[img]541|left|Carter Dewberry||no_popup[/img]I have lost track of how many times I have heard someone tell me (once they learn I am a cellist) that they either:
1) Wish they never had quit their instrument,
2) Wish they had started an instrument when they were young or,
3) Want to learn an instrument when they retire.
(To be honest, at least half of the time, that instrument is the cello. Maybe that is just the power of suggestion, but I doubt it.)
The teller I met last week at the bank was in the third group. She was a few years away from retirement, and she has dreams of learning to play either the violin or the cello.
Setting the Record Straight
Unfortunately, I often hear one of the following statements after their initial declaration:
1) But, I’m afraid I am too old,
2) But it is too late for me,
3) But, I am tone deaf,
4) But I am not musically inclined,
5) But I can’t read music.
Having taught dozens of adult students (with more than a dozen currently in my studio), I can safely lay these fears to rest. My oldest student is nearing 70. He is preparing for his first solo recital this spring. There you have it.
In my 20-plus years of teaching cello, I have only met one person I was not able to teach. This gentleman had had an accident in his youth that left his right thumb with unreliable joints and surrounding muscles. This made it difficult for him to hold a pencil – or a bow. Thankfully, this didn’t get in the way of his career as a pianist.
For all those who have longed to play an instrument, why wait? If budget or time is an issue, I have students who are able to make progress taking only one lesson a month. And two of my students found cellos for sale under $100! (Admittedly, this isn’t common, but here’s proof it can happen… more than once.)
So what is your instrument of choice?
More Cellos!
My students are having so much fun and making such great progress that I have decided to move on my longstanding dream of creating a community cello ensemble. The O.C. Cello Choir will have its official debut this August. I am arranging a variety of songs — everything from classical to pop to metal. While I plan on making this quite a production (lighting, staging, and an anticipated surprise can only help the audience’s enjoyment), the emphasis will be on having FUN. Because playing and teaching is for me such a joy, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Ms. Dewberry, an accomplished cellist, completed her DMA in Chamber Music Performance from UCLA in December 2005. She received her MM in Cello Performance from UCLA in June 2002 and her B.M. in Cello Performance from Western Michigan University in April 1998. She also holds a B.A. in French with a minor in Women's Studies and Philosophy.
Her website is www.carterdewberry.com
She may be contacted at carter@carterdewberry.com
