Violin lessons are more than child’s play
Tiny hands are getting to grips with the violin in Central Warwickshire, and parents have been adding an extra string to their bow as well!
Children who are learning the violin in Kenilworth, Warwick and Leamington get together every month for a morning of practice and play.
Most of the young musicians have lessons either at school or through Warwickshire County Council’s Central Warwickshire Music Centre.
They have been taught using the Suzuki method, which involves them watching, listening and copying someone else. The method is designed to be fun and easy for young children to understand.
The youngsters have been learning on a range of violins, some of which are just one-sixteenth the normal size for the instrument.
So inspired have the parents been that they too have started to learn the instrument and they now meet in their own weekly group.
Liz Eley, from Warwick, whose ten-year-old daughter Gemma took up the violin four years ago, said: “Gemma started through school and I got involved with the adult group because I was more interested in finding out more about what she was learning. I used to play the clarinet when I was at school but I had not played an instrument for years.
“It is great fun playing in the adults’ group but I mostly enjoy being able to help Gemma at home. I can help her work out a piece of music and we can play duets together.”
Gheeta Balakrishnan started learning the violin after her son Dominik picked it up as a five-year-old while at Thorns Infants School in Kenilworth. She said: “The way the Suzuki method works the parent has to sit in the lessons. It is like learning to speak a mother tongue, you learn by copying and by example. I was going along ignorant about anything to do with music and after a while the teacher suggested I have a go as well.
“Dominik has been playing for six years now and I really enjoy playing with him at home and with the parents group. I know I will never catch him up or others with more musical experience but I take part in the occasional concert and have managed to achieve something I never thought possible – I’d really recommend that others aren’t put off by trying to take on a musical instrument.”
Sue Mock, of Warwickshire County Council’s County Music Service said: “We are used to having children coming through to take part in our different groups but it was a welcome surprise when we realised that there were parents who were wanting to learn as well. It helps provide the children with support with their practice and opens up making music to people of all ages.”
For more information about the Central Warwickshire Music Centre and the different groups it runs, please contact County Music Service on 01926 412803.