that teaching life. 🙌 ☀ in the last four years i have fallen very out of love with "identifying" as a classical violinist. i don't give two hoots about Classical Music™, though i am passionate about dismantling and transforming its many problematic cultural trappings and stereotypes. this spring, teaching an enthusiastic adult beginner is helping me rediscover what i *do* love about playing violin: the feel-good, incremental-payoff small accomplishments of craftsmanship, personal progress, visualisation, troubleshooting, stacking conceptual building blocks with brain and body working hand in hand (hands pun intended). in its most basic form, stripped of cultural and economic trappings (to the extent that is possible), the practice of a craft can be a form of solace. there will always be any number of elements that could benefit from focused, patient, earnest attention and critical thinking, and this fact can provide emotional stability and self confidence. dedication to a craft can double as dedication to one's self. that is what is important to me. #personalpractice #bodycenteredpractice #musicianhealth #changetheconversation #contextiseverything #nonpatriarchalcontext #reclaimwhatthreatensyou #ideologymatters #present #secondcircle #rodenburg #simonfischer #guildhallgrad #selfbelief #selfconfidence #affirmativeteaching #craftswomanship #solace #workspace #studiospace #naturallight #violin #violinist #thatteacherlife #violinteacher #backtobasics #forwardtobasics