What I'm Relearning (or Not)

Until mid-October, my violin had sat in its case at the foot of my bed for 15+ years. I spent twelve years playing the violin, and fifteen years neglecting it. Since picking it up again, I’ve been relearning some things. These include:

• Key signatures. Commonly occurring keys—with up to, say, two sharps or flats—are lodged firmly enough in my subconscious that I can process them automatically. However, in re-doing Kreutzer’s 5^th etude, I had to remind myself what the hell the third flat is. (It’s A flat, for the record, but I would still have to rack my brain to figure out what key that adds up to.)
• Violin-friendly clothing and accessories. I’m fond of dangling earrings and scarves, but those definitely do not always work well for playing. I’m gradually recognizing which earrings dangle too far and which scarves are too bulky to accommodate the violin. Even light scarves and blazer-type jackets often end up thrown over a chair in my practice area. Freedom of movement is a fine thing. 
• Recognizing pitches on a stringed instrument. On Saturday evening I attended a student variety show at the university where I work. One act featured an ensemble with a guy playing an electric violin. The A jumped out at me, and from there I could recognize the other pitches. That key I could identify—good old G major. This used to happen to me all the time when I heard a violin; it sometimes happened when I heard a string section or ensemble as a whole, a piano, or an acoustic guitar. It will be cool to have that sensitivity back. 
• Planning errands based on when the violin will not be with me. In winter weather, I want to minimize my violin’s time spent in cold conditions. Until this past October, I never had to factor this into my plans when I had errands to run. But now, side trips to the grocery store, etc. get shunted to days when the violin is at home. It's becoming second nature again. 

Of course, none of this addresses what’s been one of the biggest challenges of picking up the violin again: getting back into physical shape to play. That’s a story for another time.