HELEN KELLER PLAYS VIOLIN!

This headline is probably as mind boggling as a headline that would have read Young Toddlers Demonstrating Computer Geek Skills in the 1960s. Everyone knew back then that only professors with years and years of research into physics and math, in the highest and most reputable of institutions, could even begin to decipher the world of computers! But now, when your computer jams, or a problem with it is beyond your comprehension, who do you run to, to solve it? A young teenager or any child available, is usually the wisest choice! And solve it they do!

A violin Geek? It has been known for hundreds of years that learning to play the violin has been perhaps one of the hardest skills to acquire, and only a handful of unrelenting devotees makes it up to the Geek level.

But here, in 2012, there is a mother, with very little experience with the violin, teaching her young child to play the violin! Add to this the fact that the young child is deaf, and blind! This is mind boggling! One can only drop their jaw in amazement, sputtering this cant be true!

Internationally acclaimed Concert Violinist and Master Violin teacher Eden Vaning-Rosen spent over half her life researching the exact foot-steps one needs to follow to become a concert violinist. This put her in a position to be

This headline is probably as mind boggling as a headline that would have read Young Toddlers demonstrating Computer Geek Skills in the 1960s. Everyone knew back then that only professors with years and years of research into physics and math, in the highest and most reputable of institutions, could even begin to decipher the world of computers! But now, when your computer jams, or a problem with it is beyond your comprehension, who do you run to, to solve it? A young teenager or any child available, is usually the wisest choice! And solve it they do!

A violin Geek? It has been known for hundreds of years that learning to play the violin has been perhaps one of the hardest skills to acquire, and only a handful of unrelenting devotees makes it up to the Geek level.

But here, in 2012, there is a mother, with very little experience with the violin, teaching her young child to play the violin! Add to this the fact that the young child is deaf, and blind! This is mind boggling! One can only drop their jaw in amazement, sputtering this cant be true!

Internationally acclaimed Concert Violinist and Master Violin teacher Eden Vaning-Rosen spent over half her life researching the exact foot-steps one needs to follow to become a concert violinist. This put her in a position to be more than ready, when she heard about the crisis of major funding cuts for music programs in schools across the nation in the 90s. She immediately took action! Taking her place as the original pioneer in a field everyone knew couldnt be deciphered, she laboriously wrote and illustrated a very simple, step-by-step violin training system that enables anyone, with or without music experience, to become successful in learning to play the violin. The Violin Book System was born!

And so, it was not long before her work became the spring board in the creation of many new violin teachers. These teachers were parents who never ever played violin or even did music before. They became so proficient at teaching the instrument to their own young children, that they themselves started taking posts in private schools as successful and sought after violin teachers.

Young students who devoted themselves to the study of Eden’s system, were able to audition and join youth symphonies with no more instruction than just her books. Some attained high 1^st violin positions in their Youth Orchestras tryouts. Teenagers became teachers, successfully teaching younger siblings. Families formed music groups, playing and offering the blessing of music to their communities. The “unattainable” was happening.

While music programs continued to have their grants pulled, and with other music training projects all over the country never getting off the ground, for over 14 years Eden has been maintaining a successful teaching program for young violin students at a local YMCA. Some students she trained to teach were as young as 8 years old. It was soon discovered in this program that parents who came in with mentally challenged children, as well as other disabilities, could achieve “miracle” results in helping their children be able to play the violin using her system.

Soon reports came in of her program being applied successfully to children who had hearing impairments. Her large type books made it possible for those in their 70’s or even 80’s to do what they only dreamed of, learn to successfully play the violin. Some reached their goals of playing “Amazing Grace” within a short period of time. Children and adults with visual impairments now had a tool to with which achieve their goals.

Recently a mother successfully completed the first steps of violin training with her deaf and blind daughter. The violin being an instrument in which its vibrations can be felt, in conjunction with Eden’s very simple approach, gave this child success and motivation to achieve results, where experts would concur that this couldn’t happen. Yes, maybe Helen Keller would have played the violin!

As the study of the violin has been proven in government studies to raise grades, build self esteem, develop social skills, improve math and reading skills, foster leadership abilities, and give a child the priceless chance at self expression, the musical doors are flying wide open for children and adults alike. Perhaps in another 20 or so years, the ability of this system to overcome the “violin beast”, will turn out to be the important “key” to helping any one of any ability, realize the full potential of who they are, and enter us into an age where personal achievement, can be fulfilled.

Click here to go to The Violin Book

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correction: This story was originally credited to Pablo Pizzacato, in error.