PROVO — At age 5, Joshua Jensen went into his back yard, found two sticks and pretended to play the violin.
Now he makes instruments out of cardboard and string in his spare time — a violin, a cello, a stand-up bass.
No doubt about it, the kid loves music.
"It's a passion for him," says his mom, Cherrie. "He literally would shrivel up without it. It's part of his soul."
Music isn't just an imaginary hobby, though. Josh and three of his siblings make up a group called Sizzling Strings that is playing now until Christmas at the Provo Towne Centre Mall.
Cherrie hopes her children will one day make money playing at wedding receptions and other social events.
"I hope they don't have to flip burgers," she says.
The group of four, donning Santa Claus hats and red T-shirts, squeeze between two escalators at the entrance to Dillard's every day from about 1 to 3 p.m.
Mom plays the piano, Josh, 10, the violin, Jossalyn, 8, the viola, Ty, 7, the cello and Kenna, 5, the violin.
Occasionally, Tennison, 3, decked out in a Santa suit and black cowboy boots, will dance in front of the group shouting "Ho, ho, ho."
It's enough to make even the most hurried shopper stop, smile and drop some cash.
Santa, when on a break from greeting kids at the center of the mall, stops by and drops a dollar or two in Jossalyn's viola case. He likes the group so much he asked them to come down to his end of the mall Wednesday and play a tune.
Groups like Sizzling Strings have been good for the mall. Marketing assistant Doug Lyman says he doesn't have any figures yet, but business is way up since last year.
Business is good for Sizzling Strings, too. Mom is embarrassed to say, but in one day the children made $200. It doesn't surprise Josh, though.
"We know they like the music and of course they will stop," he says.
Josh speaks with a surprising amount of confidence. He is about the size of his 5-year-old sister because, as he says rather matter-of-factly, he had "a growing problem."
It is music that has given Josh so much confidence, his mother says, and it is music that teaches her children discipline. Josh, Jossalyn and Ty practice for two hours a day. Kenna practices for 45 minutes.
Because Cherrie grew up on piano lessons, she knows what to do when her children don't want to practice: She plays for them.
Seeing her play makes them want to practice, she says.
"I believe every child could succeed like my children have if their parents would sit down and help them," Cherrie says.
She says the money they make at the mall is especially rewarding for Ty, who likes to "amass as much as he can."
What do her children want to do with all the money they have made so far?
Ty says he could look for a helicopter at All-A-Dollar. Jossalyn would buy new equipment.
The question doesn't seem to interest Josh, though. He wanders off and begins playing his violin.
He simply wants to play.
E-MAIL: jhyde@desnews.com