Old World or New, Sacred or Profane

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Asked to coach a 12 year old boy

My sister-in-law called last night. She wanted to know if I’d be willing to come by on Saturday for a coaching session with a 12 year-old boy who’s auditioning on cello on Monday for a school “honors” orchestra. My sister-in-law has known the family for a long time, likes the boy and has “baby-sat” him often in the past, and the boy has apparently been playing cello for some time, but has never had a lesson.

Well, what could I say? Of course, I’ll come by. Naturally, I hope to motivate the parents to get the boy private lessons with a real teacher if the boy shows genuine interest. I’ll stress that I’m not at all qualified to teach.

Still, I’m quite looking forward to meeting a fellow traveler, even one 42 years younger than me, seeing how he does, and talking cello. I think it will be fun.

But since he’ll be meeting me, of all people, maybe some prayers for his cello-istic soul would be in order here.

2 comments:

Emily said...

Go Terry! I can tell you that I am twice the cellist I was before I started teaching. Take every opportunity like this that comes your way: to teach is not to claim omniscience, it's just sharing what you know thus far. Even if what you know amounts to, "Whoo! This is really hard, isn't it?"

How did it go?

gottagopractice said...

Yes, Terry, how did it go? The other members of Future Cello Teachers of the World (why limit it to America?) are dying to vicariously share your first lesson experience!