Help! It Hurts to Hold my Violin

Funded Mar 11, 2022

We are so grateful for the donation of our shoulder rests. My students had been used to playing with sponges attached to their instruments which don't offer adequate support for them to be able to hold their instruments correctly. The larger size shoulder rests were delivered first, so the 5th and 6th graders got them initially and the 4th graders were jealous, wondering when they would get theirs. Once everyone learned how to put them on, their position improved immediately! They were all excited to take them home and show their parents how they worked. Everyone's left hand position improved too as they were now able to hold their instrument up without having to support it with their wrist.

This year, I was able to start my beginning students with shoulder rests from the very beginning. We have had fewer instruments dropped on the floor and fewer complaints about how holding their instrument hurts. They love to play an instrument position game called "Look, Mom, no hands" where they demonstrate holding their instrument with no hands at all. It wasn't possible to play this game last year before they had shoulder rests. Now they can do it and hold their instruments up beautifully as well!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Benitez