I am 13 years old and I am in Suzuki Book 4, and I have been playing violin since age 5. However, I am not good. I try to practice when there is time, and I try to make time. But it never works. I have so much school work and extracurriculars. I am auditioning for an orchestra this year and I just don't think I can do it. Every year, the audition music gets harder and harder. The only reason I got in last year was because I got an extension, and I can't get one this year. Even my violin teacher said that maybe I should audition for the lower group, but I don't want to because their audition music is like Twinkle, Twinkle. I just don't know if I should do this anymore. I feel as though everyone else is better than me. However, I am doing very well in school, I have straight A's, my current ACT score is 32, and I am planning to retake it to get a 36. I am doing extremely well on ballet and clarinet, but not violin. I just have no idea why. It looks like the audition music is so easy for all the other kids, and I don't want to be known as the one who can't play well. I don't want to quit because I actually like it, and I need it for my resume, but I don't know if I should continue. Please let me know!! Thank you so much for your help guys!!

Make the golden rule of life “never give up”. There is always a shining sun after every storm. Keep on practicing and I’m sure you will make it this time. Good luck!!

Try to really feel the music and I would say stick at it!

IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A VERY BUSY SCHEDULE AND YOUR FEELING THE STRESS. I THINK YOU SHOULD HOLD OFF ON AUDITIONING --

RELAX PLAY THE VIOLIN BECAUSE YOU WANT TOO NOT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TOO!!!

YOU'LL BE SURPRISED......

NOW THIS RESUME ????? IF YOU'RE PLANNING ON COLLEGE -- GRADES AND PERHAPS IF INTERVIEWED -- YOUR CHARACTER ARE SIGNIFICANT FACTORS. SO [TRUE OR FALSE] PLAYING THE VIOLIN (UNLESS YOU'RE DEGREE GOAL INCLUDES THE VIOLIN) IS NOT SIGNIFICANT BUT IF TRUE THEN CONSIDER A CHANGE INVOLVING THE CLARINET. BE REALISTIC IN YOUR DECISION.. WEIGH THE PROS AND CONS... MOST IMPORTANTLY DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY AND STAY AWAY FROM STRESS... AND YOU'LL SUCCEED IN WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO.

Haha it's funny that I see that post. I was also asking myself a few days ago if I should quit violin. And I was about to put my violin in the storage! And then I asked myself why I've started and which violinist influenced me to start. I then searched to listen to Julia Fischer, my absolute favourite violinist. I found that playlist (https://open.spotify.com/user/pentatoneclassics/playlist/1Mkz9RJfHQ2V918cRaumNE) with all her best performance. Listening to all those amazing tracks made me realise that this instrument is such a beauty and even if sometimes it is difficult to practice, when you see violinists like Julia Fischer who worked so hard to achieve that level of mastery, it is such an inspiration! Don't quit! Listen to this playlist if it can inspires you to fight for your dream! Good luck. Lionel

I just started teaching myself the violin, but before that, I learned the piano and the ukulele, and over time I learned that you should learn at your own pace, so if the music in the orchestra seems too hard, I would wait. You should work your way up and learn at your own pace. No one can leap a mountain, there is a long hard climb before you triumph and reach the top. In the same way, there are those who will climb faster than others. keep trying and you will be great.

-Thor DeBruyn