by Chen Wang


Ramon Paret
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Young Violinist Practices on the Street

Ramon Paret, 11, was born in Berlin. He started to play violin when he was 5 years old, according to his father, Hans Ulrich Paret. He is going to a public school. He is also taking horse riding and swimming classes after school.

Paret also plays violin on the street near the Memorial Church “Gedachtniskirche” in Berlin every afternoon except Sunday.

Ramon Paret has played violin on the street for four or five years now, his father said, and he sometimes makes good money at it. In the beginning, Paret didn’t want to play violin – his father said that he had to fight to get Ramon to learn how. Now Ramon makes about 20 to 80 Euros a day on average. One day he made over 100 Euros during the Christmas season. The money helps to pay for his horse riding and swimming classes.

Ramon’s father said that his son’s goal is to be a violinist in an orchestra or to be a freelance musician. Ramon can play famous classical music such as Mozart, but most of the time he likes to play folk music. During free time at home, Ramon likes to read books like Harry Potter and watch Disney cartoons. “He [Ramon] loves Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck,” his father said. “He’d love to go to Disney World in the United States.”