I started learning the cello at the age of 38 and now at 53, I'm still learning. I had 4 different teachers, but it was my last teacher who encouraged me to keep at it. In our assessment or 1st lesson, he asked me what type of music I liked and I told him that I liked classical music, but I also love my church music and from there, he catered the lessons to my interest instead of getting a book and following that method. The books did help with techniques and exercises, but what mattered was what type of music interested me. I was laid off from my job in 2009 and I couldn't continue lessons, so I decided to go on my own, but then as my work schedule became busier and busier, I practiced less. Last year in 2021 I had spinal surgery, I had a spinal abscess and while the surgery was successful, I had issues with my left hand, there was nerve damage. A year later and things are pretty much normal so I decided to start again. Your videos have inspired me and it gives me the courage to get back in there. Thank you.
Major accomplishment for you! I would recommend you to anyone starting cello. Relatable and inspirational. I too remember the first time with beginning orchestra and the feeling of being part of something so big. Started at fifty and heading into year six. You definitely make it easier.
A lot of people still don't realize how expensive it's for some people to rent and pay for lessons to learn how to play this beautiful instrument of the Violoncello , If you a beginner adult you should be proud that you are hable to hold and play this instrument and don't rush yourself take it one note and one bar at a time and smile as you play and feel relax and in love with the Cello That will eliminate any heavy tension you feel ,it's just when you play a strumming instrument you got to relax the wrist and shoulders ,and great article on the Strad book and your you tube channel has encourage a lot people take care and many Salutations .
I started learning cello two years ago, I´m 45 and I know NOW that this is lifetime journey, Im taking music theory classes, ear training and cello lessons weekly, I´m learning to be compassionate and supportive with myself. It has been the greatest experience, a mix of love and pain, happiness and frustration, patience . Hard work, discipline and optimism have been key for me. I don´t have any set dreams, I´m just enjoying the process, I´m excited about the challenge of new pieces, I have learned so much, particularly about classical music which I was so ignorant about, and the only goal for me is to get better and maybe playing tango and hungarian folk someday. Thank you.
That’s wonderful, Billy! I can’t wait to read the Strad article. You are so right about perfectionism; it can paralyze us. I am not a perfectionist at all, and I have thoroughly enjoyed learning the cello at a late age, playing with it, and playing with friends in a chamber group. Even though I will never be great, I am better than before, and I do enjoy it!
I began my cello journey last November,with an electric cello a friend found in a kerbside clean up.I had a rush of blood to the head and purchased an accoustic and booked lessons.at 66.I played a duet with my teacher a couple of weeks ago and goosebumps! I could not wipe the smile off my face.
Con molto Congratsioso on the article, Billy. That's super! Maybe I'm the opposite of the perfectionist, while being a perfectionist. I think the mindset that says, oh, you can only start if you get an instrument in your hands at age (insert whatever single digit)--that striving mindset is going away. They tried to keep it going with that whole 10,000 hours thing which turned out not to be true at all. Elitism in the world has thrived by the inequality of information, more than anything. And that is self-perpetuating. Get into a "best" school, have a "best" life, your kids hence get into the "best" school, and so on. But with that Information Curtain now gone, antiquated ideas of hierarchy and "tracking" and all those things important to a certain social strata are evaporating, as well. The "expert" class will always be important, but the over-reliance and over-enthrallment with that is giving way to a more liberte/egalite/fraternite type of idea. How many people do you know who now consult TH-cam to fix their toilet, where before they had to hire someone? Same idea. We're seeing this with the pro sports and entertainment arenas. The rest of us are saying 'Hey! We want to have fun, too!" Information is no longer the property of the few. And quite frankly, I don't think 25 is altogether that "late." 😂
Congratulations on the Strad article! That is awesome. I can’t wait to get a copy and read it. Billy, I must say you are right: I am the opposite of a perfectionist, and I have totally enjoyed my cello journey, even though I know and always have known I will never be expert. But I love playing it and I love being able to play harder pieces and play chamber music with friends. It is such a wonderful feeling, that I don’t care that I am not ever going to be professional. Or perfect!
Congratulations on this big achievement! You actually gave me the courage to rent a cello and start to learn myself, you really influence people to go through with their wish to learn Cello
Congrats Billy! You are a great cellist as well as youtuber - you deserve it 😉. ( Cello is not always enjoyable - 3 days ago my sheet notes were flying across my bedroom 😂)
What are your thoughts on the fine balance between playing and learning with a sort of 'reckless abandon' as children do, and overanalysis and awareness of how an adult envisions the piece to sound like? I went into playing first as a sort of relaxation and a bit of a pattern interrupt as I was going through significant physical therapy at the time relearning to walk (and including on my eyesight), to absolutely loving to play. I then began focusing more on the 'fun' of playing. Thinking, I'm just doing this for me. That has morphed into getting the 'cello bug' and actually wanting to perform for others and share my passion and excitement. And as an added bonus, I am making cello friends and increasing my social circle.
Congratulations, Billy! Why shouldn't you be next to Joshua Bell? And when did you decide to ditch the drill sargent look for the MUCH better Beethoven/Mozart look?🙂
Well here I am. 56 year old Welshman who has been living in Florence Italy for over 22 years and after becoming addicted with Classical and having a yearly subscription to the local concert hall, I have decided to take up a stringed instrument. After all the online research and then finally finding you, I chose the Cello for all the reasons you gave. So next week I go and pick up my rental studio cello from a large luthier here (not your luthier). I also convinced a girl who i met on the tram with her cello to give me lessons. Let's see if I attain a level ready for retirement. Thanks for all the suggestions on this channel.. It really helped me decide.
I started learning the cello at the age of 38 and now at 53, I'm still learning. I had 4 different teachers, but it was my last teacher who encouraged me to keep at it. In our assessment or 1st lesson, he asked me what type of music I liked and I told him that I liked classical music, but I also love my church music and from there, he catered the lessons to my interest instead of getting a book and following that method. The books did help with techniques and exercises, but what mattered was what type of music interested me. I was laid off from my job in 2009 and I couldn't continue lessons, so I decided to go on my own, but then as my work schedule became busier and busier, I practiced less. Last year in 2021 I had spinal surgery, I had a spinal abscess and while the surgery was successful, I had issues with my left hand, there was nerve damage. A year later and things are pretty much normal so I decided to start again. Your videos have inspired me and it gives me the courage to get back in there. Thank you.
Major accomplishment for you! I would recommend you to anyone starting cello. Relatable and inspirational. I too remember the first time with beginning orchestra and the feeling of being part of something so big. Started at fifty and heading into year six. You definitely make it easier.
A lot of people still don't realize how expensive it's for some people to rent and pay for lessons to learn how to play this beautiful instrument of the Violoncello ,
If you a beginner adult you should be proud that you are hable to hold and play this instrument and don't rush yourself take it one note and one bar at a time and smile as you play and feel relax and in love with the Cello
That will eliminate any heavy tension you feel ,it's just when you play a strumming instrument you got to relax the wrist and shoulders ,and great article on the Strad book and your you tube channel has encourage a lot people take care and many Salutations .
I started learning cello two years ago, I´m 45 and I know NOW that this is lifetime journey, Im taking music theory classes, ear training and cello lessons weekly, I´m learning to be compassionate and supportive with myself. It has been the greatest experience, a mix of love and pain, happiness and frustration, patience . Hard work, discipline and optimism have been key for me. I don´t have any set dreams, I´m just enjoying the process, I´m excited about the challenge of new pieces, I have learned so much, particularly about classical music which I was so ignorant about, and the only goal for me is to get better and maybe playing tango and hungarian folk someday. Thank you.
That’s wonderful, Billy! I can’t wait to read the Strad article. You are so right about perfectionism; it can paralyze us. I am not a perfectionist at all, and I have thoroughly enjoyed learning the cello at a late age, playing with it, and playing with friends in a chamber group. Even though I will never be great, I am better than before, and I do enjoy it!
I began my cello journey last November,with an electric cello a friend found in a kerbside clean up.I had a rush of blood to the head and purchased an accoustic and booked lessons.at 66.I played a duet with my teacher a couple of weeks ago and goosebumps! I could not wipe the smile off my face.
I played cello for four years as a teen and I want to start again and I am so glad I found your video. I’m 55. I hope some muscle memory comes back
Fantastic! Was so happy to see this -- congratulations!
YYAAAASSS!!! Congratulations!
Congratulations on the publication of your article! Interesting and inspiring read.
Con molto Congratsioso on the article, Billy. That's super!
Maybe I'm the opposite of the perfectionist, while being a perfectionist. I think the mindset that says, oh, you can only start if you get an instrument in your hands at age (insert whatever single digit)--that striving mindset is going away. They tried to keep it going with that whole 10,000 hours thing which turned out not to be true at all. Elitism in the world has thrived by the inequality of information, more than anything. And that is self-perpetuating. Get into a "best" school, have a "best" life, your kids hence get into the "best" school, and so on. But with that Information Curtain now gone, antiquated ideas of hierarchy and "tracking" and all those things important to a certain social strata are evaporating, as well. The "expert" class will always be important, but the over-reliance and over-enthrallment with that is giving way to a more liberte/egalite/fraternite type of idea. How many people do you know who now consult TH-cam to fix their toilet, where before they had to hire someone? Same idea. We're seeing this with the pro sports and entertainment arenas. The rest of us are saying 'Hey! We want to have fun, too!" Information is no longer the property of the few.
And quite frankly, I don't think 25 is altogether that "late." 😂
Congratulations on the article!!! Like your videos
Congratulations on the Strad article! That is awesome. I can’t wait to get a copy and read it. Billy, I must say you are right: I am the opposite of a perfectionist, and I have totally enjoyed my cello journey, even though I know and always have known I will never be expert. But I love playing it and I love being able to play harder pieces and play chamber music with friends. It is such a wonderful feeling, that I don’t care that I am not ever going to be professional. Or perfect!
Congratulations on this big achievement! You actually gave me the courage to rent a cello and start to learn myself, you really influence people to go through with their wish to learn Cello
Thank you so much, it means so much to read your message!
Congrats Billy! You are a great cellist as well as youtuber - you deserve it 😉. ( Cello is not always enjoyable - 3 days ago my sheet notes were flying across my bedroom 😂)
Congratulations! That's awesome.
What are your thoughts on the fine balance between playing and learning with a sort of 'reckless abandon' as children do, and overanalysis and awareness of how an adult envisions the piece to sound like? I went into playing first as a sort of relaxation and a bit of a pattern interrupt as I was going through significant physical therapy at the time relearning to walk (and including on my eyesight), to absolutely loving to play. I then began focusing more on the 'fun' of playing. Thinking, I'm just doing this for me. That has morphed into getting the 'cello bug' and actually wanting to perform for others and share my passion and excitement. And as an added bonus, I am making cello friends and increasing my social circle.
Not a regular subscriber (shipping here is expensive) but ordered this issue especially!
Thank you so much, that means so much to hear!!
Congratulations, Billy! Why shouldn't you be next to Joshua Bell? And when did you decide to ditch the drill sargent look for the MUCH better Beethoven/Mozart look?🙂
Well here I am. 56 year old Welshman who has been living in Florence Italy for over 22 years and after becoming addicted with Classical and having a yearly subscription to the local concert hall, I have decided to take up a stringed instrument. After all the online research and then finally finding you, I chose the Cello for all the reasons you gave. So next week I go and pick up my rental studio cello from a large luthier here (not your luthier). I also convinced a girl who i met on the tram with her cello to give me lessons. Let's see if I attain a level ready for retirement. Thanks for all the suggestions on this channel.. It really helped me decide.
25 isn't old! You were a kid lol. I started at 65!