painful part lasted about a month with him and then it quickly got to a point where I enjoyed hearing him play.

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  8. Absolutely beautiful his playing is! Honestly, I was absolutely amazed that he played that well after only 15 months of learning it and learning on his own! Had he played any other instrument before this so at least he had a sense of music theory? I think I would enjoy waking up to music like this!

    I think it is naturally to worry when our kids get behind the wheel. Lots of crazy drivers out there.

    betty

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    1. Thank you. I've been impressed with his progress. He was in band in middle school (played trombone) and did take guitar lessons when he was much younger.

      And yes, I worry more about the drivers he faces than his own driving.

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  9. He's picking it up very well. I can just see him in the corner of an Irish pub, with a crowd of people dancing to the music.

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    1. I think he's enjoy that. Or an mountain music sort of thing, with his brother accompanying him on banjo.

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  10. He taught himself to play this in fifteen months? from scratch?

    carry on, young man, you’ll go far.

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    1. I think he will do whatever he sets his mind to, and I'm thankful for that.

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  11. It is almost impossible not to worry when they are driving, they are always our babies. Love the video, he is very good and I am amazed that he taught himself.

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    1. I've explained the "you'll always be my baby" thing to them, and they just laugh. And thank you.

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  12. Wow - an honorary Irishman for sure :)

    XO
    WWW

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  13. holy moley--i would say he is great on that fiddle! how did he get to be 17? has it been that long, cs?

    new adventures for both of you ahead. i hope the house sells fast and smooth(ly). then off to the big little city….

    love
    kj

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    1. Yes, it's been that long. Sigh. He's growing up fast.

      Thanks. :)

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  14. I always wished I had musical talents, kudos to your son for teaching himself!

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    1. Boys my kids have tons of musical tans and their father and I do not. Not sure how that happened!

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