Student Writing Contest Finalist, 9-11 age group
When I was eight, my mom asked me and my little sister if we wanted to learn how to play the violin. I was a little nervous, but at the same time I was extremely excited because I had wanted to learn the violin. Even though I started out with a great interest and excitement, there were a few times when I felt frustration.
The year 2009 was the most traumatic but the most thankful year in my ten-year life and will be unforgettable for the rest of my life. My family had a terrible car accident on May 26, 2009, on the way to school. As my mom was driving us to school, she was trying to swerve away from a car in front of us. As a result, the van went off the road, rolled over several times on a corn field, and landed upside down. Everyone was taken into the hospital for emergency medical treatment. Miraculously, my sister did not have any injuries. However, unfortunately, my left upper arm was broken, and I had to wear a cast and later a brace on my arm until October for about five months. My mom had a big cut on her left foot and had stitches. As a result, she had to walk on crutches for a couple of months.
Ambulance
With my broken arm, I was not able to play the violin. I was really frustrated because I had to stop taking violin lessons for a while. Even though the pain was gone a couple of months later, I still had to wear a brace for a few more months until the bones were completely healed. Then, my wonderful violin teacher, Mrs. Stephanie Price, came up with a brilliant idea as my arm was getting better and my mom was able to drive again.
A couple months after the accident, she suggested that my mom and I play the violin together. “With my broken arm?” I was puzzled at first. My mom was also surprised because she had never learned the violin or the piano. However, she was willing to learn fingering positions while I was practicing my bowing with the same violin. My mom and I went over to her place to find out how we could play the violin together. Mrs. Price said, “Grace, your mom can learn the fingering while you are practicing the bowing.” Then, she took the violin out of my hands and placed the violin on my mom’s shoulder. At first, I doubted if it would work. However, to my surprise, we got better and better every day.
Lesson
Finally, we sounded like a single violinist playing a song. I was so happy that I could play the violin together with my mom. We showed the song that we practiced to Mrs. Price, and she was very pleased with us. I was also proud of my mom and myself. It took a lot of effort to play with one violin, however, my mom and I were having a lot of fun. We worked together every day to play really well, and I was glad that Mrs. Price’s plan worked.
When the brace was taken off from my left arm, I was super happy to play the violin by myself again, but I was also sad because my mom and I worked so hard together to play the violin. I really had a fun time working with my mom. I will never forget those days. I think that playing duet with my mom was one of the most unforgettable experiences.
Since then, I have never given up learning to play the violin, and I have received medals for superior performances as well as great comments from the judges. More recently, my sister and I had a great opportunity to play the violin at the Orchestra Hall in Chicago together with six hundred students from the Western Springs School of Talent Education and students from other cities in Illinois. Without the support of my wonderful teacher, Mrs. Price, and my loving parents, I would not have made this great accomplishment.
Bravo
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