Can practice make perfect?
Just ask the Thanki sisters

When someone made up the adage that "practice makes perfect," they might have had sisters Anisha and Aasha Thanki in mind.

Anisha (l) and Aasha Thanki, with violins and piano

Ever since coming back from a trip to India four years ago, the two west St. Louis County sisters have practiced their music lessons every day. And that includes Sundays.

Last month, 12-year-old Anisha and 11-year-old Aasha played a violin duet at the Laclede Quartet's Kids Concert. They won a program spot after a competitive audition.

(For a picture of all the soloists at the Laclede concert, see below.)

They've also won gold medals for their piano playing at the world piano competition. That included playing at a concert in Carnegie Hall in New York.

Both already are qualified for the 2006 world competition auditions this summer.

They also play violin in the Webster University Community Music School's Children's String Orchestra. Anisha is the associate concertmaster while Aasha is 3rd chair.

The girls also sing in St. Louis Children's Choir Chorale.

Anisha is a 6th grader at Parkway South Middle School. Her sister, Aasha, is a 5th grader at Barretts Elementary School. The family lives in west St. Louis County.

Despite her every-day practice schedule, Anisha said practice is still fun. "And it gets more so every day," she added. Aasha added, "Oh yeah, it's still fun."

The girls said their daily practice sessions vary from 30 minutes to 3 hours.

Aasha said she and her sister usually practice in different rooms so they can concentrate on their own music. Aasha said, "We usually practice at slightly different times. Our sessions overlap a little so we also can practice our duets."

Anisha was four and Aasha three when they started violin lessons. Anisha began with a 1/16th sized violin while Aasha's was even smaller, a 1/32nd. But, both are now playing instruments that are 3/4th the regular size.

Their violin teacher is Joe Kaninsky. He's a local school music teacher who also gives many private lessons.

Kaninsky's students give four public recitals a year. Two are in the winter with one each in the spring and summer. The girls have played at recitals that were held in the new West County Mall and the Plaza Frontenac Mall.

The girls play both solo and duet music at the recitals.

Anisha said she likes playing the violin and piano equally. "I couldn't choose between them," she said.

They rate their appearances in Carnegie Hall as their favorite musical experience.

But, they also look forward to their annual trip to a violin camp in Wisconsin. The weeklong camp is at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Aasha said the camp offers four different music classes each day.

Most of the music the sisters play is classical. However, Aasha said some lessons include more modern music, especially theme music from movies. For instance, they worked on the theme from "Beauty and the Beast."

"That's more fiddle-type music," she said.

Both of the girls say math is their favorite subject in school.

Anisha said understanding math "helps me better count the beats to the music."

Although music is a big part of their lives now, neither is looking to a career as a professional musician.

Anisha said she'd like to be a lawyer. Asked why, she said, "I have good arguments."

Aasha said she's looking at being a doctor. She said her father in a pharmacist and "I've always liked medical things."

Her father's job as a pharmacist at a Sam's Club store led to the girls doing a charity "gig" one Christmas season. The musical performance at the store was to help raise money for a young girl with leukemia.

Listeners at the store donated $750 during their concert. That amount was then matched by Wal-Mart so the girl got $1,500 to help defray her medical expenses.

(front row, l to r) Anna George, Emily Kassab, Rose Haselhorst, Carolyn Carper; (second row, l to r) Jecoliah Wang, Nicholas George, Aasha Thanki, Anisha Thanki; (back row, l to r) Rebecca Herman, Bridget Goble, Cecily Marx, Charity Callahan