DS

I studied classical violin from sixth grade until around the middle of college. I messed around with it now and then for another couple years, and then just sort of put it away one day and didn't take it out again.

When I started coming to New England and got into the contra dance community here, I learned that actually, some people don't quit playing the instruments they learned as kids just because jobs and families and other things come up to distract them. Or they do quit playing those instruments, but they pick them back up again or pick up something else that looks fun and exciting. I like that spirit, the spirit of doing what we can to make music, and especially to make it together, at jams and potlucks and dances and wherever else we can. And I started to think that fiddling looks pretty damn fun. (And then there's the upright bass, which I have a crush on and am going to start lessons on as soon as I can rent one affordably, but that's a whole other story.*)

After all, I own (or rather, have been entrusted with the long-term safekeeping of) a gorgeous violin that's been in my family for several generations. It's a beautiful instrument, and I have indeed felt rather shamefully disrespectful to leave it sitting in its case for the last few years. I've carefully moved it from apartment to apartment, and city to city. But I haven't played it. And that's just silly.

So, about a year ago (though I can't believe it's been that long) (I had a lot of adventures starting around this time last year, and I'm not talking adventures related - except really vaguely - to the violin) (and no, I'm not telling you more than that), I decided to pony up the $$$ to get the necessary work done on my violin, get the bow rehaired, and get it ready to play again. I was cheap enough to figure I'd just change the strings myself, which I did, but of course it took me about six more months to get around to that. In the spring I bought a lovely tunebook, written by a friend of mine, to get myself going on this fiddling thing. And a month ago I bought a new battery for my tuner.

Last night, finally, I played.

Today my fingers are sore and my chin is a little tender, but more importantly, I played for over an hour before I even realized time had passed. I'm out of practice, I'm out of tune, and I feel like a sixth-grade beginner again.

And it feels wonderful.

*The story is basically this: Have you ever seen a woman play an upright bass? It's hot. I want to be one of those women.