Any violin teachers or violinist here?
- Thread starter IvyCreep
- Start date
Hi IvyCreep, welcome to the forum 
I don't know if we have any violinists among our members, but if we do, I hope one will come forward to help you. If not though, I hope you will still share your past life memories with us : angel
Hope you enjoy your time here!
Chris
I don't know if we have any violinists among our members, but if we do, I hope one will come forward to help you. If not though, I hope you will still share your past life memories with us : angel
Hope you enjoy your time here!
Chris
IvyCreep
New Member
Hi, Chris!
I hope so, too, because I have these memories and a part of me just wants to see what a person who has been playing violin for a long time has to say about the techniques I used.
I believe that I was a Jewish girl from Germany who survived a concentration camp, and moved to Switzerland after the camp, and became a violinist and violin teacher, to briefly summarize.
Edit:
Here is what I remember about violin:
My teacher used to make me practice playing with a small ball in the palm of my hand while I held the bow to help me get the proper hand shape.
I told a student to relax her wrist on her bow hand and work the movement of the bow with her elbow.
I was so confused until this Tuesday when I finally bought my first violin in this life because I remember rubbing the horse hair on the bow with a block of something. I know now that that was probably resin.
I could tune the violin by listening to the strumming of the strings, not having to actually run the bow over them. This is not to imply that I didn't tighten or loosen them, but I could hear whether they were in tune or not by a strum.
My husband in that life decided to, "surprise," me with a violin after getting out of the camp since I had lost my first violin to the Nazis. To me, it wasn't of very good quality. I went to the music or violin shop and bought a (the equivalent to) $300 bow, and really expensive strings and it sounded so much better. He was pissssssssed.
I have only had a violin in this life since Tuesday.
I hope so, too, because I have these memories and a part of me just wants to see what a person who has been playing violin for a long time has to say about the techniques I used.
I believe that I was a Jewish girl from Germany who survived a concentration camp, and moved to Switzerland after the camp, and became a violinist and violin teacher, to briefly summarize.
Edit:
Here is what I remember about violin:
My teacher used to make me practice playing with a small ball in the palm of my hand while I held the bow to help me get the proper hand shape.
I told a student to relax her wrist on her bow hand and work the movement of the bow with her elbow.
I was so confused until this Tuesday when I finally bought my first violin in this life because I remember rubbing the horse hair on the bow with a block of something. I know now that that was probably resin.
I could tune the violin by listening to the strumming of the strings, not having to actually run the bow over them. This is not to imply that I didn't tighten or loosen them, but I could hear whether they were in tune or not by a strum.
My husband in that life decided to, "surprise," me with a violin after getting out of the camp since I had lost my first violin to the Nazis. To me, it wasn't of very good quality. I went to the music or violin shop and bought a (the equivalent to) $300 bow, and really expensive strings and it sounded so much better. He was pissssssssed.
I have only had a violin in this life since Tuesday.
bluestreak53
New Member
Violinist - My Teacher was Jewish and Survived Concentration Camp
I haven't played the violin for a long time but I did play it when I was young.
My teacher was Jewish and was a survivor of a concentration camp. She always wore a light scarf tied on her arm but one day when she wasn't wearing it, I saw the tattooed number from the concentration camp. It was a real shock to me because I had just read an article about Treblinka that had been printed in a Canadian weekly newsmagazine the week before. I had always wondered why all the pictures of her family were old photographs.
This is what I know about your comments:
1) Very important to relax your wrist. Bow is controlled primarily by the elbow.
2) Holding ball in hand seems to make sense in that the hand is sort of cupped and fingers slightly curled. My teacher used to say, hold the bow like you are picking up a pencil - with the tips of your fingers.
3) It is quite common to tune using strumming of two strings. Normally, the first string tuned is the "A" string, often using a tuning fork. Then the other strings are tuned off this string by listening for the harmonic sound of a perfect fifth, by plucking or strumming two adjacent strings. Usually the last adjustments are made by playing both strings with a bow, because then both strings are vibrating at the same volume and it is much easier to make the fine adjustments.
I don't know if you have ever seen the movie "Playing for Time" but it is about people who survived the death camps by performing in orchestras. I believe it is based on real events so a number of people who survived the death camps may have done so because they were musicians.
I haven't played the violin for a long time but I did play it when I was young.
My teacher was Jewish and was a survivor of a concentration camp. She always wore a light scarf tied on her arm but one day when she wasn't wearing it, I saw the tattooed number from the concentration camp. It was a real shock to me because I had just read an article about Treblinka that had been printed in a Canadian weekly newsmagazine the week before. I had always wondered why all the pictures of her family were old photographs.
This is what I know about your comments:
1) Very important to relax your wrist. Bow is controlled primarily by the elbow.
2) Holding ball in hand seems to make sense in that the hand is sort of cupped and fingers slightly curled. My teacher used to say, hold the bow like you are picking up a pencil - with the tips of your fingers.
3) It is quite common to tune using strumming of two strings. Normally, the first string tuned is the "A" string, often using a tuning fork. Then the other strings are tuned off this string by listening for the harmonic sound of a perfect fifth, by plucking or strumming two adjacent strings. Usually the last adjustments are made by playing both strings with a bow, because then both strings are vibrating at the same volume and it is much easier to make the fine adjustments.
I don't know if you have ever seen the movie "Playing for Time" but it is about people who survived the death camps by performing in orchestras. I believe it is based on real events so a number of people who survived the death camps may have done so because they were musicians.
Very interesting IvyCreep. How long have you had these thoughts/memories of the violin? A wonderful thing to remember and perhaps as you play it more will be revealed. Music is such a powerful expression of the soul...and to me the strings are the most powerful especially the violin and cello. No, I don't play either, but somehow they make my spirit soar.
Good luck on this new direction. Please share with us what you learn.
Tman
Good luck on this new direction. Please share with us what you learn.
Tman
IvyCreep
New Member
Bluestreak53
Thank you so much, you have no idea how good it feels to have someone say something about my memories! That is incredible! That's so beautiful that your teacher survived and got to pass on her knowledge to you.
I'm so grateful to you for your response!
Tinkerman
I started actually remembering last Summer.
I have always had this love for the violin, but never got to take lessons until now. My primary instrument is the French Horn, but I also play Piano, Mellophone, and Trumpet. I wanted to play violin so badly that I would salivate at the thought of running the bow over the strings, and the music touches me so deeply.
In my past life, the violin...I don't know how to say this in a way anyone can understand...was my voice. I could say what I wanted to say when my soul was burning inside of me with emotions that were so strong, but I could get in trouble if I said them. You couldn't get in trouble for playing a violin because of what the violin was saying, and other people could hear your deepest thoughts and most intense emotions. The violin made me human to those who didn't think that I was.
Thank you so much, you have no idea how good it feels to have someone say something about my memories! That is incredible! That's so beautiful that your teacher survived and got to pass on her knowledge to you.
I'm so grateful to you for your response!
Tinkerman
I started actually remembering last Summer.
I have always had this love for the violin, but never got to take lessons until now. My primary instrument is the French Horn, but I also play Piano, Mellophone, and Trumpet. I wanted to play violin so badly that I would salivate at the thought of running the bow over the strings, and the music touches me so deeply.
In my past life, the violin...I don't know how to say this in a way anyone can understand...was my voice. I could say what I wanted to say when my soul was burning inside of me with emotions that were so strong, but I could get in trouble if I said them. You couldn't get in trouble for playing a violin because of what the violin was saying, and other people could hear your deepest thoughts and most intense emotions. The violin made me human to those who didn't think that I was.
Nightrain
Senior Registered
Hi Ivy! Reading your post hit me between the eyes with forgotten memories when I was about seven, and my sister took up the violin. I remember looking at it sitting on top of the upright piano with disgust, because I was not allowed near either of them. I actually felt that I had more reason to play it than her for some reason, and it stayed up there for what seemed like years gathering dust.IvyCreep said:
She only practiced with it a couple of times, but I clandestinely took a shot at playing it, when everyone was out of the house. After drawing the bow across the resin, I was able to make the violin sing as if it was my own voice, but with greater power. It was an uplifting experience, which stayed with me until I bought my first acoustic guitar for $25. I picked the one with the violin style sound holes, and played it until my fingers bled. After that I was allowed on the piano, but the violin was gone by that time. 60's Rock was easy to play on the piano, so I would switch between it and the guitar when jamming with my friends.
-Nightrain
Nightrain
Senior Registered
I played something quite harmonious, and I remember how unlike it was to the screeching that my sister produced. I think they were just common chords that are found in most music. Remarkably, my younger son did the same thing with a violin that he played for the first time, when he was four years old. Only God knows, if either of us have played during past lives. I used to accept that it was just genetics. Otherwise, there are no memories of having played before. Some years ago, however, a psychic "claimed" among other wild things, that I had played violin in Germany before the outbreak of "The Great War". Who can really know?IvyCreep said:
-Nightrain
When I was a child of about 9 years of age, my school offered free violin lesson classes....bring your own violin.
I begged my mother "Oh please please" and after much begging and many promises she asked my step-father to get one at a pawn shop. He did.
I took about 3 or 4 lessons and the now broke. The violin was very old and the bow was dried up. No one fixed the bow and that was the end of my free lessons.
I then asked my mother if I could take piano lessons as we had an old one in the basement. Lessons were $1.00 per lesson. On my 2nd lesson the teacher told me she had too many students and since I was a new person she had to cancel my lessons.
I played piano by ear for mny years and I still have the violin....although my children broke the strings and bridge.. It has to be 100 years old. but it's just an ordinary instrument
I was not meant to have music lessons in this life it seemed and I still love the sound of a violin.
Oh well, maybe in my next life!!
I begged my mother "Oh please please" and after much begging and many promises she asked my step-father to get one at a pawn shop. He did.
I took about 3 or 4 lessons and the now broke. The violin was very old and the bow was dried up. No one fixed the bow and that was the end of my free lessons.
I then asked my mother if I could take piano lessons as we had an old one in the basement. Lessons were $1.00 per lesson. On my 2nd lesson the teacher told me she had too many students and since I was a new person she had to cancel my lessons.
I played piano by ear for mny years and I still have the violin....although my children broke the strings and bridge.. It has to be 100 years old. but it's just an ordinary instrument
I was not meant to have music lessons in this life it seemed and I still love the sound of a violin.
Oh well,
maybe in my next life!!