I was eight years old when I started violin lessons. Although I sang a lot as a kid, it was only a hobby. It never crossed my mind to learn a musical instrument until my primary school opened a group violin program, for which my mother signed me up straight away. I was neither keen nor resistant towards it. My first lesson was rather disastrous as I could not make the violin sound. I remember very well how disappointing it was. Nevertheless, I had the courage to go for the second lesson, the third and so on. Eventually I managed to get a grip on it. Today I have made music the path of my life. Learning music has taught me things that I may not have gotten through ordinary education.
I grew up in a family with no musical background. Our family only listened to the popular stuff on the radio, cassette or television. I had never seen a violin in real life before, nor been exposed to classical music. A few months after starting on the instrument, I found that the music I was learning was more interesting and captivating than the type of music I usually heard. In a few years, I had learned pieces from different periods of classical music history, with works composed by people from different nationalities and backgrounds. Playing those pieces, I felt like I had been transported to different places in time. Then I realised that learning music not only taught me how to play an instrument; it also taught me to be aware of the historical and cultural aspects of the music I was working on.
I was fortunate enough to be introduced to orchestral playing one year after I began my violin lessons. To me, playing solo was cool, but playing with other people was even better. In orchestra, I learned that every instrument or section has a specific role to play, and everyone has to do their part to make the music work. I observed that the conductor had to keep everyone in sync and make sure that they played their notes correctly. If one person played the wrong note or the wrong tempo, it would affect the progress of the entire orchestra. Nobody is too big or too small in an orchestra because it is about rendering what is written in the score. I learned that the success of a performance relies on the talent of every individual in the orchestra, their ability to understand their roles, and their willingness to work as a team.
Playing in an orchestra also provided me the opportunity to meet other musicians. From the very beginning, I worked with conductors, soloists and musicians from different places. Meeting them inspired me to work harder to improve on my own playing. It was tempting to feel good about myself once I achieved certain things, but being around other talented people made me realise that I couldn't be complacent. Besides that, making the acquaintance of other musicians also opened new avenues for me in regards to performances and events because in this field, you have to live on your reputation. Although there are many musicians out there, there are few who are trusted to deliver. Music taught me that living in the real world is not just about having talent, but also the ability to maintain the goodwill of others.
Learning music is anything but easy. There were many moments in my learning experience when I wanted to give up. There was always something wrong about my techniques, or my instruments. Sometimes the criticisms I received from my teachers, colleagues or friends were unbearable. Along the way, I learned to listen better. I realised that no matter what I did, there would always be something to improve on, and people will always have something to say. As an artist, the ultimate product – be it great or terrible – rests upon what I truly feel. The outcome of my music is not made by who I am, but by how far I would like to go.
Twenty-five years after my first violin lesson, I realise that my life has been shaped by the lessons I learned through music. It has taught me about understanding history and culture, playing my roles well, maintaining good relationships with others, and staying focused on what I want to achieve. To me, music learning is not about playing a musical instrument, but about growing along the path of life.