Violin Forum/Message Board

[Canuck]

All,

My first post. I live in Alberta, Canada, a bit east of the Rocky Mountains. I am a senior citizen who was introduced (unwillingly) to the violin, 64 years ago when my parents decided they wnted me to play a musical instrument. Finances and circumstances meant that piano was out, so violin it was. My first violin was a (I am told) a late 19th century German violin which my father bought for $ 85.00, complete with bow and accessories, from my first violin teacher whose name was (co-incidently), Newby.

I had three violin teachers over the years, the third of whom was John Sebastian Bach VIII (seriously).

I took the Toronto Conservatory program, and at my grade 6 ejudication, there wer two other students taking the exam. Andrew Dawes and Kenneth Perkins who were two of the original members of the Canadian group, the Orford String Quartet. Perhaps the foremost professional, world class string quartets to come from Canada. They have discontinued as a group.

Lessons ended in 1956 when I got my driver\s license. My violin sat for the most part, from the mid 1960s until about 2005 when I had it appraised. (That is a whole other story). I discovered a group called Prairie Mountain Fiddlers, and this group has awakened a fervent interest in the violin which I never really had.

Four years ago, I acquired a (pre WW II) Yamaha violin, and in 2011 I acquired my third violin. It is a Joseph Collingwood (made in Philadelphia in 1928), and it has introduced me to a heightened degree of pleasure. I have finally found a violin that sounds the way I have long felt that my level of talent should make a violin sound. I still use the other two violins, but the Collingwood is my main one.

My wife and I have just returned from a vacation in Europe. We visited the Stradivarius Museum in Cremona, Italy, and we had the pleasure of viewing about 21 instruments by Stradivarius, Guarnarius, Amati, Ceruti, and other violins from as early as 1565, and as late as 1947.

I look forward to being an active member of this forum.

Regards,

Canuck

[Lemuel]

Hello Canuck,

That's quite a story. You're one of the very few that has give such an interesting introduction. Thanks a lot for sharing and welcome to the forum.

Lemuel