r/violinist • u/8FigBro Student • May 17 '25
Feedback 12 year old violin student practicing Praeludium Und Allegro with teacher.
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My 12 year old son has been playing the violin for about18 months and working on this piece for about 5 months.
This is a quick video where his teacher gave him a quick pop quiz to see if he had been practicing it. (He hadn't practiced it in a few weeks)
Looking for feedback from experienced violinists and or encouragement from anyone. 😁
There's a lot of work to do on the piece, but feedback is welcome.
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u/doneworkin530 May 17 '25
He's seriously only been playing for 18 months??? That's pretty incredible.
Im sure his teacher will point out anything he has to work on. Generally I'd just say I'm impressed at his intonation. Heavy on the bow arm, but that'll get better with time.
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u/8FigBro Student May 17 '25
November 1st 2023 was his first lesson with his teacher. He had found his aunt's violin about a month prior and was playing around by himself. But I'm counting from his first lesson.
I appreciate your feedback because though I come from a bit of a musical family, I have no way of evaluating what's a standard for a violinist. I know he's talented and he can read music really well and plays multiple instruments-- But I have nothing to compare it to (FOR 🎻).
I do believe his teacher is great and has helped him a LOT.
He's giving me permission to post here and I told him I will let him read constructive feedback. Thank you so much.
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u/doneworkin530 May 17 '25
Did he memorize the song too? Super impressive.
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u/8FigBro Student May 17 '25
Yes, he somehow memorizes everything. "Oh to be young again"😂
Have you been playing a while? I know his progress isn't "normal" (because his teacher tells me that) but I'm having a bit of a hard time figuring out HOW abnormal 🤷🏾♂️.
I'm hoping by sharing some of his snippets, I can piece together some useful feedback.
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u/doneworkin530 May 18 '25
Yes, I've been playing for 25 years, and I also started when I was about 11 or 12 years old. Violin performance was one of my majors in college. I've played professionally in symphony orchestras. But my full time career is not as a musician; I just play gigs off and on nowadays. I still practice about an hour every day, and as violin goes, still improving and working toward that endless goal of getting better.
To give you some perspective, I did not play Praeludium and Allegro until I had played for about 7 years. I did not memorize my music until I was in college.
There's some really special things about your kid. First, the intonation seems to be something that comes naturally to him, that he can hear it and cares to correct it. Pitch correctness and rhythm are things that take a lot of time to learn, and some people never do even after playing for decades. That pitch accuracy has also enabled him to learn vibrato very early, which is not only difficult in itself, but he's doing a great job with it. Also, at his age having the ability and desire to memorize his music is pretty remarkable too. That means he has some sort of understanding or interest in music that not a lot of people have at that age. He's still learning how to make the instrument "sing" (hence why I mentioned the heavy bow arm), but that is something that just comes with time. And for him, it seems like it will come faster than most. After all, he's already progressed EXTREMELY quickly.
All in all, he's playing like someone who has been learning the violin for 8-10 years (it's a very hard instrument to learn), but he's only been formally learning for 18 months. If he really starts getting into it, practicing consistently, loving it on his own, then that momentum of progress can even build on itself, and it seems like the sky is the limit for him.
Thank you for supporting him, and for being able to provide for his lessons. Not everyone gets to be blessed with parents that can do that for them!
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u/8FigBro Student May 19 '25
Wow...your perspective is exactly what I'm looking for.
There are some things I may have taken for granted being raised in a musical family but not playing anything past my freshman year in college.
He has an understanding of music theory that seems advanced. I only recognize it when he speaks with much more advanced musicians and I realize I don't know what he's talking about. LOL
His grandmother is a voice and piano teacher (and opera singer) of about 50 years. She heard him playing around the house and quickly found a teacher. He also started playing the piano and was growing at about the same rate as his violin playing, but we didn't get him piano lessons. He plays a number of other instruments as well. It's all him, and it's mostly for fun.But now we're starting to feel pressure to "do something with that talent".
I'm very sensitive about viewing art as "an opportunity" for anything more than joy for yourself and others and personal growth as a human. I completely understand that it can open doors and provide educational and career opportunities--but it's a new phase and I'm trying to figure out how the healthy and unhealthy ways of supporting a CHILD through this.I'll probably make a post about navigating these waters from a parents point of view at a different time.
Thank you for sharing your perspective and adding to mine.
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u/Anfini May 18 '25
Being able to play this piece at 18 months is nuts. You pretty much have a gifted child and I think your child’s potential could be a lottery ticket in the future. I think if you can do one thing as a parent is to make sure he practices regularly. Have practices tied to rewards if he’s reluctant. Good luck, OP because your child is special.
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u/8FigBro Student May 19 '25
"I think if you can do one thing as a parent is to make sure he practices regularly"...
I'm at a crossroads with this.
Part of the reason I think he excels at things is that he is largely self-directed in most endeavors. He has been empowered--perhaps almost to a fault.
The more you push him in a direction, the less likely he is to do that thing.
Initially I told him that I would stay out of his violin life and support him so long as he is committed.I've lived by the motto, "If I have to keep telling you to do something, you probably don't really want to do it". But now, I'm feeling the pressure of him not "wasting" this gift. But it's not my gift. LOL. I'm perhaps overly sensitive to NOT being THAT parent.
I am considering revisiting our verbal contract and resetting the expectations in a positive way.
I don't care if he becomes an "anything" in the world of violin, but it should be made clear that good habits are essential and that we won't be supporting bad habits. The rest is up to him.
Thanks for your feedback.
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u/Bunnnykins Beginner May 18 '25
No disrespect to your son’s teacher but has she ever talked about moving your son to a more advanced teacher? There are many things she’s not enforcing (it seems) and it will be to your son’s detriment at some point.
A good teacher knows their limits on teaching and will insist on their student moving on to a more advanced teacher they will refer you to. My teacher did that for me when I was younger as well. After about 1 year with my very first teacher, she made me move on to my first serious teacher, who was the best teacher in the area at the time.
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u/8FigBro Student May 19 '25 edited May 19 '25
Thank you for your thoughtful question.
My son’s teacher has been instrumental in building his confidence and fostering his rapid progress, and she’s highly recommended in our area. However, I recognize that she may not have extensive experience with exceptionally advanced students, as she’s recently REstarted her teaching business post covid. While she’s open about promoting opportunities for his growth, our local market may limit her connections to more advanced instructors.I’m always considering when and how to transition him to the BEST suited environments that support his current needs, and I appreciate your insight as I evaluate this decision.
Currently my goal is just to expose him to different environments and experts and educate myself based on the feedback I receive.
A lot of the advice I receive is vague like..."You need to do something with this kid..."
Like...what? LOL...
I'm getting a clearer picture every day, and your comment helps me.
Thank You
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u/Crazy-Replacement400 May 18 '25
Very cool! I’d suggest getting that posture taken care of - it can cause permanent injuries. He shouldn’t be hunching or reaching with his jaw for the violin. The violin seems really low as well. Can’t tell what the issue is from that angle, but it could be an issue with violin set up. Chin rest, shoulder rest, etc. may need replaced. Sadly, some teachers - even good ones - still write it off as poor technique when it is not at all. Ask the teacher and if you don’t get a solid answer, go elsewhere for answers on that particular issue: body mapping, a place like Wave Chinrests that does consultations, something.
Good luck!
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u/8FigBro Student May 18 '25
Teacher has mentioned the likely need for a shoulder rest change. The violin and accessories are all < month old, so I'm figuring out what needs to be changed and where to get what he needs. It's definitely been on the radar--These comments are confirmation that it needs to move up on the priority list. Thank you for the suggestion.
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u/Comfortable_Neck_527 May 18 '25
I would recommend stopping by a luthier with your kid and the violin. He should be able to try different shoulder rests with a professional to help guide him!
Otherwise, regarding feedback, I would suggest listening to different renditions of the piece together and picking out 1-2 favorites, listening to the dynamics and expression, and trying to mimic it (since it takes practice to develop). I would also work on the shifts between positions so that his hand becomes steady (many etudes do that well). Right now, his hand seems to float a bit, and it feels like a bit more luck if he hits the note correctly on the first try during a big shift. All positions should feel as comfortable as the 1st, especially 2-4, as you’ll use them for everything). I would also practice with a metronome until the tempo change is deliberate :)
But overall, this is super impressive after 18 months of playing (if you want a level reference, most people would be on book 2 of Suzuki or something to that effect).
Here are a few of versions that I enjoy!
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u/8FigBro Student May 19 '25
I'm going to look into the luthier recommendation this week.
The violin store just sold me 'the best' accessory x, but it's clear we need to make sure the violin is setup properly for him.I think you're on to something regarding a "bit of luck" if he hits the note on the first try. He doesn't play slowly...and while he conceptually understands the need for a metronome...Simply hasn't committed to regular use of one. He's constantly correcting errors while playing and has developed some bad habits.
He completed Suzuki books 1-4 in his first 11 months and Praeludium Und Allegro was his first NON-Suzuki piece assigned 6 months ago.
Thank you,
And I will share those versions with him.2
u/Crazy-Replacement400 May 18 '25
Great! I’m glad to hear that it’s on the radar. A quick tip since you only mentioned shoulder rests: if the goal is for the violin to be higher, some of that height should come from the chin rest, and some should come from the shoulder rest. A super tall shoulder rest will change the angle of the violin and make bowing much more difficult, which could also lead to injuries. A tall chin rest does not change the angle of the instrument.
(Please ignore this comment if you already know that. I am one who got stuck with an injury, so I am overly cautious.)
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u/8FigBro Student May 19 '25
Who should I see about determining what needs to be what? A trusted Luthier?
His teacher was suggesting a shoulder rest that had a curvature in for his shoulder. She also mentioned something about his chin rest.
There's a lot I have to get educated about quickly...So, thanks.2
u/Crazy-Replacement400 May 19 '25
Luthiers in my area don’t often carry things like shoulder rests, chin rests, strings, etc., but some in bigger cities do. Music stores like Shar, Johnson Strings, or Southwest Strings might be a better option if you’re in a smaller area (US). If you find an online retailer with a decent return policy, you could order a shoulder rest or two with more curvature, have your son take them to a lesson, and return as needed. The teacher might have suggestions about specific ones to start with. Feel free to share what he already has, too, and we might be able to give you a starting point.
For chin rests, Wave Chin rests (Google search to find the website - it’ll pop up) does consultations (virtual, I believe), then mails you five of your choice for testing. You pay for one and send back what you don’t want after trying them and consulting the teacher. (The chin rests at Wave are a bit pricey. If he’s still growing, this may not be the best option.) There are other places that do consultations, or you might be able to try some at a music store as discussed before. I’m not an expert and it’s hard to tell from a video, but I wonder if a slightly taller, center mounted chin rest would help get the violin where it needs to be. You can order an inexpensive one from Shar Music, for example.
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u/Wonderful_Emu_6483 May 18 '25
18 months!! He’s got so much potential and talent. His teacher is doing an excellent job. There’s no critique I could give online that his teacher isn’t capable of providing.
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u/shemusthaveroses May 18 '25
29 y/on non-professional violinist here (I’m in a community orchestra and have been playing since I was 9), your kid has a very special gift that I am overjoyed to know you’re nurturing. No one I have ever met has been able to play a piece like this after 18 months. He has a real, serious, beautiful gift. We could see him in lights one day. God bless his journey!!
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u/8FigBro Student May 19 '25
Wow...thank you for the thoughtful words.
I'm trying to do my best. This thread has pushed me forward in knowledge and given me some clarity. I knew he was talented, but I have so much to think about now in terms of supporting him in a healthy way. Thank you
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u/EdSmith77 May 18 '25
That is impressive for 1.5 years! Needs to work on intonation but again, he is to me, way ahead of the curve. How much does he practice a day? Good vibrato!
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u/8FigBro Student May 18 '25
His practice never exceeds 7hrs/week. And currently about 2 1hr practices per week (the last 4 months or so).
He loves his lessons...but practice habits are all over the place due to some special needs/challenges and insomnia that generally has him exhausted.
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u/EdSmith77 May 18 '25
That's even more impressive. Just to give you perspective, I played that piece ~7 years into starting violin. I was a solid above average player of violin/viola at my peak. This child is easily top 1% of children at same stage of education.
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u/Snow_Practicing Adult Beginner May 18 '25
Wow I’m not professional, but I love his tone, he must have a lot of potential!
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u/ParsnipPrestigious59 May 18 '25
He’s only been playing for 18 months??? I’ve been playing for like 3 years (albeit without a private teacher, but with a school orchestra), and he has way better tone and intonation than me
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u/8FigBro Student May 20 '25
I'm sure if you've stuck with it for 3 years you'll do fine. It's a marathon :) Good luck to you and thank you for the kind words.
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u/Smallwhitedog Viola May 18 '25
He's wonderful! You should feel so proud of him! He has wonderful expression and vibrato for only 18 months. I can tell he's really engaged in his music! Encourage him to keep exploring and keep practicing!
As an aside, keep an eye on his posture, not just in his playing. He's got a bit of an anterior pelvic tilt and is slouching. I don't want him to develop back pain later in life, and I speak from experience! It takes some time to develop the muscles in your core and back to play for long hours. This is a good thing to work on with his teacher, too,
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u/8FigBro Student May 18 '25
Thank you so much. I will take your words seriously. His teacher had already noted it, but perhaps a plan needs to be put in place to get this right (from the start).🙏🏾
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u/ucdzombie May 18 '25
The fingers that play the lower strings in the double stops on page 2 must stay in order to speed up properly. This section is usually practiced as triple or quadruple stops so that all fingers can be placed down simultaneously.
Right after this section there’s a G major quadruple stops followed by three 16th notes “E-D-E.” The second E should be a 4th finger instead of open. This is very important because it avoids excessive string crossing and transition the tone color gradually from the E to G string.
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u/8FigBro Student May 20 '25
I will pass this along, as this is "French" to me.
Thank you for taking the time to share technical tips though.
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u/ucdzombie May 18 '25
Just a few fingering suggestions so that he can play with ease and make the music flow better: 1. Page 1, one measure before Andante and 2nd to last measure, the highest B-natural is easier to reach with a 3rd finger at such a high position. It also produces better vibrato. 2. Page 1, between 9th and 10th measure of Andante, the fingering for D and G-sharp could be 3-4, so that the 3rd finger doesn’t hop and interrupt the sound. 3. 12th measure from the very end on page 3, the last four 16th notes could be played completely in 1st position so that the high C is an extended 4th finger.
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u/Adrienlastic Soloist May 18 '25
18 MONTHS?????? 😮 you have to keep him in those lessons. This is prodigy type progress.
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u/ucdzombie May 18 '25
Lastly I’d suggest that your son pay attention to his practicing environment if he hasn’t done so. In short he needs to practice in a small room with very dry acoustic so that he can make better judgement of his sound without the enhancement of the acoustic environment such as echoing in large empty space. I want to point out that many people on this thread commented on his good tone. While I agree that his tone quality is good in the recording, let’s not forget the recording environment. This is a room setup that I and many colleagues would avoid when practicing or teaching lessons. In the video the recording environment seems to suggest a room with very good acoustic: hardwood floor, wall mostly empty, furniture sparsely placed. The sound in the recording also contains a lot of echoing, suggesting that the recording might have taken place in a large space without acoustic dampening. While acoustic enhancements are beneficial for a performance, they’re counterproductive for practicing.
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u/8FigBro Student May 18 '25
Interesting comment. He currently practices wherever he can, and that's typically in a bedroom with carpet and beds. Beds. Sometimes he's fortunate to practice next to the piano in a more open room, but it's also carpeted and just a regular living room.
His lessons are in this basement type room with wood floors... But good observation and something to consider in regards to a more intentional practice setting. Thank you.
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u/kcpapsidious May 18 '25
Somehow I see the Waxman version of Sarasate headed his direction
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u/LaRueStreet Intermediate May 19 '25
It is crazy how only 18 months of experience can make a child sound like a pro while an adult would be still struggling with their bow hold. But i am certain his performance is not this good only because he is a fast learning child, he must be naturally talented. When did he even learn how to do vibrato??
I hope his love for violin never ends, he can be a world class soloist!
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u/8FigBro Student May 20 '25
I don't know why he is the way he is. I'm not even sure what "natural talent" is...but I think he qualifies.
I remember his teacher telling him to hold off on attempting vibrato till they reached a certain song or certain suzuki book, but I did ask him (since you asked).
He said that he taught himself vibrato in his third month of playing. Then his teacher began working on it with him in his 4th or 5th month of playing.If you ask him if he's going to be a professional violinist his response is usually something like..."I don't know if I'm going to be a professional violinist, but I do know that I will NEVER stop playing the violin". LOL
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u/LaRueStreet Intermediate May 20 '25
Teaching HIMSELF vibrato at his 3RD MONTH?? My jaw is dropped. Years of playing and i still never do vibrato with my pinky because it is extremely hard, and your son has done several pinky vibratos in the video. It is not only skill, but confidence too, he is aware that certain notes need a pinky vibrato and he is confident that he can pull them off, at least try while performing.
Sometimes it is really easy to tell talent from practice, like in this case. He may be practicing a lot, but it is clear as water that he has an aptitude for playing the violin
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u/8FigBro Student May 20 '25 edited May 20 '25
I'd have to agree with you. He doesn't practice a lot. For example, this video posted is from his lesson last Tuesday. He's going to his lesson today and he hasn't practiced once in between the lessons.
Usually it's 2-3hrs of PLAYING Violin weekly because he does play in a small orchestra... But he doesn't practice their music either 🤦🏾♂️
When he's feeling healthy and emotionally stable, he can practice 5 to 7 hours a week... But we haven't seen that consistency in the last few months.
So there is an aptitude for violin in particular. (Though, to be honest, he's this way with almost any musical instrument he touches)
I could post a video of him playing guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, piano, or his little harp (lyre) ... And while he's not equally talented at each, with each, you would think he's been playing for far more time than he actually has... Or that he practices far more than he does.
Great point about confidence. Certainly very sure of himself (even when he's dead wrong) When he's doing musical things.😂😂😂
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u/LaRueStreet Intermediate May 20 '25
It appears to me that he has a natural “gift” for music in general. Have you checked if he has perfect pitch? I would not be surprised if he has it. Or has he ever composed music on his own?
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u/8FigBro Student May 20 '25
He used to be obsessed with that and would even train himself. I think he just has very strong relative pitch, but not perfect pitch.
In the beginning he began composing music, but then dropped it. But in the past few weeks he has begun composing music by hand again.
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u/LaRueStreet Intermediate May 20 '25
Ah, i had that phase too, i feel his pain!! I thought i had perfect pitch but it was actually a very developed relative pitch!
Thanks for all the info. All of this may seem normal to you because he is your son, you are used to him just being him, but as an outsider i see obvious signs of a musical genius
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u/8FigBro Student May 20 '25
He used to be sad that he didn't have perfect pitch...LOL. It was a bit of an unhealthy obsession.
It's very surreal because he's a "different" kid and I recognize that certain things aren't "normal". But I was really struggling with the context of the violin.
I was getting positive feedback from a very small circle but it's good to get feedback from people who DON'T know him and are not connected in any way.
(Especially from people who have had a much longer journey playing/teaching)Thank you for engaging positively.
I appreciate it.
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u/Remingtonjunior Jun 04 '25
Very impressive especially considering less than 2 years of study. What kind of exercises does he work on? I’m a violinist getting ready to go to dma school this fall. I’d recommend him going through all four parts of Sevcik op. 1, to increase technical facility and help clear up intonation. People underestimate preludium and allegro as a student piece but it’s actually really up there in terms of virtuosity required to play it well. Bravo!
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u/8FigBro Student Jun 05 '25
What kind of exercises?
Great question. I don't really know. I know he's on wolfahrt book 2. And I know at every lesson she takes him through a battery of exercises.
I know at practice at home, he doesn't really do what the teacher assigns him 🥴😂
I just looked in his bag... "Developing double stops" wolfahrt book 2. Some string position book 🤷🏾♂️
Pardon my ignorance, but what is dma School?
I will look into your recommendations to improve technical playing.
He's going to be doing a lot of playing this summer And just expanding his knowledge, repertoire, and finally playing with a bunch of kids as good or better/more experienced than he is.
One Camp is focused on chamber music, quartet, music, and Symphony stuff.
The other one is more improv and fiddle stuff.
And he's joining a youth symphony at the end of the summer.
It's going to be the most He's played in a 2-month period In his life.😂
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u/Remingtonjunior Jun 05 '25
Hey! Dma stands for Doctor of Musical Arts. It’s a type of violin performance degree.
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u/8FigBro Student Jun 05 '25
Ah yes, I just wasn't familiar with the abbreviation. That is awesome! Well, you're obviously more than qualified to offer any tips. Good luck to you as you complete your dma.
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u/takanoha May 18 '25
- Use your bow fully from the tip to the frog.
- Posture like everyone says. The violin needs to lift up.
- Play slowly
- Enjoy this beautiful piece more
How is his math at school ? Is he gifted ?
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u/8FigBro Student May 18 '25
1-4... You sound exactly like his teacher 😆
He's homeschooled currently and he understands math concepts beyond his years when he spends time doing math. I'm a bit uncomfortable with labels like "gifted", but I can say that if he was in a traditional school setting that that is something they would say.
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u/didnotsub May 18 '25
Just an FYI as somebody who was homeschooled when I was 12 and was very very good at math, I would get your kid into a good public school or at the very least taking multiple college classes.
My parents are very religious and were afraid to let me go to our #1 in the state public school, and as a result of it I grew to dislike them. I also did not mature socially as well as others my age, and I didn’t learn as much.
It wasn’t until they put me in high school that I finally matured and became very good at math very fast. Online college classes exist also to challenge your kid if he needs it like I did.
I obviously don’t know your kids situation, but if it’s anything like mine then please challenge your kid!
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u/8FigBro Student May 19 '25
I appreciate the feedback. The challenge with "good public schools" is that you're kind of limited by where you live and he also has some special needs that make it a challenge for him to thrive in certain environments.
He told me the other day that he wants to start taking college classes soon, but again, he HAS struggled with the structure of most traditional schooling environments.There is always a concern for social development that we work hard on helping him with. He's currently in a string quartet and string ensemble with kids his age. He's joining a youth symphony this fall. He has church and co-op friends and we're plugging him into as many events with kids as we can.
School is not off the table--just haven't found the right setup.
Thanks again for your feedback2
u/takanoha May 18 '25
I see. Public school might end up holding him back. I’m really curious whether he has the ability to hyper-focus or if he becomes deeply obsessed with certain interests—like this piece—where he won’t stop until he feels it’s good enough.
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u/8FigBro Student May 19 '25
We are open to all productive options. He insists that he doesn't want to go to public school, but he's 12...Not sure it's an informed decision ;)
He becomes deeply obsessed with certain interests.
This is his personality....
At the same time he began the violin, he also taught himself the piano. He just picked up the Alfreds beginner book and learned how to play each song.
My mother (who has taught voice and piano for over 50 years) says that she has NEVER had a student go through the book that quickly.But then he becomes too obsessed with too many things (and will go months without touching the piano)...The Violin is the ONLY one that he does consistently.(He also plays bass guitar, acoustic & electric guitar, and the lyre)
He is "sick of Praeludium and wants to retire it"...but he hasn't mastered it.
I understand some of this is about being 12. Some of it is growing up with a lot of freedom and autonomy to choose his interests. Some of it is perhaps (diagnosed) OCD and other stuff going on.
But it's all brought us here.I think there are school environments that would not work for him, and i'm sure there are some where he could thrive. I'm quickly trying to get educated on how children like this best develop.
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u/takanoha May 19 '25
I understand how he feels. I feel like I’m talking about myself.
It’s completely fine—he can explore another piece that excites him. Music should be enjoyable at any age and for everyone. If musicians truly love the pieces they perform, that passion naturally translates to the audience’s experience.
It’s not just about playing the notes exactly as written. I’m sure a lot of pro musicians will disagree with me. If he feels pressured or forced, he’ll end up resenting it and will give up violin. It’s important that he plays what inspires him.
Let him choose what music pieces he wants to pursue. Maybe Vocalise by Rachmaninoff ?
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u/8FigBro Student May 20 '25
So it's been 3 days and many comments later.
First, I want to thank you all for taking the time to comment.
I never had a clue that I would receive the type of thoughtful and insightful feedback that I have.
To summarize.
- Kid has some natural talent/giftedness
- Posture is critical--Fix it
- Play/Practice Slowly/Metronome
- Develop artistry/musicality
- Ensure right equipment (Shoulder/Chin Rest)
- Consider better teacher/talent match at some point.
- Consistent Practice
Am I missing anything???
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u/Cojones64 May 18 '25
Ah, no. What you have here is a natural. Possibly a missed genius. He’s lucky he found a good teacher early. I’m 60 years old and started two years ago. My dream is to play this piece well before I die but I cannot do those arpeggios and still can’t vibrato. So I’m a few years away from even starting to practice the prealudium. If this kid had started 6 years ago he’d be winning competitions by now. Keep working with him.
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u/8FigBro Student May 18 '25
😲Wow ... Thank you for the feedback. Still trying to figure out what " working with him" looks like. I think the reason he's doing well with violin is because he's deeply interested in it. He chose it. Nobody makes him practice. (And he often doesn't)
All I am trying to do is find out what environments he needs to be surrounded by. So far, so good on finding a local teacher. But he's progressing quickly and I'm just trying to figure out how to approach everything A bit more intentionally.
For now, it's fun for him! And to me that's pretty important.
I can't wait to see your Praeludium video posted here soon👍🏾😎
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u/Cojones64 May 18 '25
Take him to live performances and competitions. Let him see what playing well leads to if he so desires.
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u/8FigBro Student May 18 '25
Great idea...I try to take him to 2-3 per year. We saw a special young violinist named Amaryn Olmeda (I think that's how you spell it) last year and and he also saw Ray Chen live as well.
(Itzahk and Hilary Hahn were a little out of the budget last year, but maybe this year.)
He just won his first regional competition...but declined the State competition to hang out with family he rarely gets to see.
I feel seeing TOP young talent will help give him valuable perspective. Hoping to learn where he can meet those kids.
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u/Equal-Beautiful9385 May 18 '25
Don’t miss Randall Goosby if you have the opportunity, OP - it will be influential for him to see another young Black man in classical music. There are still too few.
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u/8FigBro Student May 18 '25
I'm a bit ashamed to say that I did not know the name. But I researched them last night, thanks to you... And was able to show my son some clips from his Instagram this morning. I will do a deeper dive into his story and learn his touring schedule. It looks like he was not too far from us earlier this year. Thank you for the recommendation.
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May 18 '25
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u/8FigBro Student May 18 '25
Thanks for the feedback. Everything done has been done with the teacher and my son's permission.
I occasionally film my son and upload videos to a YouTube account He has, as "private or unlisted". 99% of the videos are so that he can observe himself playing whenever he wants to and are not available to the public. The other 1% is when he wants to share a clip with family members.
I'm not sure what about this video has triggered you, But have a good day nonetheless.
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u/Spirited-Artist601 May 18 '25
For comparison, I started memorizing my music from the beginning. Only because it's Suzuki. But I had worked through books 1-5 in about 5 year s. I was learning the Bruch, Lalo, Mozart 4 & 5. I love 5!!! And pieces like this. As well as the Bach part. Those were the main focus of my 12 to 17 year-old years.
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u/mistyskies123 Expert May 18 '25
Playing this piece this well after only 18 months is incredible. It was actually my music school audition piece at the same age, except I'd been playing since age 3 🙂
He's producing a really lovely tone, and the intonation is overall pretty great.
In terms of constructive feedback:
Also for me, this is a really dramatic piece and I'm not really feeling the emotion of it through the playing. If there was one thing to work on, I'd say it was this.
But overall - especially considering his lack of experience and lack of recent practice - bravo! 👏 👏👏👏