Suzuki was like a chore, my parents would have to force me to practice, they would be like, “Come on, practice, practice,” and I would make excuses and cry. It was all note-perfect stuff, and I didn’t even learn to read music.
When I started on Kaleidoscopes I enjoyed violin more and it wasn’t such a chore to practice anymore. What made the difference was playing music that I actually liked, and working on interpretation, and reading the music and learning different techniques. The songs are alot more fun. They paint pictures in your head. Versus Suzuki Minuet, I just kind of hated it, and like Gavotte, I just hated it. Kaleidoscopes, I don’t know, the songs clicked with me, I guess. I just really like this book and this method.
I think this book helped widen my range of technical and interpretation capabilities of the music. When I compare my experience with my friends who stayed with Suzuki, I’m definitely way more advanced than they are. I have friends that are like, Suzuki Book 4, Suzuki Book 6, and their techniques are definitely not as advanced as mine, and I know for a fact that we practice the same amount.
Everything really changed for me when I was 10 years old and I came to Kaleidoscopes. It really changed the way I feel about the instrument. I love it violin now, so much.
Isabella DeMoss, 13
Currently playing Mozart Concerto #4, Allegro