A 14-year-old Violinist Reminisces About Her Kindermusik Experience

This week I flew to Chicago with my family to begin our summer vacation on the shores of Lake Michigan. I met up there with my sister and her family.  My 14-year-old niece, Kelsey Gilles, is a violinist and graduate of a Kindermusik studio in the Chicago area. I interviewed her and her mother about their musical beginnings with this program.  Today you can read my interview with Kelsey.  Next week I’ll post my interview with her mother, Nancy Gilles.

D—How old were you when you began Kindermusik?
K—Well, I started violin at age 5 after I finished Kindermusik, so I must have been around 3.
D—What were some of your first memories of Kindermusik?
K—When you walked in, there was beautiful, happy music playing in the background. There were drums—instruments that kids were hitting. We made instruments like a guitar with rubber bands on a box.  It was fun.
D—What other instruments did you use?
K—I remember a xylophone.  We put stickers on it and played songs. Our teacher told us to take the xylophone into the bathtub to hear how sound resonated. I still have my xylophone.  We also got a ….what was it called…the thing with strings…zither.  We put music behind the strings and would pick tunes. I remember playing “Lightly Row” on the zither.
D-Anything else you remember about those 3 years?
K—They built on each other.  The 1st year we had little drums. It was an introduction to beat. The 2nd year we had the xylophone. It was about notes. The 3rd year we used the zither.  It was about songs.
D—When did you start playing the violin?
K—At 5 ½. I went from the 3rd year of Kindermusik right into Suzuki violin. My older sister played violin and I wanted to play too since I was 3, but her violin teacher discouraged me from starting that early.
D—How did Kindermusik help you when you began violin?
K—It was very helpful. Because I wasn’t starting from scratch, I learned quicker. I knew about rhythm, beat and 1/4 notes. Suzuki was just listening, but Kindermusik also included sight—recognizing notes.
D—What are you doing with violin now? 
K—I’m finishing Suzuki Book 8.  I’ve played for graduations, recitals, the church and I played with Steve Green’s orchestra in Chicago when he came to town. I play with the Schaumburg Youth Orchestra.  We are playing at Orchestra Hall in downtown Chicago this weekend.
D—How long do you practice daily?
K—About 1 ½ hours, but I should be practicing 2 hours a day.  I’m working up to that.
D-How has Kindermusik helped you grow as a musician?
K—It has brought out my creative side. I can hear a song and play it myself.  I can transpose it.  I really enjoy it.
D—Do you play any other instruments?
K—I started taking piano at 9 years old.  I added it to help my sight-reading and rhythm for violin.  I’ve stopped piano this year.  The last few months, I’ve been enjoying guitar. My dad taught me a few chords.  I like to tape myself playing the piano, then layer guitar, violin and add a beat.
D—What would you say to sum up your Kindermusik experience?
K—It’s definitely worth it.  Kindermusik made the beginning of music more of a fun experience. It’s not strenuous. It was a fun way to begin music instruction. Maybe I wouldn’t have kept going otherwise.  It was learning, but not forceful.

-posted by Donna Mershon Detweiler, a proud aunt who is looking forward to hearing Kelsey play at Orchestra Hall soon.