By: Allison Ballard
I turned to see him carry it in through the front door. My family was exchanging Christmas presents at my mother’s house. My sweetie had gone out to his car, saying he had forgotten something. I was sitting on the couch with my back towards the front door, but turned to see him carrying in a large black case. A large black case that looked like it might be housing a large instrument.
“Is that a cello?” I asked curiously as he carried it into the living room.
“Yes it is,” he said and set it down in front of me.
“You’re giving me a cello?” I asked, stunned.
“Yes, I am,” he answered, man of few words that he is.
“I’m going to play the cello?” My mind raced, trying to make sense out of this interesting turn of events.
“If you want,” he said.
My family watched as I struggled to unzip the case, my fine motor skills failing me in the midst of my excitement. The case finally opened to reveal a cello and bow lying in wait. Joy flooded through me and then I’m not really sure what happened. My family tells me I spent the next 20 minutes or so manhandling my new bow and picking out Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star as they continued opening presents from my sweetie…brain teaser puzzles intentionally selected to give them something to do while I explored my new cello as he anticipated I would do. I laid my new friend to rest as we continued our holiday celebration, but went to bed that night tingling with excitement…I was going to learn to play the cello!
Since then, I have been screeching and fingering and bowing my way through this whole new world. Once again, I am a beginner and once again, I am falling in love. I am learning scales and struggling through basic technique. I am becoming reacquainted with pitch. I am playing simple songs. I am frustrated and elated and inspired. And dreaming about ways to integrate this beautiful, classical string instrument with the taiko.
My new friend has not replaced my old. One is faithful and familiar and the other is still an awkward, enamored mystery. Though I have very different relationships with each, I don’t experience them as separate entities. In my mind’s eye, they somehow come together to create something as exciting as it is as-of-yet unknown. This new venture is not just a blank page waiting to be filled with form and color–it is an entire sketchbook with an accompanying story-line that creates a new chapter in my taiko journey. Dong, doko dong!