I ease the pressure to coax the string to fuller resonance. Nothing can remain static as the bow conjures the bewitching beauty of Bach from this century-old violin. Fashioned from the female form, the violin nestles into my neck, the two of us locked in embrace. My fingers caress each note as my body sways. This bourrée and I have danced before. At last, the music crescendos to its climax for this audience of one. With the bow’s final release, sound lingers in the air . . . then silence. With a sigh, I return her to the case till our next performance date.
Dr. Kellie Brown is a violinist, conductor, music educator, and award-winning writer living in Kingsport, Tennessee. www.kelliedbrown.com