Pulling strings

The girls have to pick string instruments to play. At their school, all kids are required to play two instruments (eventually). Their choices are violin, viola, cello, and string bass. I was going to have both girls play violin (seemed the easiest from the logistical standpoint) to start with, but there was some objection. We were then going to try cello for Darby, which I was not terribly keen on. So I called the strings teacher and asked if there was anything in particular that she would prefer, based on demand. She explained that most people pick violin or cello, because that's what they know. She said hardly anyone picks viola, because they don't know what it is. I later also learned that a good viola player can pretty much get a full ride to any college with a music program because there are so few of them. So that was it. Viola it would be for Darby. Violin for Shelby.

I left work a little early this afternoon and took the girls to the music store. I was going to buy a violin for Shelby and rent a viola for Darby (because she will only be at this school for one year and then we'll have to see what happens at the next school). However, the music store staff recommended NOT buying a violin for Shelby until she would fit a full-sized instrument. At the moment she fits a quarter-sized violin.

A hundred and fifty bucks later, we had ourselves some (rather expensive to replace if they are damaged) rented instruments and related supplies. And man are the girls excited. They've already watched the introductory DVD that came with their music books. And they want to tinker heavily with their instruments, but I'm weary of breakage before their first full strings class next week, so I'm enforcing some constraint. Just until next week. I mean, I don't think it's terrible to want them to show up to the next class with functional instruments.

So now it's not just piano, softball, and fencing that we have to keep up with, but also violin and viola practice, and maybe dedicated lessons for Shelby. As she's never had any sort of music instruction, I'm worried about her uptake of the topic, so I may stick her in violin lessons if the teacher feels she could use the extra outside work. Even though there is much music experience in her family (trombone, baritone horn, and percussion on her father's side, saxophone, piano, and guitar on her mother's), there is no experience with a string instrument of this type, so we can't help her the same way we would if she were playing something we've experienced.

Much is left to be determined. But we're just getting started on this journey. Wish us luck.