This picture would be perfect if everyone’s hands were on a cello instead. Maybe you can recreate this at your next musical gathering and send it to CelloGuide? 🙂
No matter how long you (or your child) have been playing the cello, you’ve probably experienced periods of low motivation. Or maybe just plain old sick of the cello, don’t want to practice, thinking about quitting feelings. Everyone has these periods, and that’s why it’s important to know what to do to get through them.
One of the best motivators for any musician is playing in a group. This doesn’t have to be a formal band, orchestra, or string quartet. It could just be playing with a family member or friend. Here are some of the reasons why playing in a group is so motivating:
- Accountability – You have a part to learn, which means you’d better practice it. You don’t want to let the team down!
- Competition (the good type) – This seems to work especially for kids. When they see their peers accomplishing impressive things on their instruments, they want to practice to do the same, or at least keep up.
- Camaraderie –Â You get to talk with others about challenges and successes and bond over struggles and triumphs of playing an instrument.
- Inspiration – There’s just nothing quite like making music in a group. It sounds hokey, but when it goes well, it’s a unique and uplifting experience!
So, how do you find a group? You can start by doing an internet search for either youth orchestras or community orchestras for adults, or chamber music programs, or whatever you’re interested in. And definitely ask your teacher for suggestions in your area. It’s best to make sure it’s the right fit for your skill level. If the group is too easy or too challenging, it won’t be as fun, and that’s what this is all about, right?