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By Guest Columnist Susan Bentley
THOMASTON - What makes a child who takes up an instrument continue to practice and play that instrument? In Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Amy Chua described horrific, hours-long practice sessions with her two daughters on piano and violin, in which she screamed at them for how terribly they played and made them play pieces over and over until they were perfect. For three students of Thomaston violin teacher Heidi Strahm, no such tactics are necessary. These young women, Julia Hawkins, Reid Hightower, and Elizabeth Jones, all practice and play for the love of music, the love of their instrument and the love of performing.
Julia, in 6th grade at Flint River Academy, started playing when she was five years old. Reid, a sophomore at Upson-Lee High School, and Elizabeth, a junior at Upson-Lee, both started playing violin at the age of 6. All of the students were drawn to the violin because of its special sound. Until last year, the three had never met; now, with Heidi Strahm, they make up a local quartet, the Sweet Georgia Violins. And in March 2012, they will travel to New York City to play together on the famed stage of Carnegie Hall. Unlike many orchestral groups that appear at Carnegie, they have memorized their entire repertoire and will play standing, rather than seated at music stands. This level of performance requires months of preparation and practice, and local Thomaston concerts are helping them to do two things: get ready for playing the Carnegie stage, and raise money for the cost of their trip. Right now, the group is getting ready for a concert on January 22, 2012 at the Ritz Theater in Thomaston.
In addition to their individual lessons, the Sweet Georgia Violins practice as a group every week. Rather than finding these lessons a chore, the violinists look forward to them. “We have a lot of fun and always laugh a lot,” says Reid. “It's obvious that we all love music and the other girls are so much fun to be around,” says Elizabeth. ”I love going to group lessons because we laugh and cut up while doing something we all love to do, make music.” While performing on stage might make some people nervous, the Sweet Georgia Violins love those moments. Julia says she feels “the excitement of sharing what we love with others” when she performs. Reid enjoys watching the audience “as the music influences their emotions. It’s like you can control their feelings, somewhat.” Elizabeth says performing makes her feel “confident and powerful.” She loves how each of the violin parts “is like a different thread, and when we weave it all together, it forms a blanket of music.” Her favorite piece is “Over the Rainbow,” because “this song really touches people, which is important to me as an aspiring musician.”
What is different about the Sweet Georgia Violins from other strings groups? This group puts “an additional stress on stage presence and interaction. The members of the group are taught to look at each other, act, and interact with each other according to the music. It adds to the performance and I think it makes our group more entertaining to watch and listen to,” says Elizabeth. Reid agrees. “When we play really lively pieces that are easy to move to, we get to have a lot of fun swaying and almost communicate with our eyes and body language. That’s one of my favorite parts.” Julia says the group is special simply because “I’m part of it!”
While the lessons and hours of practice and memorization are not easy, these young violinists enjoy both the preparation and the fruits of their hard work: performing for others. Their ultimate goal, the Carnegie Hall stage, is now only two months away. “I’m excited and a bit terrified at the same time,” says Reid. Elizabeth says it’s “overwhelming, but in a good way! I cannot wait to walk on that stage and think of all the other amazing people before me that have played on that same stage. It's an amazing opportunity that I am so looking forward to. I think it's going to be a truly magical moment.”
You can help support the Sweet Georgia Violins! Please make plans to attend the concert at the Ritz on January 22 at 3pm. Tickets are $5.00, and raffle tickets for lots of exciting prizes donated by local merchants are only $1.00 each. Coming up, the Sweet Georgia Violins are holding a fund-raising indoor yard sale on February 4 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Tire and Auto Master, 609 N. Church Street. Donations of yard sale items accepted! On Sunday, February 12 at 2 p.m., the Sweet Georgia Violins will play at the First Baptist Church in Manchester, 12 East Second Street. For more information please call Courtney Hawkins at 706-646-2766.