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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us June 8, 2006 Kendra Law and daughters Sierra, left, and Jasmine , right, run a fiddle camp every year in Ashland. Submitted photo All in the family Violinist Kendra Law works with her two daughters teaching music By Sarah Golden For the Tidings Twenty-five years ago, Kendra Law had no money and was unsure of what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. When the 19-year-old found a violin in a heap of garbage, she thought it was a sign from the universe. “The landlord knocked off ten dollars from our rent if we took out the garbage,” said Law, “which is where I found my violin. When I got it fixed up, I realized that was what my calling was.” Though Law started playing the violin when she was in third grade, she played very little as a child. In fact, between elementary school and finding that violin in the trash, she played a total of about three years. But that changed when she found that violin and Law started practicing 4-6 hours a day. “I literally played in the closet when no one else was around and when I was pregnant [with Jasmine],” said Law. “I played in the closet because it sounded awful and I didn’t want anyone else to hear it. I figured it was probably me, so I was just determined to pick it up and play again.” Law became serious about music when she met her first big motivation: her daughter. “When I gave birth to Jasmine,” Law said, “I became inspired to do something creative and great with my life.” That was what started the ball rolling. Law decided to go back to school and become a violinist. She took the SATs, enrolled in SOU, packed up her daughter’s and her belongings, and left Cannon Beach for Ashland. “Luckily I was really ignorant and I didn’t know how much work that was going to entail at the time,” Law laughed. “I enrolled as a violin major, I don’t know how. I must have sounded better than I though I did,” she smiled. While studying music, Law’s sister suggested that she start teaching for a little financial help. “I didn’t know I was going to be a teacher, I just knew I really wanted to get serious about playing the violin,” said Law. “I started teaching — and I got addicted to it.” Law sought out higher levels of training and built a studio. In this way, Law sort of fell into teaching. What was initially a way to support herself became her way of life. In addition to her private lessons (where she teaches both classical and fiddle music), Law has an annual fiddle camp in June. In part, this is what moved Law’s daughters, Jasmine and Sierra, from being her students to being her colleagues. As there were many kids in the camp to help at once, the girls would take students to the side and lend a hand to them. Now the girls, 25 and 17 respectively, have become experienced teachers and take on students of their own. At the fiddle camp, all three of the women act as instructors. “I just absolutely love teaching,” said Jasmine. “I want to do it forever. I want it to be my career.” The fiddle camp consists of violinists, violists and cellists gathering at Law’s residence on the outskirts of Ashland. There, in the woods, the students learn a variety of fiddle songs in different styles, such as bluegrass and old time. To ensure that all of the students are playing to their level, the more advanced students have the opportunity to add ornaments to the pieces or play harmony. The result? “It’s so awesome,” said Law. “To have the range of sound, we take the tunes and we write harmony parts to them and write really cool rhythm stuff. We take all the tunes that we’ve learned and make arrangements, and in the end they sound like a really awesome fiddle band.” “The kids just love it,” said Jasmine. “We love it. Last year I was so stressed out before the camp, but then it fell together so well that I just though, ‘what was I worried about?’” “It really is the highlight of the year,” Law agreed. At the end of the camp, the students put on a performance of all the pieces they put together. And, if the kids are still around and want to, Law finds other activities to do that incorporate fiddle music through the summer. In the past, this has ranged from river rafting to playing music in markets. As for Law and her girls, they continue to practice and improve their own musical skills. “I would get bored if I didn’t keep growing,” said Law, who still, after 20 years, spends time striving for a better and different ways to teach and organize things. “Nothing ever stays the same.” Law, with a huge love for her daughter and profession, says she it has been exciting for to see the two cross paths and have Music Magic become a family business. “Things just keep changing and getting better,” said Law. “Now that I have my daughters involved, things just keep evolving to be bigger and better.” The Fiddle camp starts June 19. Anyone who is interested in participating should contact Kendra Law at 482-6406. 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