I had a middle-aged customer (Sophie*) come into the shop yesterday to buy a violin. She was obviously a beginner but very motivated and with a good musical ear. She wanted a good outfit, not just student quality and seemed knowledgeable about violins in general. I often ask questions to get a background so that I can offer an appropriate instrument and, in this case, I was also curious as to the reason for her interest in learning to play.
The story soon came out. ‘Well you see Lance; my dear old mother is in her 90’s and she has Alzheimer’s dementia and is very difficult to cope with at times. There is no point of contact either historically nor daily living and all that is left is the incessant repetitive questions which bear no relevance to anything around.’
Sophie continued. ‘My mother was a violinist and a teacher. The other day I took out her very valuable old fiddle and asked her if she remembered playing in the orchestra?’ The old lady just got the familiar bewildered look and seemed unable to grasp what Sophie was saying.
‘…but then I had the thought that if I got myself a violin and began to learn, maybe she would respond to that. The next time I went to see mum I took a hired violin with me’.
The effect was startling! ‘Seeing me with a violin under my chin, improperly held and gripping the bow like a harpoon, all her old violin teaching impulses just surged!’ The old lady picked up her own old violin and began to play just as she used to do in years gone by. She instinctively swung into teaching mode – adjusting Sophie’s posture, correcting her bow hold, sorting out suitable music and adjusting the shoulder rest!
She soon tired, however, and returning the violin to its case she immediately lapsed into her former state. Sophie meanwhile continued her story. ‘But you see Lance, the playing bug had bitten. I had grown up with music all around me, I can read music and I now want a decent violin so that I can make some progress’.
‘And better yet, every time I visit mum I have a vital point of contact now. She lights up and for a few precious minutes becomes the person I knew’
* Name changed
