I started playing the violin when I was 7. When I was 6, I was watching a kid's show with a guest star who played the violin. I was mesmerized. The deep wood color and rich, warm sound that came from it- I remember thinking "I want to know how to do that." My parents waited a year to have me start lessons. They wanted to make sure their 6 year old daughter was serious; and oh, believe me, I was.
Like most kids I'm sure, I was crazy about playing an instrument for a couple years. Then the music got hard, and practicing became more of a chore than a desire. I remember playing a song from a Suzuki book called 'Go Tell Aunt Rhody' and couldn't think of anything I hated more. There was a lot of fast finger and bow movement, and I got extremely frustrated with myself when I couldn't play it perfectly right away. My mom even made up funny lyrics to sing along with me to try and get me to laugh and encourage me to keep practicing. It helped, but I still hated the song.
Today, it's one of my favorite warm up pieces to play :)
Once I got to high school and joined the orchestra, I experienced the power of playing with not just one other violinist (my teacher) but 30 violins. I'll never forget the first time I truly felt the power of music was when I was a junior and we played Brahms as a full orchestra. The strong and confident sound coming out of every instrument produced a feeling that's indescribable. I remember my stand partner and I looking at each other like "did you feel that, too?" The opportunities I was given to play my violin in high school really developed my love for the instrument again. From concerts, to solo ensembles, to playing in the pit orchestra for musicals, even after a long day of school, volleyball and homework, I looked forward to playing my violin because I found peace in playing it. Even practicing hard songs, something about playing the instrument cleared my head.
When I got to college, I didn't have the opportunity to play in the orchestra, but I brought my violin with me to play by myself in my free time. I loved playing songs we sung in church or looking up the latest pop song to play for my friends. Music is powerful.
But you don't have to play an instrument to feel the power of music. There's a reason why movie scores are found on music streaming sites- people love to listen to them! Sometimes I think it's the music that makes a movie powerful, beyond the story itself. Have you ever watched a horror movie with the movie muted and played classical music instead? It's a crazy physiological experience.
Amidst the pandemic we're still working through, and the jobs we're still trying to find, music has been something I've clung to (and I know I'm not alone). I can't count the number of times I've left the house mid-day to go for a walk around the block with worship music blasted in my earbuds. (Don't recommend the blasting part... it's actually pretty bad for your ears). But, there's something so powerful about loud music that, as some people describe it, make you 'feel something.' When our minds are submerged in a panic attack and we feel the tunnel vision start, playing loud music of any kind magically silences all of it.
Maybe I'm a dork for thinking this is all so amazing, but I think there's something incredible about how loud 'hype' music can make people happy and dance. Slow songs can make us very melancholy and reflective. Fast tempo songs increase heart rates, and worship songs sung in the dark, I find, attract the Holy Spirit more than anything else.
So whether you're having one of those 'bad mind days' (if you know you know), or just need a break from everything that's happening in our world and your own personal one, and you just need something to silence all of it- I encourage you to listen to music. And don't listen to it while doing work or chores, close your eyes for 20 minutes, or go for a walk around the block and play whatever kind of music you need in order for you to feel what you need to feel. There's a lot of talented artists out there with lots of powerful music to be heard.
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