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Hi.
I'm 65 y.o. English teacher special ed - my students are emotionally challenged teenagers, mostly very talented cognitively but dealing with all kinds of emotional/psychological challenges.
About 4 years ago I started getting scared of retirement. I'm not good at unstructured time. Took me about 2 and a half years to figure out that I wanted to go back for an M.A. and I'm doing that.
I played violin from 4th to 8th grade but was apparently undiagnosed (they didn't have it then) ADHD and didn't practice so when we moved to another state after 8th grade it didn't seem to make sense to find a new teacher. So I gave it up.
Never really thought I'd come back to it.
A few weeks ago in an inservice on positive psychology another teacher mentioned that he started learning piano. I said to myself, hey, I could go for that. Except violin. My first love.
So I bought a violin and stashed it in the corner of the room until I feel OK that my family know about it. This afternoon I have the house to myself. Somehow found this site, and after about half an hour on it I'm a happy camper.
Thanks for this.
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riffraff said
I bought a violin and stashed it in the corner of the room until I feel OK that my family know about it.
I know an oboist whose wife is an excellent violinist and violist, so he bought a violin and practised it in the loft for 2 years so she wouldn't know about it!
Andrew
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Welcome to the forum, @riffraff! Thank you so much for introducing yourself and sharing your experiences. We are all here to help.
I will be sending you a Welcome email with forum information and it will also include some contact info you might need.
Again, welcome tomthe forum! We are so pleased to have you as a member of our "family" of bowed string instruments enthusiasts.
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Learn Violin and Fiddle
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Welcome to the forum, and thanks for your very good work with the kids, must be extremely rewarding.
Cant beat a sunny day
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Gordon Shumway said
riffraff said
I bought a violin and stashed it in the corner of the room until I feel OK that my family know about it.
I know an oboist whose wife is an excellent violinist and violist, so he bought a violin and practised it in the loft for 2 years so she wouldn't know about it!
In fact I thought my other half knew about the symphony orchestra I've been playing in since September, but it was only this Tuesday that she twigged and I had to explain it to her, lol!
Andrew
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@riffraff I wanted to point out some learning tutorials and sheet music and lessons Fiddlerman provides for free. They are really well done.
The links are found in the menu bar in the masthead above the forum. Here is a photo to help with the location.
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Learn Violin and Fiddle
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@riffraff -
WELCOME TO THE FORUM!
Wonderful to hear you've started back playing the violin! You'll find others here who have started, or returned to the fiddle later in life, too (me included).
What kind of music do you like?
Great support & many resources here, let us know if there is anything we can help you find.
- Emily
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Welcome @riffraff. Glad you're going back to your violin: that sure will keep you busy.
This forum is a very nice place to share any questions and tips. Plenty of information here, about all genres of music.
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ELCBK said
What kind of music do you like?
Easier to answer what kind of music I don't like - but lately I'm investing time mainly in classical - I'm a bit obsessed with Mahler, though that's less in the violin field, otherwise largely into Shostakovich, Sibelius, Bruch, Barber...
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Gordon Shumway said
Gordon Shumway said
riffraff said
I bought a violin and stashed it in the corner of the room until I feel OK that my family know about it.
I know an oboist whose wife is an excellent violinist and violist, so he bought a violin and practised it in the loft for 2 years so she wouldn't know about it!
In fact I thought my other half knew about the symphony orchestra I've been playing in since September, but it was only this Tuesday that she twigged and I had to explain it to her, lol!
Yeah, according to Hollywood marriage is supposed to be completely honest, but in addition to the violin there's my stash of chocolate (75% absolute minimum) and if books somehow fall into my hands (never at my own initiative I deny it categorically) I sneak them into the house when she's out.
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riffraff said
ELCBK said
What kind of music do you like?
Easier to answer what kind of music I don't like - but lately I'm investing time mainly in classical - I'm a bit obsessed with Mahler, though that's less in the violin field, otherwise largely into Shostakovich, Sibelius, Bruch, Barber...
I should be able to play the 3rd movement of Shosti's 1st concerto by June, right? 
and the scherzo by September?
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@riffraff -
Do you remember anything from your school days playing violin?
Asking because I took some lessons in 4th grade. When I started again (here) I was 63 - I couldn't even remember the names of the strings! ...had to start from scratch. Thank goodness this forum keeps me going (will be 69 this year).
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ELCBK said
@riffraff -Do you remember anything from your school days playing violin?
Asking because I took some lessons in 4th grade. When I started again (here) I was 63 - I couldn't even remember the names of the strings! ...had to start from scratch. Thank goodness this forum keeps me going (will be 69 this year).
let me start my response with wow! great on you!
I remember playing an adaptation from scheherazade and from schubert's unfinished. I remember my teacher. So far pretty much starting from scratch, but it's definitely a different experience. Just being such an experienced listener contributes to my self-critique, and I'm clearly much more mature in my understanding of needing to do the gruel work to make progress.
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It's not like riding a bike.
Read Max Jaffa's autbiog.
He led professional orchestras before WWII, but after 6 years of army and airforce he found he couldn't get a single note out of his violin and had to go back to square one with his old professor whom he met by chance in the street.
Andrew
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I totally get stashing it in the corner, starting something new (or revisiting an old love) can feel super personal at first. I dabbled with guitar in my 20s, dropped it for years, then got back into it last year after a rough patch. It’s been a game-changer for my mood, especially on those unstructured days. On the weekends I stick to the violin, diversify myself a bit.
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