Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Do You Have a Passion?

What is your passion? Reading, writing, painting, drawing? Maybe it is singing, dancing, playing an instrument.

Ever since I can remember my life has been enriched by music and books. My father was a music teacher, church choir conductor and clarinetist. My mother played the violin. In fact, it was music that brought them together--when she was 15 and he was 20. They made sure all six of their children learned to play some instrument and some of us became proficient on more than one.

Living on a teacher's salary meant there was not a lot of extra cash, but they always found ways to make sure our lives were enriched by season lawn passes at a summer concert/ballet venue. We attended concerts, operas and ballets from a young age on through high school. What we did with this was up to us. Most of the six of us have continued to use our musical education in some way long into our adulthood.

I still enjoy classical music. I adore the cello (my primary instrument), I can play the guitar and bowed psaltry. I have also picked up some fiddle tunes. However when my youngest daughter started outplaying me on the fiddle by the time she was 12 years old I have pretty much set the fiddle aside.

This weekend we attended the 31st annual Old Songs Festival in Altamont, NY. It is a gathering of like-minded artists and patrons who spend a three day weekend together, attending workshops, informal and formal jam sessions, dances and concerts. My girls have attended all of there lives. Watching each one of them express their individual interests and make the experience "theirs" has been a delight.

Music has certainly been a constant love in my life, but so has reading and writing. Sometimes trying to find time for all of them has been a challenge. So, what is your passion? Tell me a little something about it, please.

2 comments:

  1. Nan, I followed your link here from eharlequin!
    I loved your post. Wow. What a fabulous childhood. I came from a much different background. In fact, I'm the only one in my family who adores books!
    Must tell you that my husband's auntie played for the Australian Orchestra, violin. Now that our 9yo daughter is learning at school, she is lucky enough to use her deceased great-auntie's violin. It's a Wolfe Bros. (think that it) and sounds absolutely beautiful even with a young novice at the bow. Hope she keeps going with it.
    Have a great day!

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  2. Robin, Your daughter is lucky she has a mom who is encouraging her musical interests and how fortunate she has the opportunity to use a violin that has a great sound. Sometimes young people become discouraged and quit because they can't make anything sound good on the typical student violins. My daughter's first violins were not great, but by the time she grew into my old 1/2 size, then her Aunt's 3/4 size and finally her grandmother's full size violin, she had good to great sounding instruments.

    I wish your daughter the best with her music. Thanks for coming by.

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