11/08/2025
This is my former violin teacher Yasha Tulchinsky. When I was 15 years old, I didn't have a lot of confidence in my violin playing. He was a tough teacher but the life lesson he shared was powerful.
One day, I went to a lesson and I didn't practice before it. Yasha could tell I wasnβt practicing at home because I would keep stopping and starting during the musical piece. He had a large mirror in his studio and told me to look in the mirror while I was playing the violin. He said, "Eric, you will be great!"
That was the first time I ever had anyone say this to me. My confidence grew immensely after the lesson. I went home and started practicing in front of my mirror and never forgot his positive words. Yasha is from Russia and is Jewish. He would tell me stories about how difficult life was growing up. For Yasha, music was a path for a better life. For me, it taught me that you need someone who believes in you and reminds you to never give up. β€οΈ
