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 :)
Wow.. It will be definitely wonderful when all memories come flooding in when you go back to practice. Music is one of the very few things in life that cannot be fully explained, but at the same time has the ability to explain many other things. Enjoy your violin :)
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