I did a crazy thing today. I pulled my violin, that's only use in the past 5 years has been as a ladder to help my puppy get on and off my bed, out of its case. It was actually pretty exciting to open it up. It was kind of like a long lost friend, that you knew well, but didn't REALLY put a lot of effort into knowing, but now that you've ran into each other you realize you have a lot in common and could really be great friends. Or in my case, it might serve the purpose of me learning one song I really like and convincing my friends I'm good enough at it so they all learn it, then they let me in their band for one song, and no longer when I say 'I was in the band' do I have to follow that with the clarification of 'the marching band.' BUT I'm really hoping the later leads to the former, and I form a new found hobby!
I need to rewind and start with a confession. In 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade you took a test to see if you were skilled enough to play the violin. It was a listening test of sorts, and I REALLY wanted to play the violin. In 3rd grade only the top 1 or 2 kids got picked. I wasn't one of them. In 4th grade, I still REALLY wanted to play the violin... so we took the test, and there were a few questions I wasn't sure on... and... I might have looked at the girls test that was next to me. Her and I both played the violin the whole way through high school... She was always a higher seat than me. BUT in my defense, I do know how to play the violin, but there has always been that small guilty piece of me that thinks maybe I wouldn't have got to play in 4th grade if I hadn't cheated.
Confessions over. It wasn't a good 4th grade, 10 year-old-decision, and I've learned from it!
Now, the sad part, (if my guilty admission wasn't sad enough) I didn't apply myself musically in high school because I was an athlete. I played soccer, I ran track a couple years, I tried basketball and rec volleyball. I went to sporting events. I played in rec leagues. Sure I was in the band, orchestra, jazz band, and choir. But in my high school head, music always came second. Soccer always came first. I'm certainly a lifelong participant of sports and continue to coach soccer, but music is a priceless, lifelong skill I regret not applying myself at.
I actually called the 'violin guy' today, and asked him to look my violin over before I start actually playing again, and he was overjoyed to hear I'd be playing again, then I could hear the sadness in his voice when he started talking about how so few adults play anymore.
So to attempt to come full circle, and wrap-up this random music rant and try and provide some justification for anyone reading this. There should be more emphasis on lifelong skills and passions in schools. The Arts are an invaluable learning tool in schools. And the movement has been ongoing to save the Arts in schools. According to Americans For the Arts, kids involved in the arts are:
-4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement
-3 times more likely to be elected to class office within their schools
-4 times more likely to participate in a math and science fair
-3 times more likely to win an award for school attendance
So maybe you have an old friend you could dig out, maybe you could give it to your kid, your neighbors kid, the random kid down the street. Maybe you could inspire a kid to not cheat on their 4th grade music test, to apply themselves, and make the most of their musical abilities, so when their 5 years removed from their last high school orchestra concert, their not opening that case for the first time, and writing a blog about how sad it is it took that long...
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