J Cooper Photography

Here at the Cooper house we are even worse than band geeks.  We are orchetra nerds…we’ve acheieved an entirely new level of dorkiness here…but we are proud of it just the same.  Mr. P and I met in the William Jewell orchestra, fell in love over Stravinsky, and spent hours in those dingy basement practice rooms perfecting Bach.  So it only makes sense that playing the violin in the Cooper house is somewhat mandatory.  Both of the girls started at age 4 with the Suzuki method.  Both Mr.  P and I started with the Suzuki method about 30 years ago (another one of those weird, crazy coincidences surrounding our childhoods…kind of like both being NCA cheerleaders…but that is a WHOLE different post!)

{violins all in a row at our house}

So we have this theory at the Cooper house.  Music makes you smarter.  And I truly believe it does.  Also…music is an acquired taste.  We love the type of music to which we are exposed to the most.  So if your kids grow up listening to Barry Manalow and The Platters…chances are they will still be drawn to those tunes as a thirty something (thanks so much for that special little “gift” Mom).  We figure that if we start our kids out on classical music on their violins while they are still tiny, they’ll never remember NOT playing (and practicing).  Music makes up a huge portion of our weekly routine.  We drive across town THREE times per week for lessons, do hours of listening to their cds, attend camps, and practice every day (at least that is the goal).  And we aren’t talking about a 10 minute practice.  A has gotten to the point where she required 45-60 minutes of diligent practice a day!

Some people might call this all cruel and unusual punishment.  But we have another theory that addresses that too.  Kids LOVE to do things that make them successful.  If your child has tried an activity and didn’t enjoy it…chances are it is because they didn’t feel successful doing it.  Music is a learned art and the Suzuki method strives to show parents that ALL children can learn.  Which means that all children WILL have success (at some level).  My girls truly LOVE to play their violins.  But my hope for them is not that they will become concert violinists (I’d actually prefer they dont!)  And even if they come to me in a few years begging to quit, I’ll have the same hopes for them.  I want them to enjoy and appreciate music.  I want them to learn a DISCIPLINE.  Music does not have to be “their thing” in life.  Maybe they will be scientists or doctors or stay at home moms.  A says she wants to vaccuum people’s houses for a living so she can paint and have lots of cats.  Whatever!  Just do something you love.  But we also ALL need to learn a discipline.  We need to know that not everything in life is our favorite activity…yet if we work hard…we can still see success.

Getting off my soap box now and will show you the fruit of their efforts.

{violin friends are the best}

{getting tuned up before the recital}

I thought about editing A’s video but had to leave the beginning part alone.  I love how it shows her youthful innocence.  She was SO eager to get up on stage to play she ran down the aisle and dove straight into her piece before even waiting for the pianist!  I love too that she stopped and re-positioned herself to try again!

And then there is Miss J.  I was SO proud of her!  This wasn’t actually her best performance as her nerves got in the way of her memorization a bit.  But what I LOVED was her focus and determination to KEEP GOING!  I think that is pretty amazing for a six year old….she didn’t miss a beat…kept her eyes down…and just pushed forward.  Pretty darn awesome in my book!

Now we just need a bigger wall over the piano…gotta make room for 2 more little fiddles in a few years {or maybe more!}