Amy Oshiro-Morales

I have spent the summer, trying to find a new violin teacher for Glo. For the past few years, I have been so disappointed in her teachers, women who obviously know how to play the violin (and are some of the best), but don't particularly know how to teach. As a last resort, I asked Mark's horn teacher if she knew of anybody in Philadelphia. I figured since I was already driving Mark down there, I could drive Glo too. Angela recommended a violinist who plays in the Philadelphia Orchestra with her, Amy Oshiro-Morales.

All you have to do to find out more about her is Google her. She's Japanese, but she was raised in Chicago, and she's married to the first clarinetist in the Philadelphia Orchestra, obviously a Spanish man :-) She bows a lot (as in "takes a bow", not a violin bow) and constantly says, "okay, okay?" but doesn't expect an answer. She's almost nine months pregnant, so she's kind of funny to watch in her movements. She's friendly upon meeting for the first time, but like all great teachers, she expects a lot. I feel extremely lucky that she agreed to take Glo--in the past, she has only accepted high school and college students--and it was only because Angela recommended us as a musical family that she did. She must be one of the most talented violinists in the nation. I had my reservations about her--I worried that she might be another talented performer but a lack-luster teacher. I couldn't have been more wrong.

It's hard to describe what a lesson with her is like (and I'm not even the student--I'm just sitting on the side watching, and taking notes). She doesn't stop talking, except when she's playing, and she talks really, really fast. Too, she gets upset if Glo doesn't do something correctly that she's been telling her to do. Here's an example:

Usually, Amy faces me because she recognizes that I'm a big part of the formula for Glo's success (honestly, Amy can't believe how much I'm involved in Glo's practicing, and she's so happy about it--I guess her parents didn't care a bit about her or her talent), but for a moment, her back was turned, and I caught her on video, mostly so John could see what I'm talking about! The video doesn't show her verbose nature, but it reflects her high expectations. At first, I was worried about Amy's brusqueness, but you know what? Glo adores her. Let me say that again. Glo adores and loves Amy. One of the biggest problems in the past was that Glo was bored in lessons. Glo is bright, picks things up quickly and likes to be challenged. Teachers let things slip and didn't pay attention to detail which is NOT what Glo needs. Five years of playing the violin and Glo is still not playing with a straight bow, or keeping her violin up. Amy is changing those things rather quickly :-) Too, Amy doesn't believe in "babying" students. She took all of Glo's violin books, threw them on the floor and said they are just too easy for her. She thinks Glo should be playing harder music and should be stretching herself. That's "music" to my ears!

Here's an excerpt from a newspaper article that Amy wrote a few years ago:

One of the best things a musician can experience is the joy that is achieved when a performance goes particularly well or when the piece you are playing consumes you completely. It's as if time stops and all that remains are the sounds swirling around you, taking over and pushing aside everything else. The orchestra seems to work magically, as if all of us are on another level altogether. When that happens to me, I forget that this is a job. It is a feeling I would have always hoped for regardless of whether I could make a living at it. Those are the moments that make it worth the long haul to becoming a professional musician.

Between all that Amy expects, and with all that she talks, Glo's lessons last TWO HOURS. More amazing that that? Glo doesn't even mind, and in fact, isn't even tired at the end. I feel so lucky that we found her, and I see great things happening in the future for Glo!