I have a long storied history with the violin and classical music. While this probably won’t be my first or only post about it, perhaps this might inspire some of you to see why I went down this path.
I was 4 years old when I first wanted to learn the violin. I had recently seen people play it on TV, and my mother figured it would be good for me. Nobody in my life at that point had played as far as we knew, and my grandmother was initially quite against it- she told her that this would be an “8 month obsession, then get dropped as soon as it came”. Little did she know, here I’d be, 20 years later. My mother didn’t know what to do, and ended up finding me my first teacher- a traditional teacher who, despite her best efforts, I simply didn’t get along with. It was surely nothing on her, but it was clear we weren’t making progress, and after another switch I found myself in a studio with other kids and adults all learning to play. Here I’d make my musical home for about 8 years, and I first gained exposure to the suzuki method.
My teacher was lovely, wonderful even. While I certainly had my reservations for practicing, I learned very early on that I had a good listening ear- if I listened to it enough, I’d be able to play it without reading it. Unfortunately for me, this talent meant that I slacked off on learning to commit to hard practice: a habit that would ultimately drive me into a pit when I entered my early teens. I wasn’t sure what to do or where to go, but little by little I managed to find a new place I’d fit in- partially by learning the french horn. This went in a completely different route than the violin, but served as a great outlet for my love of music and gave me the breaks I needed to reset. Slowly over time I’d filter back out to primarily being a violin student, but the french horn has, and will always be, a very important part of my life. I own my own horn now, and every now and then I take it out to play- just to make sure I’ve still got it!
Eventually, my mother married, and I got my stepdad and younger brother a few years later. My stepdad, turns out, was big into classical music- although he’s not a performer, he’s very versed in the musical scene. It was a little before this that we also learned that my great grandmother on my mother’s side did in fact play the violin- something she kept secret from the rest of the family for years, even from her own kids! How she managed that I’ll never know, but it’s thanks to her and my dad that I have the things I do today.
When I got into high school, I found a teacher in the form of a member from the calgary philharmonic, and entered my first competitions. It was a magical time, still full of stress, but despite the hair pulling I had never felt more alive. I realized that when I stopped playing music, I stopped caring for other aspects of my life- I’d neglect myself, and my relationships with the people around me. When I recieved an invitation to go study in the province over, it meant leaving behind my family, my younger brother, and all my friends for three years. I’d almost been done high school, but I decided to take the plunge, resulting in a tearful move where even though I’d see my family, forced me to grow up far sooner than anyone expected.
I lived as an independent student for 3 years: 2 of those spent retaking highschool classes to ensure I’d be eligible for graduation in my new province. I got to stay at a cabin we owned, and worked virtually where I could. I’d commute for my lessons with my new teacher twice a week 2 days every week, once for private lessons, once for chamber music. I had to wake up at almost 4:30 in the morning the days after to make sure I got to school on time. I don’t miss it, but it certainly taught me something about punctuality! The holidays weren’t the easiest, but I’ll never forget my first christmas- on christmas, my family sent me a package with a small tree and decorations, and a box of gifts to open the day of with them on a call. It was bittersweet, but it was all the strength I needed to keep on going. I learned a lot in those few years, and when I returned home, I was far more developed both in terms of what music meant to me and my own capabilities- I’d learned to practice, what it felt like to fall in love with an instrument all over again, and how to build from nothing with only music loving to my name. There, I found an identity outside of just what I wanted to do, but a love for the life around it.
Hopefully you enjoyed this short tidbit! I’ll probably edit it later, but maybe this will help inspire some of you out there.
Nykita Hambly 