Cello Hero

The last two years have been either offering or forcing on us plenty of opportunity to be creative. How did you experience Prince Corona’s stern reign? Some of us had choices in how to meet a drastically altered daily life, others did not. All of us were challenged.  Hopefully we are learning to be flexible, inventive and creative. Sensitive to what is needed at a given moment, finding new ways. For me that means to be creative which so many people are yearning for. How about just simply meeting life with openness and curiosity? Practicing our innately unique ways of participating in community.

 

My cello teacher Bob Ng is a Cello Hero! He went on the adventure of teaching outdoors and made it an exciting experience for his students and neighbors. He erected an open tent with a heater for cold days, a fan for hot days, a copy machine, lights. It was cozy and luxurious. I started my weekly lessons like this and loved it. Sometimes rain was pounding, strong winds would blow over objects rattling the tent, neighbors’ drills, trucks, and hummingbirds chimed in, a confused deer jumped the fence and needed to be shown out. But for me each lesson was splendid sun, still is. Now we are in his living room with wonderful acoustics. 

Here Bob in his own words: 

 

The silence began in March and lasted through April and May. I tried to teach cello lessons on Zoom, but it is impossible to convey the instrument’s subtleties via a tiny screen and laggard audio link. So I erected a tent on my back patio and began offering outdoor cello lessons. Screened from the street by a tall fence, we are out of sight, but passing walkers can hear the sound of our cellos when the wind blows from the south. Many pause to enjoy the music. Sometimes there is light applause for a well executed etude. But we remain hidden — the mystery cellists of Virginia Street. But not entirely. One neighbor has started lessons, and other neighbors began to recognize the students and offer suggestions: “The one that comes on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. is terrific, but that kid on Wednesday afternoon seems to be struggling with ‘Yellow Submarine.’ Maybe he should try another piece?"

 

Someday soon, my teaching studio will move back indoors. I will not miss the gusts of wind, the wandering bee or the crashing of the garbage truck working its way down the block. But I have learned a lesson: that live music, in-person education and good neighbors are key to a healthy community. I had always assumed this to be true. Now I know for sure. 

Published in San Francisco Chronicle on March 16, 2021 

To see stills, and others' stories, scroll down on this link: 

https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/2021/one-year-pandemic-readers/ 

My cello – which Bob repaired in Dec 2020 and since is my daily practice companion