Posted 12:22 am Saturday, May 12, 2012
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The Spirit Moves Through Girl’s Talent
From the way 16-year-old Emily Williams plays the violin, you’d never know she’s deaf in one ear.
She’s been playing since she was 4, she said, and recently had an “amazing” experience playing at Carnegie Hall in New York.
But she didn’t always think she’d be able to play. It was her first violin teacher who convinced her otherwise.
Her first teacher had Cerebral Palsy.
“I thought, ‘if she can do this, I can,’” Emily said in a telephone interview.
She’s been playing since she was 4, she said, and recently had an “amazing” experience playing at Carnegie Hall in New York.
But she didn’t always think she’d be able to play. It was her first violin teacher who convinced her otherwise.
Her first teacher had Cerebral Palsy.
“I thought, ‘if she can do this, I can,’” Emily said in a telephone interview.
Emily was able to see her teacher’s struggles and her perseverance despite them.
But what if Emily had a teacher who was perfect and learned the violin quickly and easily?
There is something wonderful and sadly rare about being honest about our own struggles so that others can benefit from them, but that is what Emily does.
She’s part of the Tyler Youth Orchestra, the Green Acres Youth Orchestra and plays at events for Kids Aspiring to Dream (KATD) in Tyler. KATD organizes events to highlight students who want to use their artistic abilities to make a difference in the community.
But what if Emily had a teacher who was perfect and learned the violin quickly and easily?
There is something wonderful and sadly rare about being honest about our own struggles so that others can benefit from them, but that is what Emily does.
She’s part of the Tyler Youth Orchestra, the Green Acres Youth Orchestra and plays at events for Kids Aspiring to Dream (KATD) in Tyler. KATD organizes events to highlight students who want to use their artistic abilities to make a difference in the community.
“(Emily) uses her talents to help inspire others in the community, teaching the violin and music to those interested in learning to play,” Doris Batson, founder of the organization, said in a news release.
At a dinner next weekend, Emily, Janae Bailey, Kylie Cook, Dominique Dews, Tony Johnson Jr., Nytesia Poe Ross, Christina Wallace, Jaylon Watson, and Ternequia and Terlisia Woodard will be recognized for using their artistic talents to help the community.
This is the spirit that will move the 4-year-old Emilys of today to say, “if they can do it, I can.”
At a dinner next weekend, Emily, Janae Bailey, Kylie Cook, Dominique Dews, Tony Johnson Jr., Nytesia Poe Ross, Christina Wallace, Jaylon Watson, and Ternequia and Terlisia Woodard will be recognized for using their artistic talents to help the community.
This is the spirit that will move the 4-year-old Emilys of today to say, “if they can do it, I can.”
