My contribution to a discussion on memorization:
I memorize some music every week as a personal violin playing
policy. I average somewhere around 32 bars or so. Most of it consists
of folk tunes or scales and arpeggios in various keys(which I
use as tools for improvisation).
Folk music and jazz is usually performed without written music,
and so when I memorize I am constantly enlarging my repertoire
for performance. I rarely memorize classical music though, because
I can just sit at my music stand and read it along with everyone
else. I have memorized a few sections of some classical pieces
that I found difficult to read at high speed, which helped me
keep up with more advanced players and readers.
I find that some days are good for memorization, and others bad,
but I keep plugging away. On bad days I don't force myself, but
perhaps just learn a few bars of a difficult piece. On good days
I keep on going as long as it feels right. If I get a bit discouraged,
I visualize some famous or hot shot violinist playing the piece
in question, and remind myself that the journey to the end of
the road starts with a few small steps, and I'm on my way!