Vienna 1993 it was a week-end .. I was four years old my parents took me to a park where Johann Strauss's golden statue is standing. A group of violinist were playing his music .. I don't remember my reaction but my mom told me that I stayed completely silent and then said I want to do what they are doing..
Johann Strauss's Golden Statue in
Vienna
In November 1993 The Cairo Opera House launched a class for the "Suzuki Method" that lets 4 year old kids learn how to play the violin. I joined the class and I was in the first group ever and was the youngest violinist in the Opera House. We had 2 Japanese teachers and an Egyptian teacher called Dr. Osman El Mahdi.
I played in many concerts in the Opera house and mas madly in love with everything about it. But after a while the Japanese teachers left and I was left with less motivation because they were role models for me at that time .. I played in many big events, was featured in some newspapers and a few times on television. Played in front of Presidents of different countries. But after a while playing the violin started getting really stressful, I was a kid carrying my small violin everywhere. While my friends were playing in was stuck at home because I had to practice. I'd get back home after school finish my homework and practice. Whenever I travel I have to practice everyday for an hour in the hotel room. It was way too stressful and I was just a kid who wanted to play. My parents started punishing me if I said I don't want to practice..
Years passed and for some reason I started loving it less .. I just wanted to play when I want to play.. not be forced to play.
7 years later while practicing at home I broke my violin. I was completely fed up from the stress and got to a point where I seriously hated everything about it. That was the last time I played the violin.
Years passed by and I started liking music again .. I started listening to music that had violin in it and started regretting my decision to quit. Today.. which is 12 years later I bumped into my ex Teacher, Dr. Osman El Mahdi and his wife, and a guy who started playing with me when he was a kid and now he's a great violinist in the Opera House and soon in Germany as well. Dr. Osman told me that I was really talented and it was such a shame for me to quit...
Quitting that beautiful instrument is my biggest regret in my life. I wish I could go back in time and have a little bit more patience and play. I should have taken a break for a month or two when I felt so stressed.
I still love it, it's still the most beautiful thing my ears ever heard.
I bought a new violin, a bigger one.. I bought it two years ago.. but I'm so scared that if I try to learn again I'd fail this time.. But I believe it's worth a try..
One of the pieces that I enjoyed playing was this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfsydasb8OU&list=FLKAEyY6aQ47UyiCij8utNTg&index=46&feature=plpp_video
I forgot everything.. The only thing I remember is how to hold a violin.. I still hold it like a violinist ... a violinist who can't play a single note.
But I'll be back soon :)
Vienna
In November 1993 The Cairo Opera House launched a class for the "Suzuki Method" that lets 4 year old kids learn how to play the violin. I joined the class and I was in the first group ever and was the youngest violinist in the Opera House. We had 2 Japanese teachers and an Egyptian teacher called Dr. Osman El Mahdi.
I played in many concerts in the Opera house and mas madly in love with everything about it. But after a while the Japanese teachers left and I was left with less motivation because they were role models for me at that time .. I played in many big events, was featured in some newspapers and a few times on television. Played in front of Presidents of different countries. But after a while playing the violin started getting really stressful, I was a kid carrying my small violin everywhere. While my friends were playing in was stuck at home because I had to practice. I'd get back home after school finish my homework and practice. Whenever I travel I have to practice everyday for an hour in the hotel room. It was way too stressful and I was just a kid who wanted to play. My parents started punishing me if I said I don't want to practice..
Years passed and for some reason I started loving it less .. I just wanted to play when I want to play.. not be forced to play.
7 years later while practicing at home I broke my violin. I was completely fed up from the stress and got to a point where I seriously hated everything about it. That was the last time I played the violin.
Years passed by and I started liking music again .. I started listening to music that had violin in it and started regretting my decision to quit. Today.. which is 12 years later I bumped into my ex Teacher, Dr. Osman El Mahdi and his wife, and a guy who started playing with me when he was a kid and now he's a great violinist in the Opera House and soon in Germany as well. Dr. Osman told me that I was really talented and it was such a shame for me to quit...
Quitting that beautiful instrument is my biggest regret in my life. I wish I could go back in time and have a little bit more patience and play. I should have taken a break for a month or two when I felt so stressed.
I still love it, it's still the most beautiful thing my ears ever heard.
I bought a new violin, a bigger one.. I bought it two years ago.. but I'm so scared that if I try to learn again I'd fail this time.. But I believe it's worth a try..
One of the pieces that I enjoyed playing was this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfsydasb8OU&list=FLKAEyY6aQ47UyiCij8utNTg&index=46&feature=plpp_video
I forgot everything.. The only thing I remember is how to hold a violin.. I still hold it like a violinist ... a violinist who can't play a single note.
But I'll be back soon :)
