The Violin in America: Old World Tradition, New

The Violin in America:
Old World Tradition, New World Sound explores the transplanting
of European violin and bow making traditions to American soil
by 19th and 20th century immigrants, and how communities in the New World combined innovation with tradition to ultimately create
a unique musical identity. The exhibition premieres a large and comprehensive body of work representing the evolution of American
•
Old World Tradition New World Sound
The Violin in America
February 23, 2008 - September 7, 2008
5790 Armada Drive
Carlsbad, CA 92008
non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
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Permit No. 245
Carlsbad, CA
A sp e c i a l e x h i bi t i on at t h e M u se u m of M a k i n g M u si c • 5 7 9 0 A r m a d a Dr i v e • C a r l sb a d , C A 9 2 0 0 8
violin and bow making from its European beginnings to the most exciting work of the best contemporary masters...
The Violin in America
Old World Tradition • New World Sound
Violin
and bow making owes its presence in America to the great waves of European immigrants
who came to the New World in the 19th and 20th centuries. The new residents brought with
them many talents, including a long tradition of fine woodworking and instrument making skills, musical mastery
and a rich and diverse repertoire. This exhibition includes rare historic examples of the work of early American
masters that directly resulted from these influences. Additionally, stories of luthiers such as John Pfaff, A.W. White,
Carl Becker, Mario Frosali, George Gemunder, and Simone Fernando Sacconi illustrate the steady development
of the American school from the late 1860s through World War II, and demonstrate the importance of the local
violin shop and a master luthier in establishing local traditions in violin and bow making, and in fostering an
appreciation of classical music and high quality instruments. Their inspirations—based on classical European
models exemplified by the work of Amati, Guarneri and Stradivari—serve as a starting point to
showcase the interpretation and reproduction of European traditions on American soil.
A unique aspect of the show is the inclusion of the perhaps lesser known story
of innovation in violin design. The Stradivari violin, along with its Amati and
Guarneri counterparts, is commonly hailed as a perfect design. These mythic
masterpieces, however, have actually gone through many stages of design
evolution, spurred by changing tastes in music as well as musical demands of
virtuosi. Today, innovations in violin making are driven by working violinists who
cope with certain imperfections in their “perfect” vintage instruments.
Black Violin.
By Guy Rabut.
Cutting edge acoustic and scientific research in instrument building of the last
forty years, and an open minded atmosphere created a fertile environment
for experimentation with man made materials, sound qualities, and instrument
proportions. As an example, “The Violin in America” features the innovative
work of Carleen Hutchins whose widely recognized acoustic experiments
of the 1960s not only produced instruments of fascinating nature,
but also inspired a new generation of innovators. In addition, the
show highlights the work of contemporary luthiers who pushed the
boundaries of the classical design to expand sonic, aesthetic, and
functional qualities of the violin and bow. The exhibition comprises
examples of violins and bows constructed by Gregg Alf, Joseph
Curtin (2005 recipient of the MacArthur “Genius” Award), Guy
Rabut, Anthony Lane, Benoît Rolland, Samuel Zygmuntowicz, and
others.
Violin, 2005.
By Francis Kuttner.
“The Violin in America” also spotlights the story of the electric violin. It features
some of the first electric violins introduced in the 1930s by Lloyd Loar as well
as the Electro String Instrument Company (now known as Rickenbacker). The
exhibition reveals how these early experiments continue to resonate today
in the work of leading acousticians and companies such as Jordan Electric
Violins, Ned Steinberger, Mark Wood, Yamaha Corporation’s Band & Orchestral
Division, and Zeta Music.
Electric 4-String Violin, 2007.
By Ned Steinberger.
Experimental Graphite-Epoxy Violin, 1972.
By Carleen Hutchins. Photo by Bill Willroth, Sr.
Courtesy of the National Music Museum, Vermillion, SD
Viola with map of Italy, 1992
By Joseph Grubaugh & Sigrun Seifert
Cello, 2002
By David Folland
Ultra-light Violin, 2007
By Joseph Curtin
Violin, 2007
By David Burgess
Exhibition Opening Events
Saturday, February 23, 2008
February 23, 2008 - Panel Discussion - 2 PM
Join two world-renowned instrument makers and a leading entrepreneur-turned-advocate for violin education in a whirlwind tour of
the past, present, and future of violin and bow making. Guided by the founder and publisher of Strings Magazine, this expert panel
leads you through the instrument’s birth in the Italian Renaissance, its arrival in the New World, and the recent advances in technology
that are reshaping the craft of violin and bow making. Discover what inspires makers to devote their lives to this mythic instrument, how
artists and makers find each other, and how they work together to produce desired tone, sound and projection.
Tickets:
$10 for the General Public; $7 for Students; Free for Museum Members
David A. Lusterman is Publisher of String Letter Publishing, a company he founded in 1985, which publishes Strings, Teen Strings,
and Acoustic Guitar magazines. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in comparative literature from California University, New York.
Lusterman chairs the board of the National String Project Consortium, a coalition of 30 university-based String Projects dedicated
to increasing the number of children playing stringed instruments, and addressing the critical shortage of string teachers in the
US, and serves on the boards of the Guitar and Accessories Marketing Association and the Magazine Publishers of America’s
Independent Magazine Advisory Group.
William M. Townsend, an avid violin enthusiast and entrepreneur, founded The Amati Foundation in 2000 to preserve and
expand the stringed arts. As a member of the founding management teams of two publicly-held companies, Lycos, Inc. and
YouthStream Media Networks (now Alloy), Townsend was recognized for his creativity and strategic marketing skills. He has been
involved in the launch or management of over a dozen organizations, including Deja News (now Google.com), GeoCities (now
Yahoo!), Interminds, and Corvosi. He holds a MBA in global management from Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University,
and a BA in Art from The College of Wooster.
Joseph Curtin - violinmaker, researcher, and 2005 MacArthur Fellow - started taking violin lessons at the age of 12 and studied
violin performance at the University of Western Ontario. In 1977 he took up violinmaking under the guidance of the Hungarian
maker Otto Erdesz. For the past 15 years, Curtin has pursued a strong interest in innovation. He worked with French research
scientist Charles Besnainou in developing high quality instruments using graphite composites. He is currently building a series
of prototype “ultra-light” violins and violas that explore the possibilities for the instruments’ further ergonomic, acoustical, and
aesthetic evolution. Curtin is currently collaborating with physicist Gabriel Weinreich in developing an electric violin that uses realtime digital filters to reproduce the sound of specific Old Italian instruments.
Photo by Al Fisher.
Benoît Rolland graduated from of the Conservatoire de Paris at sixteen and joined Bernard Ouchard´s bow-making class in
Mirecourt in 1971. In 1976 he became the youngest person nominated for Best Artisan of France and in 1983 received the rare
national title of Maître Archetier d’Art. Rolland then moved to the island of Bréhat where he conceived the first carbon fiber bow
of concert quality. He invented a new generation of bows including a tension mechanism that allows the performer to adjust
at will the camber of the bow. These bows were awarded First Prize Musicora in 1994 and are distributed under the trademark
Spiccato®. His current studio is located in Boston where he creates bows for Anne-Sophie Mutter, Lynn Harrell, Kim Kashkashian,
Christian Tetzlaff, Julia Fischer and passionate musicians and collectors worldwide.
February 23, 2008 - Opening Reception & Concert
We invite you to celebrate the opening of this premiere exhibition. Come and enjoy a
wine and cheese reception in the Museum galleries and get a first look at these stunning
violins, bows and other aspects of violin history. Then, join us as we present two world-class
performances in our intimate concert venue.
6 PM 7 PM
Tickets:
–
–
Wine & Cheese Reception
Concert featuring The Hutchins Consort & Anne Akiko Meyers
$30 for the General Public; $20 for Museum Members
Advance Ticket Purchase Required! Call (760) 438-5996, ext. 212
or purchase online at www.museumofmakingmusic.org.
The Hutchins Consort
The Hutchins Consort is a group of virtuosi who play on the eight scaled violins of the violin octet
designed and built by famed luthier Dr. Carleen Hutchins. The instruments are the first successful
attempt to create an acoustically balanced set of instruments that can sound truly like violins across
the entire range of written music. Only four sets of Dr. Carleen Hutchins’ violin octet are in existence.
The consort utilizes one set for performances and one set will be on display at the Museum for the
exhibition.
Anne Akiko Meyers
During two decades of regaling the globe’s stages, Anne Akiko Meyers has established herself as
one of the world’s leading soloists, recitalists and chamber musicians. Meyers burst into national
prominence at age 11 when she performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and appeared twice
on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. At 23, she was awarded the prestigious Avery Fisher Career
Grant, the only artist to be the sole recipient of this annual award. She has since performed with some
of the most prestigious orchestras and venues including Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, Boston
Symphony, London’s Philharmonia Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic,
Sydney Symphony Orchestra and countless others.
Exhibition Event Calendar
Concerts & Educational Programming
Open Case Days
Did you ever want to open a museum exhibit case and play the instrument on display? Now you can! Beginning in March
on the last Monday of each month, the Museum will open its violin exhibit cases to allow professional and amateur musicians,
as well as stringed instrument students & teachers the chance to play on a selection of fine acoustic and electric violins from
today’s top makers. This opportunity is FREE and available by appointment only.
Yamaha String Educator Development Seminar
The Museum hosts an opportunity for string educators to gain experience with the growing popularity of electronic stringed
instruments. Educators can see an actual acoustic quartet transform into a fully electronic ensemble. Technical aspects
are discussed in layman’s terms and questions are answered by Yamaha staff and quartet performers. Sound reinforcement
requirements, instrument specifications and repertoire are presented in detail. For educators, the end result will be the ability
to incorporate an electronic string ensemble into their current programs. This event is scheduled for late spring with more
details to follow.
August 30, 2008: Antonio Pontarelli: From Acoustic to Electric - 5 PM
Antonio Pontarelli picked up a violin at the age of three and started winning competitions by age seven. He was soon
playing on national television, and his performance and arrangement of Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” won NBC’s
“America’s Most Talented Kids” Grand Championship in November 2004. In 2005, he had the honor of being named
the “Outstanding Young Rock Musician” by the Young Artist Awards. Today, Pontarelli focuses
on performing with his band and recording his debut CD. He also spends time promoting the
GRAMMY organization’s educational programs and bringing music into the lives of those who
are less fortunate through the Music Prodigy Foundation, which he founded in 2001.
In this rock-focused, educational demonstration, workshop and concert, Pontarelli introduces
guests to the electric violin by showcasing the evolution of sound and music from acoustic to
electric. With his electric violins and accompanied by an acoustic/electric guitarist and pianist,
Pontarelli compares and contrasts a variety of electric violins from his collection with those from
the museum display.
Tickets: $15 for the General Public; $12 for Museum Members; $7 for Students.
For information, tickets and reservations: Call Jillian Jepsen at (760) 438-5996, ext. 212.
Special Thanks
Supporters, Sponsors & Friends
The exhibition would not be possible without the generosity of our supporters, sponsors and friends across the U.S. Their time, expertise,
artifact loans, and donations have helped craft this historic exhibition. Thank you.
Gregg T. Alf, Ann Arbor, MI
Robert Ames, Fort Lee, NJ
Paul Becker, Carl Becker & Son Ltd., Chicago, IL
Steven Beckley, Little River, CA
David Bromberg, David Bromberg Fine Violins, Wilmington, DE
Jim Brown, Southern California Association of Violin Makers, Claremont, CA
David Burgess, Ann Arbor, MI
Ruth Charles, Glendale, CA
Joseph Curtin, Ann Arbor, MI
Ken Dattmore, Yamaha, Buena Park, CA
Eastman Strings, Clarksburg, MD
Roland Feller, San Francisco, CA
Teresa and Merle Fischlowitz, San Diego, CA
David Folland, Northfield, MN
Christopher Germain, Mount Airy, MD
Gold Diggers - Gifts of Loving Donors, San Diego, CA
Joseph Grubaugh & Sigrun Seifert, Petaluma, CA
John Hall, Rickenbacker International Co., Santa Ana, CA
Jay Ifshin, Berkeley, CA
Phil Janikowski, Escondido, CA
John Jordan, Jordan Electric Violins, Concord, CA
Francis Kuttner, San Francisco, CA
La Costa Dental Group, Carlsbad, CA
Anthony Lane, Petaluma, CA
André Larson, National Music Museum, Vermillion, SD
Neil Lilien, Meisel Stringed Instruments, Springfield, NJ
David A. Lusterman, String Letter Publishing, San Anselmo, CA
Mark Wood Violins, Port Washington, NY
Joe McNalley, The Hutchins Consort, Encinitas, CA
Beth Miller, Vista, CA
NAMM, the International Music Products Association, Carlsbad, CA
NAMM Resource Center, Carlsbad, CA
Guy Rabut, New York, NY
Douglas Raguse, Cedar, MI
Benoît Rolland, Charlestown, MA
Andrew Ryan, Providence, RI
Isaac Salchow, New York, NY
Jade J. Schultz, Southern California Association of Violin Makers, La Jolla, CA
Dr. William Sloane, Los Angeles, CA
Kevin Smith, The Violin Shop, San Diego, CA
Ned Steinberger, Nobleboro, ME
Takahashi Family Fund , San Diego, CA
William M. Townsend, The Amati Foundation, San Francisco, CA
Rick Turner, Rick Turner Guitar Co., Santa Cruz, CA
Yamaha Orchestral Strings Division, Buena Park, CA
David Russell Young, Longmont, CO
Zeta Music, Tempe, AZ
Samuel Zygmuntowicz, New York, NY