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Violinist Lucie Bernard, a sophomore at Amador Valley High School, fondly remembers performing with others at rehearsals and recitals, and she feels bad that younger students are missing out on this interaction.
“Over the summer, my music camp I typically go to was canceled,” Bernard said. “At that camp I made a lot of friends and learned a lot and built a community of string musicians, and I want to help build that community for Pleasanton middle-schoolers.”
So she started Bow Buddies, a chance for string musicians in fifth through eighth grades to take part in online workshops as a way for them to give and receive feedback — and make new friends.
Bernard recalled how nervous she was performing in ensembles at Harvest Park Middle School, and noted that at beginning and intermediate levels, musicians need to perform in front of others to develop their skills and confidence.
“This gives you more experience so when it actually matters, you are prepared,” she said. “The students gain from the experience and getting constructive criticism.”
Bernard, who has been studying violin for five years, is in the symphony orchestra at Amador with teacher Mark Aubel, who has the musicians take turns playing while the others mute themselves and listen.
“We still play together, which is nice,” Bernard said.
She also plays piano and is studying with Pleasanton Academy of Music.
“I started piano earlier, in elementary school, but violin is the one I am more committed to,” she said.
Her violin lessons shifted to online in 2018 after she attended a music camp at the Firehouse Arts Center and met her current teacher, Julia Reddy, who lives most of the year in Montreal, Quebec.
Bernard also participated for three years in a Summer in the City music program at San Jose State University, and last December, she was accepted to the California Orchestra Directors Association’s Honors String Orchestra held at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
More recently, she completed an online pre-college program with University of Pacific’s Conservatory of Music. She is also interested in biology and is thinking of pursuing medicine although said she will probably minor in music in college.
This summer, Bernard did an online internship with the Student Conservation Association.
“I learned about environmental policy and laws,” she said. “My capstone project was about something in our community. I researched how people can reduce their plastic waste.”
Bernard also works as a staff writer with the P-Town Life newsletter, and she serves as secretary for a new club at school called AVMentors.
Response to Bow Buddies has been good, Bernard said, but she is hoping to draw more participants to the workshops. Her sister Marielle, 11, who attends Harvest Park and plays the cello, recruited a few friends to add to the roster of the first online gathering.
“The workshops are an hour long,” Lucie Bernard said. “I start off each workshop by introducing myself and doing a quick ice breaker so they won’t be as awkward.
“Then I ask for someone to volunteer, and they play their piece,” she continued. “We listen and the other students give feedback — I think they are getting helpful feedback.
“It’s pretty informal. I want to build a community and have the kids become friends.”
Workshops have included a cellist and a viola player but the majority have been violinists, she said.
On the Bow Buddies website, Bernard tells about herself and her workshops, and posts schedules. This month she has workshops Sept. 12 and 27. Interested musicians can sign up through Google Forum, and she sends them a Zoom link.
The website also has her blog, which includes Q&As with violist Julia Reddy as well as with an Indian classical violist, plus entries on how to start learning a new piece, knuckle flexibility exercises and other subjects relevant to string enthusiasts. Bernard is looking for guest speakers, bloggers or people to interview for the blog.
Bernard, who turns 15 next Thursday, said her parents, Sheila Gurtu-Bernard and Yannick Bernard, are not musicians so she understands that while sheltering in place, young musicians may need to go outside their homes for feedback.
“That is part of the reason I wanted to start this,” she said. “I want them to learn something new about their instrument — and have fun and make connections.”
To learn more or to offer ideas for the Bow Buddies blog, go to lb5868.wixsite.com/bowbuddies.
