I Can Play Faster than Anyone

All right, so once, in a lesson with Ms. DeLay, we were, I don't remember exactly what we were talking about, but she looked at me, and she took her violin, and she said, "Billy, you know what? I can play faster than anybody." And I looked at her, sort of smiled, and she said, "Now, Billy, what you're supposed to say is, 'Really?'" Okay, so I looked at her and I said, "Really?" And she then said, "Yes, Billy. I can play these notes faster than anyone." And I looked and I sort of smiled, and she said, "Now, Billy, you're supposed to say, 'Really? Well, prove it.'" And I looked at her and I went, "Okay, I'll play along with the game. Really? Prove it." And she said, "All right, I will." Then she said, "Now, these notes, I can play faster than anyone in the world, including Perlman." And I looked very doubtful, playing along with the game. And then she said, "Here, let me warm up. Are you ready? Now you need to get really close." I smiled and she said, "Did you hear all the notes?" And I said, "No." "Let's hear all the notes. I'll slow it down." She said, "You see, I can play faster on those notes. I can even go the other way. Here, why don't I slow it down for you?"

So, that's it for our quick discussion about playing the notes faster. I hope that it gives you something to think about as it did me years ago. My name is William Fitzpatrick, and I am the Henry Tomianka Professor of Violin at the Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music which is located on the campus of Chapman University. I am, as well, the Artistic Director of the MusiShare Young Artists Program. So, as always, do take care. And here's hoping that your practicing is becoming more and more efficient, and that this is leading you to even better, faster performances.

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