John Graduates
The season’s second CYM Graduate was celebrated on Sunday after he performed J. S. Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins in D minor BWV 1043, accompanied by his teacher and mentor, Rochelle Agnew. Congratulations to John! We are really proud of your accomplishments and look forward with your family to a bright future through your continued and varied contributions to society! We caught up with John here:
What is your earliest memory of being at CYM? I remember walking up the stairs in the house to the flower wallpaper room not knowing what to expect. I remember Rochelle being very patient and teaching me the appropriate posture with my arms and hands. This new posture felt very strange at first. What is your favorite memory of making music? Probably my favorite memory was playing outside at Frick Park in the Spring of 2020. I had been cooped up for several months due to Covid. It was a beautiful day at the park and was fun to play outside under the shade of the tree. It was a peaceful experience to play outside at the park. What encouragement can you give to a student who is having a hard time practicing? Be patient with yourself. Start with smaller increments of time and work up to longer times of practicing. With time and perseverance, you will become a great player and enjoy the music you can play. What part has your music education played in helping you manage the challenges of high school and in taking your next steps in life? Playing the violin is a fun, relaxing activity for me. I enjoy trying to master a new piece of music now. Playing the violin well also gives me the confidence to master other skills in life. I know if I put my mind to something, I can do it. Rochelle helped me to play the violin at a high level so I was able to join the Honors Orchestra at North Allegheny High School. This is a talented group of musicians and I was proud to play with them. Describe a time when you used music to help another person. My relatives enjoy listening to me play the violin. I have played songs for my grandmother, aunts, cousins and my grandfather on their birthdays. They love this! What are your plans after high school? I will be attending the University of Pittsburgh in the fall and plan to major in Biology/Pre-Med.
John’s Mom reflects here: Briefly describe your lessons, a special performance, or other highlights from your tenure at CYM. The wonderful performances over the years were a highlight for us. The performances were a tangible way to see his improvement in playing skill as well as his confidence level. We loved bringing relatives to see him play at the Benedum in the lobby, the Museum of Art lobby and the beautiful First Unitarian Church in Shadyside. We also loved the outdoor performance at Frick Park in Shadyside. We remember spending a lovely afternoon watching all the kids play under the shade of the oak
tree. Describe some of the attributes your child has developed through their education and/or relationships at CYM. John has developed a true love of music from his violin lessons with Rochelle. Now that he has become very proficient in playing, he enjoys it very much. Rochelle taught him the right way to play and pushed him to get better each year. She would play songs for John to show him how they were to be played. This was beneficial in the learning process. Learning to play the violin well gave John a lot of confidence. He was able to join the North Allegheny Honors Orchestra program in high school which was a great experience. Playing the violin at many different venues has allowed John to see how music lifts people’s spirits. What can you share with parents of younger students in regard to what you see as the benefits of “sticking with it”, now that your child has graduated from high school? The benefits of lessons are numerous: they develop perseverance skills, focus skills, coordination skills, memory skills, confidence, and a true appreciation for the beauty of music.
John’s Violin Teacher (Rochelle) reflects here: “John first came to me as a student 7 years ago. He had started violin at North Allegheny and was ready to learn more outside of school orchestra. What first struck me about John was his calm, peaceful demeanor, a trait which I have deeply appreciated in John throughout our years of lessons. He quickly showed himself to be an eager learner and was quick to apply himself to every detail, no matter how small. John’s enjoyment of music is evident when he plays, and John’s consistently rich, deep tone on the violin is a highlight for me as his teacher. Some of my fondest memories are helping John to prepare for his audition for North Allegheny Honors Orchestra. These challenging auditions and playing tests were always requiring that he learn some extra new and advanced techniques as well as put in a lot of in depth preparation, and John always rose to the challenge. John, we celebrate your hard work today as you graduate and prepare for your collegiate studies at the University of Pittsburgh. It is your diligence, your consistency, and your kind, respectful, and peaceful demeanor which I will miss most in our weekly lessons. Congratulations on your graduation milestone today!”
