The Art Class

5. Two boys, one violin

"Hello Mrs Chen, I'm Brett Yang. Thank you for letting me come over."

Eddy's mother was delighted to meet her son's new friend from art class.

"Hello Brett.  It's so nice to meet you.  Thank you so much for coming over."

Brett smiled.

"It's my pleasure."

Eddy impatiently stammered.

"Um, Mum, may we be excused?  I want to show Brett my room."

Brett followed Eddy upstairs.  He was shown Eddy's bedroom which strangely looked very similar to his own. Simply furnished with nothing unusual except a wall filled up with framed certificates and awards. And a designated shelf packed with medals and trophies from competitions.  Brett stared at the certificates on the walls.

"Cool. We're at the same level."

"That's cool.  Um, Brett"

"Yes Eddy?"

"I was wondering if you would take my violin out of its case for me please?"

"Sure."

Brett was taken aback when he saw the massive gash on Eddy's violin case on Eddy's bed.

"Is that from the ...accident..?"

"Yeah.  Y'know, I can say from personal experience that these are really good cases."

"That's good to know.  I've got the same one."

Brett carefully undid the clasps and opened the violin case.

"Hey it looks nice."

"Thanks."

Eddy picked up the violin with his right hand and awkwardly positioned it so that he could hold it under his chin.  His left arm was still in a sling.  Eddy tried to reach out to take his bow out of his case.

"Eddy.. let me, please."

Brett stepped closer to Eddy as he held out his left hand just underneath the fingerboard.  He just let his hand hover so that he could catch the violin in case Eddy dropped it.  At the same time, he carefully took Eddy's bow out of the case and handed it to Eddy.

"Thanks."

Eddy then grimaced with annoyance.

"Ugh, this is so impossible with just one arm."

"..Eddy.. would you like me to tune it?  If you.. trust me with your violin and bow?"

"Um, yeah, sure.  Yes please."

Brett first carefully took Eddy's bow and tightened it.  He then carefully took Eddy's violin and held it in preparation to tune it.  Eddy closed his eyes and listened.

"... still a bit flat.. a bit higher..hmmmm"

Eddy hummed as Brett widened his eyes.

"Where's your tuner?"

"I don't use one anymore."

Brett shrugged and tuned to Eddy's humming.

"Geez that was.. handy.  There. Done."

"Thank you."

"So Eddy, is there anything in particular that you wanted to try to play?"

"What do you mean try to play? I can't play it.. I just wanted to hold it.."

"Well.. you could hold the violin.. with your chinrest.. and you could use the bow and I could do the left hand on the fingerboard by standing behind you..."

Eddy blinked.

"Brett, you know what, I think I saw some violinists do that on their Youtube channel.. I think those guys had the person who played the left hand used the chinrest and the other used the bow."

"Yeah, I think I've seen their channel too.  And yes I think they would've been able to produce a better sound that way cos the violin would be more stable.  So we could try it that way if you like, but I thought you might want to feel more of your violin by having you use the chinrest as well."

"Hmm...hang on"

Eddy stepped over to his desk and turned on his laptop.  He pulled up the score for the piece they were currently practicing at the youth orchestra.  Eddy had received it by email from the orchestral director weeks ago but he had only looked at it for the first time last night.

"Brett.. I want to try to play.. or bow this piece."

"What's that?  Oh the piece we're during at the youth orchestra. Sure, I can do the left hand for that."

"First violin?"

"Yeah, sure."

They stood facing Eddy's laptop on his desk, Eddy in front, Brett who was still taller, right behind him.  Brett held the violin with his left hand and Eddy's chin rested on the chinrest.
Even during the initial hiccups, Eddy was having a great time.  He giggled at the glitches and cringed at some of the worst sounds he'd ever made on his violin. He was glad he had studied the score the night before as it helped coordinate his bowing with Brett's left hand. And to be able to hear the sound he was making with his violin, abeit left hand played by Brett, gave Eddy immense pleasure.  He didn't realise how much he missed listening to the sound his violin produced.
After a few practice runs, they were able to play it from start to finish quite smoothly and Eddy was smiling.

"Brett, thank you, that was so awesome.  I can't believe we just played first violin.  I can't believe you knew how to play it"

Brett grinned.

"Oh but I am first violin.  And so are you Eddy.  We're meant to be deskies"