Of course! It is always a pleasure to teach any student who is motivated to pick up an instrument. Adults are capable of being responsible for their own results and practice patterns and can therefore make excellent progress. My only caution for older adults who are interested in beginning violin is that violin playing requires a certain amount of flexibility in the wrists, forearms, fingers and shoulders. If you have arthritis or other conditions which limit mobility in these joints, the violin may not be for you. Although adults do not have the same degree of flexibility in the fingers as children have, the biggest obstacles for adult learners are usually the other demands on their time, and fear of failure (which creates stress and tension in their playing). Suzuki method can be quite successful with adults as it breaks the learning process down into small, manageable steps so that steady progress can be achieved in short practice sessions.

My studio is located in my home at 155 Peacock Blvd., Port Hope, just east of Roseglen Rd. and less than 1km south of 401. This space allows me ready access to my personal resources (music, books, cds). The room is large enough to accommodate parent, child and teacher comfortably. I also have a children’s table and a few books, toys and drawing materials in the studio for children while they are waiting for their parent or sibling’s lesson.

Consult the teacher first! Most violins which come from general music stores are not properly set up, and while the price may make it seem like a good deal, the old saying “you get what you pay for” is very true. This article explains why: http://www.violinist.com/blog/laurie/201011/11787/

If the instrument doesn’t have a good tone, or is not easy to play because it has been poorly manufactured, the player is just going to get frustrated. Ideally, you should have your teacher play the instrument so you can hear how it sounds, and so that he/she can determine whether there are any problems with it.

Young children will generally outgrow their instrument in a matter of 12 to 18 months. Most families in my studio take good care of their violins, so when it’s time for the next size up, they can sell it to another family for close to what they paid for it, because it has retained its value, and with a new set of strings (purchased by the new owner), it will be ready for someone else to play.

If it is necessary to purchase a new instrument, (particularly in the smaller fractional sizes) I have a vendor’s permit with a company in Toronto which enables me to acquire European instrument outfits at competitive prices and sell them to my students.

In the Suzuki approach, we usually start the child with a pre-violin, or box, to prepare the child for the real violin. When the child is given the box, they are not tempted to rush into doing activities on the instrument for which they are not physically or mentally prepared. This process is followed to insure the child’s physical comfort with their violin and bow, and thus allows them to develop at their own pace. Once the teacher has determined the readiness of the child, parents can purchase or rent their instruments.

For older beginners, or parents learning to play, I recommend the following stores for instrument rentals:

Long & McQuade

• Cobourg - 7789 County Rd. 2 - 905-373-1991

• Oshawa - Simcoe St - 905-434-1612

* Remenyi House of Music: Bloor St. W., Toronto, 1-800-667-6925

* The Sound Post: 93 Grenville St., Toronto, 1-800-363-1512

The difference is purely a nominal one. The word “fiddle” is actually derived from “fidel” which was a medieval precursor to the violin, and has come down as sort of a “nickname”. The two different names are also used to distinguish the style of music being played: we generally think of the violin as an orchestral instrument for classical music, whereas the fiddle is more for folk and traditional styles –but again, this is purely in name. Sometimes traditional fiddlers prefer to have the bridge of their instrument less arched than usual so that it is easier for them to play on two strings at once. Fiddlers often choose a brighter sounding steel string set to help the sound project more. Other than these minor physical differences, the instruments are the same.