Sweat dripping down my face, wind breezing by, the pages are swishing all around. People are walking by and chatting with each other. They stop talking once they get to me. The music makes them sway and some start singing along.
A smile comes to my face, and then I start to laugh when they start doing a funny dance. When I start to speed up my fingers get caught in the strings and I’m forced to stop. They all clap and put a tip in my violin case.
I have been playing on the street corner in my hometown in Florida for about a year. My first goal was to get a laptop. It took me a couple of months to get the money for that. Now I’m playing for ballet camp. I’m planning to attend the Bolshoi Ballet Summer Intensive. It’s a company from Russia that brings its training to America every summer. I have auditioned this winter and got in and have decided to go for the full six-week session. I’m so excited!
But the program is very expensive. My mom said I could go if I earned the money to pay for it. So I rosined-up my bow every weekend I could and played and played until I reached the tuition fee of $4,500 from both my playing, and birthday and Christmas money.
I play a variety of music, from the oldies from the Sound of Music, pop from Adele, classical and some fiddle tunes. l love seeing the look on everyone’s face when they see me, and when the say “good luck” or “keep it up.” It always makes me happy to see other people happy. I know it may sound corny, but to me, it’s the sweetest thing. It fills my heart. It really does. With the long hours in both the heat and cold plus many missed sleepovers and time with friends, it makes me happy to think that I can bring out a smile on someone’s face!
