All I can say is thank gawd I had my dad fiddling in my ear AND my violin teacher doing such a good job of teaching me technique, feel for the music, and being sensitive enough to play well with others. Both have stood me in good stead AND, I believe, my dad's fiddling, as well as my mom and her brothers' improv and trad on the piano and various other instruments helped me to never feel strict about my violin playing. On the contrary, people used to tease me that I really wanted to play "gypsy" music because of the passion they saw in my bowing and body language. It was difficult to get kids in orchestras bold enough to use their whole bows back then. I always got high marks in solo competitions because I ran out of bow I used the whole thing so much!

My point is, I played in school orchestras and in a municipal one, plus won a scholarship to a mucky-muck classical camp one year. I hated what they tried to make us do there, but in the orchestras I always felt as though I was valued as an individual player and I never did feel constrained by any regimentation. Rather it was a joy to hear and *feel* the beauty of the combined voices, the clarity of the interpretation when all voices were one in a blending of glorious tones, knowing that WE were the ones making that sound. It was good CRACK when it happened and felt magical. I was first chair in a quartet also and really enjoyed giving the lead in it, but again we all have individual parts and had a blast.

My other point is, sorry for being so rambly about this, is there is another way to look at it, from how I grew up, my dad's fiddling gave my classical an invaluable basis. I'd heard it from birth, took up the violin at 8 yrs old, so...the early will out and did nothing but enhance the classical. It has also stuck with me even though I don't get much of a chance to use it; or either one for that matter.

Daylia, you should be proud of yourself as a teacher, as well as be proud of your student. That's wonderful to hear!

kat