|
When I woke up today, Wednesday, November 6, 2024, I immediately checked the Presidential Election results. 224 (Harris) to 277 (Trump) stared back at me. Donald Trump would be the next President of the United States.
It was 6:41 AM. I will never forget how I felt at that moment. So many thoughts and emotions filled my body. I watched the sunrise while I processed my feelings. I could not believe what happened. As Black women, we are taught from a very young age that we must work 10x as hard to just be considered on a level playing field. Even though we do this and do it well, we are still discounted. Justice Ketanji Jackson is the first Black woman (and one of the most qualified) to sit on the Supreme Court. She still faced an unfathomable amount of racism and sexism during her confirmation process. Vice President Kamala Harris is the first Black woman to hold this office. She has served as District Attorney of San Francisco, Attorney General of California, and a United States Senator. Her presidential campaign shared her plans for empowering Americans with significant down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers, support for small business owners, and enhanced child tax credits. She clearly demonstrated the epitome of what it means to work for all people. During his campaign, Donald Trump did not indicate a single viable way of how he will help this country move forward. He has, however, said he’d abolish the Department of Education and conduct mass deportations. If the roles were reversed, we would not be having this conversation. President Barack Obama could not even kill a fly without being crucified. As a Black woman, I am exhausted. I think about what to tell our young people. I think about how I will have the strength to keep fighting for my people who need inspiration and hope that things will get better. If you are in a position to support a Black woman or any person of color, the time to do so is now. Ever since we were kidnapped from Africa and brought to this land, we have had to fight tooth and nail to be seen, heard, and recognized. It’s still not enough.
0 Comments
On June 6, 2022, I was overjoyed to perform in Levine Music's Adult String Ensemble Spring Concert. Thank you, Director JoAnna Cochenet-Gallastegui, for such a rewarding experience! Performers:
Melanie Bates, Student, Levine Music and JoAnna Cochenet-Gallastegui, Faculty, Levine Music According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of regret is to feel sad or sorry about something that you did or did not do. In high school, I quit the violin. This blog series is about my journey to resume playing. To read the entire series, please visit www.melaniebates.net/blog. On December 16, 2021, I participated in my third recital since returning to the violin after a 15+ year hiatus. I performed a piece my Instructor found called Mele Sue, composed by a Ghanaian composer named Kenneth Kafui. You can watch my performance below beginning at 9 minutes and 40 seconds. Sadly, Mr. Kafui passed away in March of 2020. I was truly honored to perform a piece by this esteemed Black composer. To learn more, please visit www.musicbyblackcomposers.org. According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of regret is to feel sad or sorry about something that you did or did not do. In high school, I quit the violin. This blog series is about my journey to resume playing. To read the entire series, please visit www.melaniebates.net/blog. On December 15, 2021, I decided to record some Christmas Carols that I learned when I was young. I hope you enjoy them! According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of regret is to feel sad or sorry about something that you did or did not do. In high school, I quit the violin. This blog series is about my journey to resume playing. To read the entire series, please visit www.melaniebates.net/blog. On November 9, 2021, Levine Music launched a series about its adult musicians. I was truly honored to be its first feature. Having played violin when she was young, Melanie was always on the lookout for the perfect time to resume her practice (something many of us search for but can never seem to find). She says, “I had always wanted to resume playing the violin since quitting when I was young. It brings an amazing sense of balance and purpose to my life.” It wasn’t until after years of searching and circling back to the thought, did Melanie find Levine Music and restart her journey with the violin. To read the full article, please visit https://www.levinemusic.org/about/news/coming-home-spotlight-on-adult-musicians-featuring-melanie-bates  Overcoming Regret: My Journey to Resume Playing Violin IX - Remembering My First Private Teacher11/11/2021 According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of regret is to feel sad or sorry about something that you did or did not do. In high school, I quit the violin. This blog series is about my journey to resume playing. To read the entire series, please visit www.melaniebates.net/blog. I am currently working on a solo that I previously learned when I was younger. The page is filled with handwritten notes from my first Private Violin Teacher. As I strive to re-learn the piece, I am reminded of the thoughtful guidance that she so diligently shared. During the course of reflection on my younger days, I was prompted to look up my first Private Violin Teacher. I wanted to see if she remembered me and if so, share the news about my return to the instrument. I was deeply saddened to learn that my first Private Violin Teacher passed away in August 2020, exactly one month before I resumed playing. This news hit me hard and I pondered what she may have said if we did have the opportunity to connect. I am driven to continue pushing forward and harness all that I was fortunate enough to gain from her wise tutelage. I hope I am making my first Private Violin Teacher proud.  According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of regret is to feel sad or sorry about something that you did or did not do. In high school, I quit the violin. This blog series is about my journey to resume playing. To read the entire series, please visit www.melaniebates.net/blog. On Sunday, August 15, 2021, I was honored to gather with violin colleagues from Levine Music's Adult String Retreat and Adult Chamber Orchestra. We played pieces that we previously learned via Levine Music, recorded a selection to share with our Instructor, and concluded the afternoon by performing solos. It meant so much to be included in this experience. It was powerful to come together to make music on our own time while providing support and encouragement to each other along the way. We have overcome so much to get to where we are today. We have unique careers, passions, and overall life experience. What we all have in common is our love of the violin. As I have mentioned, my journey to resume playing the violin has taken a lot of time, energy, and dedication. There are instances where I wonder whether I have the bandwidth to continue. Playing together, trading personal stories, and making plans for our musical future was just what I needed to keep pushing forward. The strong sense of comradery filled my soul.   According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of regret is to feel sad or sorry about something that you did or did not do. In high school, I quit the violin. This blog series is about my journey to resume playing. To read the entire series, please visit www.melaniebates.net/blog.
On Friday, July 9, 2021, I participated in my first orchestra concert since my return to playing the violin in September 2020 after a 15+ year hiatus. I joined the Adult Chamber Orchestra at Levine Music. The orchestra began immediately after the Adult Retreat, so I felt more confident in my ability to be successful. We had just two weeks to learn the music and only four rehearsals prior to the concert. It was an exhilarating experience because the quick turnaround propelled you to learn the repertoire faster. The concert was held via Zoom due to the pandemic restrictions. While I was slightly apprehensive, I invited some of my family and friends to tune in. I was blown away by the amount of my attendees and encouraging words that I received through the virtual platform. It felt good to know that I was performing for my loved ones. My journey to resume playing the violin has taken a lot of time, energy, and dedication, so knowing I had the gracious support of those closest to me made it such a fulfilling experience. I am eager to continue my studies and become the best violinist I can be. According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of regret is to feel sad or sorry about something that you did or did not do. In high school, I quit the violin. This blog series is about my journey to resume playing. To read the entire series, please visit www.melaniebates.net/blog. On June 25-27, 2021, I attended Levine Music's Adult String Retreat. The Retreat included technical skill work, musical topic sessions, music theory basics, and a jam session reading. I felt a bit apprehensive about participating as this was the first time I have played with others since returning to the violin in September 2020 after a 15+ year hiatus. During the Retreat, we had the opportunity to compose our own piece. This was the first time I had ever written music. I named my piece "Butterflies." I chose this title because a butterfly represents nervousness i.e., "butterflies in your stomach," but more importantly growth and development i.e., metamorphosis. The next day, I performed my piece in front of everyone while the Retreat Director played a piano accompaniment. To my surprise, I was not as nervous as I thought I would be. The sense of pride and accomplishment overpowered any apprehension. I am truly grateful for the experience and look forward to the next phase of my journey.  According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of regret is to feel sad or sorry about something that you did or did not do. In high school, I quit the violin. This blog series is about my journey to resume playing. To read the entire series, please visit www.melaniebates.net/blog. Spring Recital On May 20, 2021, I participated in my second recital since returning to the violin after a 15+ year hiatus. For this recital, we had the option of submitting a pre-recorded performance or to perform live. I chose to pre-record my performance in order to avoid potential tech or Wi-Fi issues, prevent nervousness, and essentially be in a position to play at my best. Making this choice was a stark reminder that I am still in the process of battling perfectionism. Pre-Recorded Submission Although I had the opportunity to play my piece as many times as I wanted prior to submission, I was still unable to play "perfectly." There were a few times where I was not in sync with the piano accompaniment, was not entirely in tune, or did not possess optimal form. As I watched my recording, I focused on these areas for improvement rather than commending myself for how far I have come in this journey. After reflecting on this negative reaction, I reminded myself that it takes a lot of courage to perform for others, that I have only been taking lessons since September, and have not had time to practice as much as I should. Moreover, I received positive feedback from my Instructor: Good job on this, I think it'll be fantastic to include, and I'm happy you're doing it! Lovely, along with a bow 🙂 Pushing Forward This experience has shown me that while I have made great strides in being less hard on myself, I still have a ways to go in eliminating my perfectionist tendencies. I always tell others to "celebrate the small wins" and "trust the process." I have to do the same for myself. Perhaps when the next opportunity arises, I will choose to confront my fears and perform live. I am determined to keep pushing forward. According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of regret is to feel sad or sorry about something that you did or did not do. In high school, I quit the violin. This blog series is about my journey to resume playing. To read the entire series, please visit www.melaniebates.net/blog. I recently participated in my first Jury. The Jury is designed to provide an opportunity for Levine Music Faculty, other than your primary instructor, to rate your performance. I did not know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by the feedback received. I was awarded with a Distinction, "the highest honor one can receive and is reserved for just a small handful of students in the Strings Department." I could not have asked for a better inaugural semester of my return to violin! You have everything it takes to be an excellent violinist - and you're clearly going for it! In a funny way, the pandemic shut down can give us a chance to practice more and make progress in the areas we love. Keep up the fantastic dedicated work! I'm giving you a Distinction, because your work is absolutely amazing for the level you're on.  According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of regret is to feel sad or sorry about something that you did or did not do. In high school, I quit the violin. This blog series is about my journey to resume playing. To read the entire series, please visit www.melaniebates.net/blog. On December 16, 2020, after a 15+ year hiatus, I performed in my first recital since returning to the violin. Given the pandemic, the performances were prerecorded and displayed virtually via Zoom. I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from my family and friends. My heart was filled with gratitude. This experience has propelled me to continue my journey as a musician with more confidence and focus. You can watch my performance below beginning at 16 minutes and 30 seconds.  |
