One of the topics I have discussed in previous posts is the significance of family members supporting young musicians as they take their first steps in the world of music. Last week, specifically on January 27th, was the remembrance day for my mother’s passing. Coincidentally, the prominent composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on that date in 1756. I want to reflect on my life and my mother today, and honor her memory, as she played a significant role in my musical journey as I grew up.
I began learning how to play the piano when I was six and switched to cello at nine. My first cello teacher was French, and at the elementary school I attended, we learned Armenian, Arabic, and English; thus, there was no French language instruction. However, my parents were educated in French, and my siblings and I heard a great deal of French in our household. That was insufficient to help me understand the teacher, so my mother used to sit in the lessons and translate.
After we immigrated to the States, my mother became an anchor for me to rely on, as she was always present at my concerts and performances. She acted as my manager at times and organized the specific details of recitals from the press releases, articles, and receptions. She would also accompany me on long trips when the orchestras I played in traveled to another city for performances.
My Mother was hard-working and followed the motto of never leaving today’s work for tomorrow. And I have adopted this point of view in life abundantly. And should I ever be tempted to procrastinate, I remind myself to honor my responsibilities. The latter has helped me practice my instrument and maintain discipline and consistency. If there was any moment when I doubted myself and felt unsure I could accomplish something, she always assured me that she knew me and that I would be able to achieve it. Hearing that alone was an encouragement beyond words, beyond what anyone can describe.
I carried this attitude into the classroom years later, when I was teaching, and approached my students from the perspective that we can achieve much more when we set our minds to it. I witnessed my students build confidence and excel in their studies as I remained positive and trusting of their abilities. Much later, I imparted the same attitude toward learning to my daughters. And as a mother, I have not only encouraged my daughters’ learning but also actively engaged in their education in music, school studies, and extracurricular activities. At some point, I started tennis training, which is something I never imagined I would do, and I still occasionally play to this day. Perhaps this is a bit overboard, but the point is to be involved in a child’s life in a way that tells them that a parent cares about what they do. And I can say the same for my mother; she cared deeply about what my sisters and I did.
In 1987, I went to another state for a summer music camp. On my way home, there was an airplane crash right on the runway, half an hour before my flight was about to take off. The airplanes, although different flights were part of the same airline. There was a big stir back at my house in Los Angeles, as my parents were unsure whether I had been on the flight that crashed. Upon my return, I arrived home and met my Mother in the corridor. We hugged each other for the longest time.
In 2022, I flew to Los Angeles to visit my Mother at the care center where she was staying. She had dementia and had lost some of her faculties. When she saw me at some point, the only thing she remembered to tell another lady who had come into her room was “She is my daughter, and she is a cellist.”
This week's recommendation is to consider ways parents and educators can support children as they take their first steps in learning to play musical instruments.
Add comment
Comments