I have always worn short nails....always.
I always had a good reason to, since nails got in the way of playing the piano and violin. Now it is a necessity for work too. My patients wouldn't like being stabbed in the gums with long, manicured nails, no matter how beautiful they are. So I keep them very short.
I used to have pretty major callouses on the finger-tips of my left hand too. Metal violin strings will do that to you, and playing about an hour everyday just by being in an orchestra.
I haven't touched my violin for at least two years, probably even longer. So when I was asked to accompany the choir for a Christmas number at church, I was a little hesitant, but also longing to at the same time. I got the music and my stomach dropped. It is a beautiful Celtic arrangement of "Silent Night." But Celtic fiddles sound a lot different from classical violin, which I am used to. Luckily, there is an audio recording available of the song, so I've been listening to it over and over, trying to pick up on the different nuances.
I just practiced for about 45 minutes tonight, and my fingers have that old familiar tingling-burn to them. It has been challenging to remember fingering patterns, and how to get a good tone from my bow and my vibrato. But it is also like saying hello to an old friend. At first my hands felt stiff and awkward, but they are starting to melt back into the fluid and sweeping movements of my violin's language.
If I had been given this piece a decade ago, I'm sure it would have sounded at least ten times better. However, I am still reveling in the process of reawakening my old friend.
I always had a good reason to, since nails got in the way of playing the piano and violin. Now it is a necessity for work too. My patients wouldn't like being stabbed in the gums with long, manicured nails, no matter how beautiful they are. So I keep them very short.
I used to have pretty major callouses on the finger-tips of my left hand too. Metal violin strings will do that to you, and playing about an hour everyday just by being in an orchestra.
I haven't touched my violin for at least two years, probably even longer. So when I was asked to accompany the choir for a Christmas number at church, I was a little hesitant, but also longing to at the same time. I got the music and my stomach dropped. It is a beautiful Celtic arrangement of "Silent Night." But Celtic fiddles sound a lot different from classical violin, which I am used to. Luckily, there is an audio recording available of the song, so I've been listening to it over and over, trying to pick up on the different nuances.
I just practiced for about 45 minutes tonight, and my fingers have that old familiar tingling-burn to them. It has been challenging to remember fingering patterns, and how to get a good tone from my bow and my vibrato. But it is also like saying hello to an old friend. At first my hands felt stiff and awkward, but they are starting to melt back into the fluid and sweeping movements of my violin's language.
If I had been given this piece a decade ago, I'm sure it would have sounded at least ten times better. However, I am still reveling in the process of reawakening my old friend.
