I have never gone this long without posting something and the guilt finally caught up with me. Even though I should be out in the woods getting next years wood cut, deep cleaning the entire house as I do every year(usually right after Christmas though) and painting what needs to be painted around the house, I opted to spend most of my free time with my son Thomas in his quest to become the best violinist in the world....at least in Maine to start.
His work load is incredible but he never complains. I think because he would get bored practicing simply 1 or 2 pieces over and over again. Plus add onto that, his homework in which he needs constant help with and the fact that I have spoiled him with regards to practice. He has never practiced by himself, I have always been there right next to him to help him with his mistakes. Granted, he gets upset with me a lot because I will have him repeat certain bars over and over again or continuously make sure his pinky is down, his knuckles are flexible in his bowing hand and he sits up correctly but honestly, he would not have it any other way nor would I.
Over the past few months of my hiatus from this blog, Thomas has taken over the concert master position with the Bangor Symphony Youth Orchestra Prelude division. We think this may be his last season with the prelude because at the same time he is playing with the prelude, his teacher and conductor(one and the same lady)has placed him with the "big kids" Philharmonic orchestra. As kind of a send off from the prelude, he is going to be playing his very first "professional" solo in April with the orchestra back up. He is so excited. He has also been selected to have a master class with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra's concert master in April as well as being invited to perform at the BSO's Soiree, I believe sometime in April as well. This is their biggest fund raising event and includes some of the most prestigious violinists all joining in to raise money for the BSO.
Thomas is also getting ready for another competition in April at the Bay Chamber Music School in April. His teacher hasn't decided which piece to play with Meditation by Massanet. It will either be the 3d movement of Summer by Vivaldi or the first movement of Winter, also by Vivaldi, his favorite composer.
I urge you to subscribe to his youtube channel because it means a lot to him to see his subs climbing, however slow it does. It is uplifting for him and gives him a sense of purpose. I can see every now and again, he is not as dedicated or enthusiastic playing the violin, but that happens to most of us at one time or another. It doesn't help that from the very first day of his Christmas vacation from school, around the 20th of December, until this morning, he has been sick. He had a bout with covid and then I think he had some type of RSV, progressing to an ear infection. He is still having wicked difficulty in hearing, can't taste food still and his sense of smell is negligible. Poor kid.
One of his highlights this past half year was having his great great aunt Marion watch him play as concert master for the very first time. He was so excited. She is 96 years young and simply adores Thomas, and the feeling is quite mutual. He played a concert at the home she resides in and was given a very hot reception after. He nailed it and you should have seen how proud his aunt Marion was, as I was as well. We are hoping she will attend his very first solo in a couple months as well.
He was equally excited to have his "pretty"(his own words, LOL)cousin Sage attend along with his cousin Carole, who has been so supportive of Thomas since day one.
Below find his youtube channel. We turned off comments because, as everyone know by now, there are always bad apples in the barrel and even adults can't stop themselves from being rude. We don't mind criticism, but many adults have taken it wayyyyy over the top, which is so childish. I could NEVER in a million years degrade a child for any reason.
https://www.youtube.com/@6thgenviolinist383
Just a short of Thomas warming up...Not bad for under 4 years of playing I must say.
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