Playing Music From The Heart – Jeffrey Smith is passionate about introducing the beauty of violin to his students
Jeremy Dean
Daily Commercial Staff Writer
Daily Commercial Staff Writer
Jeffrey Smith is standing in front of a window in his downtown Leesburg storefrontdoing the thing he loves most – playing a new violin.
This particular model is a one-of-a-kind, made especially for Smith by Gene Irwin, one of the many students he teaches to play the instrument.
He is playing along with one of his favorite groups – The Dave Matthews Band – and , judging by the look on his face, he couldn't be happier. “To be able to play the violin with something unusual, something different than classical, that's my passion,” Smith said then finished riffing on the instrument. “I love to be able play different things. ...
“There's nothing wrong with Classical – that's the root of everything – but it's nice to show kids that the violin has more than just one avenue, one direction in which it can go.”
Most of the kids Smith is refering to are those who take the violin classes he teaches out of three area schools, Skeen Elementary, Treadway Elementary and St. Paul's Catholic School.
Like other Lake County teachers, Smith attended teacher orientation last week just before the schools opened, even though his program is different than that offered by other teachers.
“The neat thing about our program is that we're leaving it in the parent's hands,” Smith said.
What he is referring to is the fact that, even though he is teaching at the schools, the programs are not funded by state or federal money. The instruction is paid for by the parents who enroll their child in the program.
“As long as the parents support us and want what we're doing,” he said, “we're going to be around.”
Mary Witsman, Smith's assistant in his musical ventures, was very adament about the virtues of children learning to play an instrument.
“Music is so important,” she said, “especially in early childhood. It really does help the learning capacity of children. ... There might be a lot of little prodigies out there that do not have a chance to be exposed to music.”
She said that the two of them are looking into some government grants that would enable them to offer musical education to underprivileged children as well.
“Mary has been one of my biggest supporters,” Smith said of his assistant. “Her daughter was one of my first three students two years ago when I first got started.”
Smith will be available at the three schools this week during his scheduled class times to enroll students in the program and meet their parents. Lessons will begin on Aug. 19.
The fee for taking the class at school is $55 per student per month, which Smith said is a steal when considering the package. The fee includes violin rental and an hour and 15 minute lesson each week.
“That's five hours of instruction each month,” Smith said. “I could go out and set my prices way up high and try to make a mint, but I'd rather try to really make something happen out here, give these kids a real opportunity to learn.”
In addition to the lessons at the three schools, Smith offers other instructional opportunities for both children and adults at his store front studio, Violins from the Heart, in Downtown Leesburg.
The store front is a new acquisition in his ever growing business. Before moving in to the spot on 4th Street just behind the Leesburg Library, he had a smaller studio, also in Leesburg.
“We're in a wonderful location.” he said. “We're right by the library, and there's a window front. You really can't go wrong here.”
He said the move has made for a hectic time this summer.
“I've pretty much been painting (all summer),” he said, “My poor violin wrist is aching from all the painting I've been doing,” he said, feigning agony in his joint.
From his studio, Smith teaches private lessons and holds group sessions in addition to the ones he holds at the schools.
His teaching encompasses students ranging in age from 6 years old to one student in her 80's. His ability to teach to people to people of varying years is one of his prouder achievements.
“A lot of people can only teach the young and others can only teach adults,” he said, “but I'm able to adjust my style to work with all of them. You have to act goofy with the 6 year olds and serious and down to earth with the adults.”
He has room in his schedule to give private lessons to 30 students and right now. He said the roster is half full.
The private lessons, he said, are a little more expensive at $60 a month for a half hour a week, but this is because of the time factor. It's easier to offer a lower charge when a whole group is contributing.
Given all this activity, Smith finds little time in his schedule for anything else.
“On the front of my truck it says 'Violin man on the run,' and literally that's what I am,” he said. “I've made my schedule and basically I have time to breath and that's about it.”
Ofcourse, he's not complaining. To the contrary, he's always looking for more challenges, and hopes to continue expanding his business until it includes additional teachers and groups.
“We want to get some other teachers in here,” Smith said. “We've already made our schedule up for availabilty and we have 80 half hour spots. ... We're looking for good teachers – piano, guitar, voice – not just violin.”
Smith's vision includes making his studio a center where musicians can learn and then offer something back to the community.
“Leesburg is changing and we're changing with it. Hopefully, music is going to be at the center of Leesburg, and we are going to be part of that.”
One of the things he would like to see in his studio, besides the violins, is a piano to be used as an instructional tool, as well as an accompaniment instrument for his violin groups. However, at this time, There isn't a lot of room in his budget for the big instruments.
“We're trying to get a piano donated right now,” he said. “We're just starting out the company which makes it difficult, while we're getting going, to purchase a $2,000 piano. If there's anyone who would like to donate or loan a piano for the group we would love it.”
Before starting Violins from the Heart, Smith still counted himself among the ranks of the area's music instructors.
He taught lessons out of the area music stores and from the Leesburg Center for the Arts, where worked with a beginning group of budding violinists.
“I started working with the (Leesburg) Center for the Arts orchestra,” he said. “I was the
Please see VIOLIN, D4
8/11/02 – Living front page
