When I met my dad I was fifteen. He really did nurture my viola playing as he found a viola teacher and a youth orchestra for me. The arts high was something I found for myself and it took some convincing to get him to allow me to take three public busses from Pomona to the campus of Cal State La ,where LACHSA is located.

My viola teacher, Laura, is from Kentucky. She married an Italian man when she was performing out in Italy. I had the greatest fortune that my viola lessons with her would always be timed around lunch or dinner... And I would have an authentic Italian meal after my lessons... For three years... Lobster ravioli , omg , fresh made pasta, fresh made mushroom sauce, ... I can smell it all now. 

Laura had so much patience with me knowing that I probably wouldn't be a classical performer. I started playing at eleven, already too late. I held my viola wrong because I was taught by the public school system in Miami. She had to re- teach me how to hold my viola on top of keeping my mind up with the proper repertoire for my age. So, I would play twinkle twinkle little star shit music to re work my posture along with learning some concerto and my CYMO orchestra parts.Talk about over load. I actually had a cyst in my left wrist from holding my viola wrong.

If it wasn't for her and my dad, I would have never been in that youth orchestra. I have all the sheet music and when I attempt to read it now, I guffaw and say to myself " how the fuck did I play this as a teenager ??? " The Shostakovich fifth symphony or Smetana's Moldau, and countless others.

These pieces have the hardest viola parts. When I got to college and they handed out Shostakovich's fifth, I didn't struggle like a few other violists did and I thought to myself "You , you again, great..... I just played you in another state and you followed me all the way to Florida..."

The only times I didn't enjoy my viola lessons were when Laura's mother was in town as she was a true viola player. Laura was a violinist who happen to know viola enough to teach it. So, those lessons were concentrated with two generations of musicians  and a mother-daughter combo arguing with each other on what I should or shouldn't do. 

Needless to say I'm grateful for that time. I gained knowledge in music that I wouldn't have gained any other way. And the appreciation for very well made food, too.