The first time I play the violin was when I’m just 6 years old. Then, my parents, like all other parents, would love their kids to learn how to play a musical instrument. And I’m very fortunate to have my hands on the violin – even though as a little kid then, I don’t even know how a violin is played 🙂
I still remember the first piece of violin music I played – Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. (I’m sure you know that song too). While these are really easy songs, my parents and relatives do love to see my play the violin. And yea, the feeling is really wonderful!
As I grew up, I continued to play the violin, and improve my skills level too. I also started to play with my primary school’s orchestra, as a little Violin 1. We played in concerts, violin competitions (and won!), and even invited to perform overseas too. This was then I learn how to play the violin as a group, instead of just solo.
However, if you see that my violin journey was all about fun, then you might want to read on.
As years go by, violin seems to be a more difficult instrument to play. I’m frustrated with my playing, and I just can’t seem to improve my violin skills. As a teenager then, I also become interested in other areas, like sports – football, basketball and even archery. I play the violin less, day by day.
This is also when my very best violin friends decided to give up violin playing to pursue other interests. I’m quite sad when they told me, and the thought of me giving up the violin struck my mind too. Then, I was only 14 years old, with just ABRSM Grade 5 violin certificate.
I did not play the violin for a couple of months… till I attended a orchestral concert, and was inspired to pick up the violin again. I’m in love with their violin music, and believe that I can really play beautiful violin music one day. I resumed lessons and worked hard to improve my skills.
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I Love Violin Music As Much As You Do. ~Marcus
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17 years on, at the time of this writing, I’m still playing the violin and I’m loving it! And one thing I can share is that I never regretted picking up the violin, even though there has been ups and downs throughout my violin journey.
Other than loving my own music, I’m also a violin teacher to a couple of students. It’s really great seeing them growing up loving violin music. I do play in my friends’ music bands and perform for my church, to share my joy of playing the violin with many others.
In 2011, I created ViolinMusicSchool.net to spread my love of violin music with more people, and share with violinists around the world my knowledge about this amazing and lovely instrument.
Here you go my friend in violin! My loving relationship with my violin thus far. Hope it does interest or inspire you in some way 😀
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So now it’s your turn!
What’s your story with the violin? I know it must be more interesting than mine. How about sharing it with me, and fellow violin lovers over here? Simply leave it in the comments below!
You can write about
- How you come to play the violin?
- What did you love about the violin?
- What are your struggles when you play the violin?
- What would you like to achieve from playing the violin?
- … (show case your violin video/website if you have one too!)
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Your story doesn’t have to be long, or professional. Even if you only played the violin yesterday, we love to hear from you too! Let’s encourage one another in this great violin community here!
Hi, Thank you for sharing your story with me. It really inspired me. I first picked up my violin when I was about 10 years old. I first played it because it is a nice instrument, and I love its music. However, I find that listening, and learning to play is different. It’s not easy to play the violin.
After 2 years of learning I gave up playing it. I can’t get the music I want to play, and I’m very frustrated at it. But looking at your story, I feel like picking up my violin again. Thank you.
Hi John,
Thanks for sharing your story with us too. We would love to hear you play the violin again. We hope to see you drop by here again!
~Marcus
I first saw Vanessa Mae performance when i was 17,year 1997.
Since than, i told myself i must go for it.
Finally, december 19, 2010 i had started my first violin lesson.
And now i prepare for Grade 3 exam.
it pretty bored for practice scales,
Lot of etudes…
I can say i never stop practice even i feel dont want to.
I cant tell how much i love to play violin,
Weak tempo, still have to improve vibrato…
Tone production, bowing techniques …
Hi Jensen, a lovely violin story you have! We wish you all the best in your upcoming Grade 3 exams, and with your strong passion in violin playing, may you score distinction in it too! 🙂
I’ve always wanted to play the violin when I was a child. However, I couldn’t because of lack of time and money. When I went to college, I tried the guitar, since my main interest was the string instrument. Only, the guitar was a bad idea to try after a fractured finger. 😐 Now, that I am making money of my own, I started taking violin lessons. I love my violin, so much. I don’t like putting it down, but I’m afraid to disturb my neighbors during the week, so I can only play for an hour or so after school. 🙁 Now, I have to play with a wrist brace because I fell down some stairs. :\ I look forward to being a professional violinist someday, even if others tell me that it’s impossible. 😀
Hi Christen, thank you so much for sharing your story with our readers here. We hope a speedy recovery for you and may play the violin well again. Hope to see you on site again. All the best Christen! 🙂
Hi dear Marcus,
I saw your site and I should say that it is great. I first picked up my violin 4 years ago when I was 25 years old. Now I can play my violin and I’m so glad for this. I love my violin so much. It was a gift from my love to me.I’d like to learn more and more about violin.
Wow. Your violin must be a dear treasure to you! Wishing all the best to your violin playing! Hopefully, we can listen to your beautiful music one day! 😀
Hi,
I first picked up the violin about 2 years ago, a very close friend aided me with this one, as I didn’t have the means to purchase one.
I was introduced to music when I was 4 years old but mainly singing. Had proper vocal (both pop and classical) lessons but I always felt the need to play an instrument, although I consider my voice as my primary musical instrument, I feel the need to play when I do not prefer to sing. I have tried the Piano, but I did not feel as drawn to it as the Violin.
I have my inihibitions, as I have such high regard for the instrument that I must admit I feared to play it. So after a few months of lessons, I gave up on it for awhile. And recently I have renewed my faith both for the violin and to myself. Though I am still starting (all over again) and looking for a good teacher, I am looking forward to my journey with the violin. Your website is one of my inspirations and thank you for sharing your experience.
(.^-^.)
Hello Melody! Congrats on picking up the violin again! I once decided to give up the violin too and paused for lessons for about 6 months, because I find it is too hard to learn. But I’m glad that I return to this amazing instrument 3 months later as I missed it too much. There on, I feel so motivated to continue playing and learn it well.
All the best to your violin learning, and hope you may play your best violin music in front of the masses one day!!
I started my lessons when I was in Primary three and loved every minute of it!
I was so proud of my little red violin, I took every effort in practice at home or at school, however, my teacher was the kind who rushed into each lesson regardless of the pupils progress – unmotivated, frustrated and fed up, I abandoned my lessons at the age of twelve with little progress having been made.
Now i’m nearly twenty, and wish that I had taken the time to teach myself how to play this wonderfully emotive instrument, and am now trying to make up for lost time!
Even with my spasmodic bowing style, and bad fingering, which stem from years of fruitless lessons, I hope to one day play from my heart, the way I should have.
Hi Resonance!
Glad that you have decided to pick up the violin once again! I feel for you, for the teacher you have when you started learning when you’re young. I had that one teacher in the past too. Their ‘rushing and pushing’ just make you lose interest in violin totally.
But glad that you’re inspired to learn once again. Play hard, and practice more, and I’m sure you’ll be able to play well!
Hi,
2 years a go i accidentally listened to Bach’s partita for solo violin in D minor – Giga. I immediately fell in love and couple of months later i purchased my first violin. I am now 30 years old which is of course extremely late for starting violin but i practice everyday and i’m actually playing pretty good!
I’d like to say to anyone who reads this and thinks they are too old to start playing, just go for it. You don’t have to be Paganini to enjoy playing this instrument. You will fall in love with it as soon as you pick up your first violin and you will play whatever you can and it will always feel beautiful to you.
Regards,
Ozan
Hi Ozan! Thank you for sharing your inspiring story! You said it right! Violin music is for all ages, no matter what age you’re at, you can still play the violin! Hope that more people can be inspired by you to pick up the violin! 🙂
Hi,
I first picked up a violin when I was about 30 and just adored it from the start. I progressed really quickly. I would agree that it is more about your passion for playing than the age you start. If you are really committed you will learn and progress. I got so hooked on the violin that I stared collecting them, I now have my own website and write regularly, including a couple of blogs on the violin and playing. I am going to start one specifically aimed at adult learners because there seems to be less out there for them and the challenges are different for adults than youngsters.
That’s great to hear from you Nick! As you’ve said, passion is really important. I have friends who picked up violin at a young age, but gave up eventually when they reach high school. One reason they usually gave is that, they learn the violin, because their parents forced them to. I really hope more people can pick up and learn this beautiful instrument! Great job you’ve done on your website. Hope to hear more from you too!
Hello, I’ve read your Tips and they have served me a great amount of help, My Name Is Chelsea Thompson and I’ve been playing the violin here in Belize for about 2 years and 7 Months, I first started when I entered High School because the school i enrolled in Offered the option to play the violin. i was so excited because in Music classes you are picked to either play a bass, percussion, Woodwind or string instrument,there were 2 music teachers one who taught strings and the other taught the rest, so the people who interested in playing the stings raised there hands and it came to be that there were more than expected, so 20 people placed their names on paper in a box and 15 were chosen, i wasn’t one but in the end i didn’t regret not getting in Because i now play the Trumpet and its great, but i still wanted to play the violin, so my late father saw that i wanted to and he invested in a violin for me, and i went and took private lessons from the violin teacher. I spent 8 months playing the violin and then the teacher had to leave so i enrolled in a Music School and changed teachers because I became more interested in Playing, i Felt better in my Life and school work that i had picked up playing this wonderful instrument. 🙂 I began the School in September 2011 and been there since i love it because it offers me to join in on their orchestras, i play at concerts with them and i even took up the offer of playing in the National Youth Orchestra of Belize, and we play at different national events, soon we will be Playing for our Independence Ceremony and it is a huge event, i can’t wait :D. I’m Currently Preparing for my Grade 3 exams in March and its coming along just great. I have no regrets in taking in on the Violin it a beautiful instrument and it creates Beautiful Hearts.
Hi Chelsea! thank you so much for subscribing. I hope you like what I shared with you about violin playing! It is also great to hear from you that you have enjoyed violin, and now you are playing in the National Youth Orchestra of Belize! I’m so happy to hear that!
I would like to wish you all the best for your Grade 3 exams, and may you score distinction in it! All the best, and practice hard! Hope to see you back here again 🙂
Dear Marcus,
After loving the sound of strings in all kinds of music, I began violin lessons at age 48- and have played for the past 10 years. What a joy! While I probably will always be at an intermediate student level, I play with a community orchestra, which gives me opportunity to learn from other skilled players while enjoying playing for others. I have been taking lessons from my teacher for 7 years, and continue to learn new things from her every lesson. My greatest joy was playing duets at my son’s wedding with my teacher- and each time I play in public my fear reduces! Nothing like playing and practicing after work- even though my beagle howls when I practice double-stops!
Have to add that I was discouraged from playing the violin from several well-meaning adults…..I strongly encourage anyone, of any age, to pick up a violin. Playing has given me such joy that I can’t imagine not playing!
I enjoy your website, and your story! For everyone out there- keep playing!!
Hi Ellen!
Thanks for sharing your story with all of us! Your story really resonate with us, as some of us do get discouraged by well-meaning friends who tell us to do other things than learning the violin. I’m sure your story sure do encourage many of us fellow violinist to keep playing and loving violin music!
I currently have a violin student who is a mum of 4 kids, and I can say she is very much like you too. I will share your story with her. 🙂 Thanks for being here, and hope to see you around the site!
First time I ever saw a violin was at my cousin’s home when I was about seven years of age. It was his school’s violin and he had stored it in his closet. To me, it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.
The first time I heard a violin was when The Hale’ Orchestra’s sting quartet from Leeds, U.K.,came to play at my school when I was 10 years old and again, I was stunned by the beauty of the instrument and was enchanted by the sound that it produced.
A violin was out of reach for me in those days both financially and culturally. By culturally, I mean that my parents were Deaf and we used sign language at home so music was not readily accessible; I did not even have a radio.
Got a very cheap guitar when I was thirteen on the promise of my science teacher who told his class that if anyone got a guitar, he’d teach us 3 or 4 chords and we could be in his band to play at the next dance. I was hooked and have been playing guitar ever since. Now I am 65 years of age. Played mandolin for a while and bought my very first violin last February 2013. The passion is there and I quickly mastered basic techniques by watching instructors of every genre on YouTube. I have since played my ‘fiddle’ in a bluegrass band when the real fiddler was not there and I play it at some of the music clubs here in The Villages, Florida.
One is never too old to take up a new instrument and I am having a blast with mine. By the way, I never learned to read music but the fingering on the fiddle as well as the mandolin is so logical, more so than the guitar, that it is relatively easy to conceptualize and play a tune. Sometimes, a tune comes to me by osmosis and that’s a real gift.
My first fiddle purchased on EBay was made in Germany at the turn of the 1900s and was beautifully set up for Bluegrass by Brian Christiansen of Nashville, Tennessee. The second violin, won in an auction, is a very fine Johann Glass, Leipzig, circa 1924 and that one is for sale.
My most recent acquisition came from, V.A. Hill Fine Strings, Calgary, Canada and it had been used in The Calgary Symphony in the 1950-60s and was treasured and played by it’s owner right until her death. I am now the lucky custodian of this fine violin made by William Robinson, Plumstead, London 1928, #219 and being British by birth, I call it my “National Treasure”. My bow is a Coda Bow “Diamond”, expensive but well worth the investment if you are comitted to the violin.
Hi Peter, thanks for sharing your love with music, not only just the violin, but every instrument that you have played. Your story will surely inspire our readers over here, how you pick up the violin, and perform with your band. So much awesomeness! I’m sure your “National Treasure” will be loved by many in years to come!
Hi Peter,
Your story encourages me- as one adult violin student to another! Love hearing about your opportunities to perform, as well as the learning available on youtube. And I have not thought about auctions as being a source for an older violin….great idea!
Ellen
Hi Ellen. Thank you for your kind comments. Like everything one does in life, the secret ingredient to success is passion. Without that special ingredient, everything is just mediocre. Best of luck with your violin studies.
I have love the beautiful tune and music from the violin. When I start picking up the violin to practice what movitate me is to have the passion and patience to keep practicing everyday. Have a fiddle group that practice together once a week but due to their work commitment have stop and am now practicing on my own.
I am a gentleman in my 70s. I began playing the violin as a very young child in about 5th grade in a music class in elementary school. My teacher advised my parents that I had talent and that I should continue to persue the violin. So my parents provided me with private violin lessons. They purchased a violin for me, and I continued. In my 7th, 8th, and 9th grade I was a member of the school orchestra and advanced to 2nd chair, until the no 1 chair occupier moved on to high school after which I then occupied 1st chair. (There were about 15 violinists). Then my family moved to Florida and I put my violin to rest for almost 50 years. In 2004, a young woman played a violin solo in our church worship service, which had quite an impact on me. I talked to God and reckoned with HIM that if He gave me back my talent, that I would play for Him and His glory. After that, I wrestled with God as to how this could come about. About 2 years passed and my wife and I moved to Georgia. In our new church fellowship we acquired a new worship leader. When he discovered that I used to play the violin, he invited me to attend practice. The team seemed impressed enough in me to ask me to continue practicing with them in the future and after a short period of time asked me to play in the worship service. As I continued, my confidence increased and I am now playing with a new violin and enjoy very much my violin again. Thanks be to GOD, my worship leader, and the the events that led up to my return to the violin playing. Now looking for a good quality bow to help in the tone quality of my playing.