Bella Karoly's Gym

Since we have started Suzuki violin in August, I have had in my head this image of Bella Karoly's Gym-- hundreds of tiny gymnasts, with grotesque muscle-tone tumbling and flipping around an under-lit industrial space. The image reminds me of adult pressure on children and having a white-knuckle grip on some vision I have for them.

We have our private lesson on Thursday morning and every other Wednesday a group lesson at a local elementary school. We have rented instruments, have margarine box violins on which to practice, and are now considered "Pre-twinkle." I did not realize that there was such a thing as a period in which you are studying for months before you are able to play one note. I am trying to get the whole zen of the thing. Feet positioning, posture, holding the violin just so. And that's not even holding the bow yet!

The whole thing exposes how product-oriented I am, how badly I want something to show for. How impatient I can be about seeing a return on my effort. For now, I want to see how much the boys love to open their cases, take out the teeny violins and have them take this deep bow to me or their teacher. I want to savor their love of routine, their natural way with music, and how they bring a playful sense of exporation to everything that they put their hands to.