My Music Teacher

My music teacher is an amazing musician. She works hard at many aspects in life and masters more than 6 instruments. She is modest about herself and encourages others to work harder through her own work, she is a great role model. Even when she makes mistakes she gets back up on her feet and tries harder. Susan inspired me to try new things. Like learning new instruments and music that I thought was too hard for me. And even when things got hard to keep trying.

The story of how she supported me in becoming more confident is amazing. For years I had struggled with music, I would argue with my mother for hours that I was not smart, that I would never be good at anything. At the time I was home schooled and live in the country so I never really communicated with anyone but my siblings, except on Sundays and Thursdays when I had church. Those friends from church were close but I didn't see them often.

The summer before grade 5 we were at my cottage when my dad's Doctor phoned and told us that my dad had stage 1 cancer behind his right eye and had to drive to Toronto 5 days a week for a month to get radiation. So near the end of November my mom got all my brothers and sisters in the van and drove to the nearest school: George Hamilton Public School in Welcome. I was not the most popular kid in my class. I didn't have any friends my age and ended up spending my recesses with the kindergarten class. In grade six, my teacher, Mr. Chapman helped me with math. He helped me get onto the 3 pitch team where I was able to make friends with 3 of the girls in my grade (who still are my friends to this day).

Then in grade 7 I was off to Dr. Hawkins Sr. Public School in Port Hope where I met my music teacher. I had known her for about 3 years through my violin teacher, but never really talked to her until I got to my new school. She welcomed me to the school and we started hanging out in the Music Room at lunch. We would practice duets together for an hour every school day. And slowly I began to enjoy music, I would go home and practice for hours. My violin teacher began noticing improvement at practices and I had more motivation for other subjects like English and Visual Art.

TSYO

When I got to grade 8 and she moved down the hallway to Port Hope High School and I was on my own. The music teacher and I started a string ensemble and we ended up with four violinists: I, My sister Ellen (who auditioned for PCVS in December), and two others who were in grade 7 at the time. We would go on trips with the school band and perform for small feeder schools and nursing homes. (There was also a clarinet ensemble and a saxophone ensemble.)

I now go to PCVS (Peterborough Collegiate and Vocational School) which has an excellent arts program. I enjoy music and practice at least an hour a day by myself or with my brother and sisters who also play stringed instruments. I play in three sections of a small orchestra in Port Hope, we meet every Monday at 6:30.