By: Annika M.
Despite a lifelong dedication to the piano, a powerful thought struck me in 2025 to push my boundaries and pick up the violin. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but I was excited to find out just how much I could improve if I practiced well enough.
When I first held the violin, it felt clumsy and weird. The bow felt heavy, and when I tried to draw it across the strings, the sound was terrible—just loud, awful squeaks! It was hard to play even the simplest song without messing up. However, my teacher was super helpful, reminding me that every beginner sounds like that when they start. The secret, she said, was to keep practicing and focus on one little part until I got it right.
I started practicing for about twenty to thirty minutes almost every day. Sometimes it was boring or difficult, but I kept on going. In the beginning, I always had to stop and start a song again. But after a few weeks, I was playing longer and longer sections without any mistakes. The first time I played an entire song perfectly, I felt so proud!
Learning the violin actually helped me with other aspects of life too. It taught me how to focus and how to always try again when facing a challenge. Every mistake became a hint that showed me exactly what to practice next. My teacher taught us ways to hold the bow to stop the horrible squeaking. It was a huge triumph when I finally played a song with clean, clear notes instead of squeaks!
Unfortunately, I faced one very big problem right before the winter concert as my violin bow had snapped in half! I had to rush out and get a brand new one quickly. Practicing with the new bow felt strange as it was very different from my old one, and I worried I might mess up the concert. I had to practice extra hard to get used to it quickly, but after just a few days, I had tamed the new bow and was ready to go.
The biggest moment of my year was performing in the school’s winter concert. I had been practicing the three holiday songs: “Deck the Halls,” “Jingle Bells,” and “Dreidel” for weeks. When I walked onto the stage, my hands were shaking. I just stared at the music and blocked out the audience. It worked! I played all three songs without stopping, and when the audience clapped, it felt amazing. All the hard work, even dealing with the broken bow, had really paid off.
Next year, I want to keep challenging myself. I plan to try harder songs and learn new playing techniques. I also want to feel more confident every time I perform. Most of all, I am excited to play with my other peers. Sometimes our teacher lets us play together in small groups, and it’s really cool to hear all the different parts coming together. Playing with friends makes practicing feel less like a chore and more like making the music together. I hope to join more group performances and keep on improving my skills while I’m having a lot of fun!