23 years ago a group of musicians came to our elementary school to demonstrate the string instruments we could learn in the strings program. I fell in love with the deep sound of the double bass, and that particular double bass played by Wes Fisher had a lion head carved into the scroll (Wes Fisher was a bass icon in our area- playing with the Reading Symphony Orchestra for over 50 years as well as most of the other local symphonies) that I can picture vividly today. I came home and told my mom I wanted to play the violin, so my Aunt Sondra could teach me. She told me that Aunt Sondra could teach me any of the instruments, and I immediately chose the bass!
I practiced regularly (at the encouragement of my parents and aunt- thank you!) through elementary school and high school, music was a huge part of my life. I thought maybe I would major in music, then ended up going to a college that didn't have a strings program. I'm now mortified that when the Duquense University bass professor called me (called me!) to ask if I wanted to come audition I said no thank you. I think at the time I was nervous about getting into/going away to college academically, and was too afraid to think of auditioning too. Although I didn't play in college or professionally music has taken me to some amazing places~ I got to play with the young string orchestra at Carnegie Hall, an all bass orchestra in the Kennedy Center, and with local orchestras. And my family was there and supportive the whole time. Being a mom has made me realize how lucky I was to have all that support!
I'm so glad that Alex asked me to play last week, I'm falling in love with my music again! I've been working on Vivaldi's Sonata No. 5, which you can listen to here on YouTube. The boys sit on the bed and watch or read while I practice, it's a wonderful time for all of us!