New Fiddle

On Tuesday we went into the city to try new fiddles. Haley's violin teacher had said once she learned Praeludium, she could get a new fiddle and I was feeling that she needed as much time as possible to practice on a new fiddle before we go to Ireland. I know her violin teacher is not thrilled to be moving her up. Haley is getting too big for a 1/2 size but is still a little on the small side for the new 3/4 and her technically demanding pieces will be more difficult on the bigger violin. Her fiddle teacher, however, would have her moved up to a full size fiddle if there were any chance her fingers could stretch that far. (The one main difficulty we've encountered having two different teachers and playing two different styles of music...sigh!)

So, Tuesday we drove to the city, paid an exorbitant amount for parking (sorry had to throw that in there), and spent two hours trying and re-trying 10 different violins and about as many bows until we'd narrowed it down to three to bring home. To tell the truth, Haley had narrowed it down to her favorite already but I thought she should bring a couple more home just to be sure she still had the same favorite after playing them awhile. She played them for her classical teacher at her lesson on Tuesday...that we were almost late for and then played them for her fiddle teacher on Skype. Fortunately the consensus was that Haley's 1st choice was the best one for her so she is very happy.

We are going to try to go back today to return the others and get a different sort of chin rest on this one because she doesn't like the one on there now. The new fiddle sounds soooo big compared to her old one. It is going to take getting used to for me. I always come to know her sound and can pick her out in a group even when I can barely hear her so now I will have to get used to hearing her differently. She is going to continue working on Praeludium with the new violin for the next week or so until she goes to strings camp and it will be the piece she spends her time on at camp. After camp she'll begin some new pieces.

I'll post a picture or video of the new fiddle soon.