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You Don't Know What You Have... UntilLife in general: Key quote: "I was amazed at how long the violin stayed on top of the car..." Share your horror stories of violin near-death here.From Marco Rodriguez My parents, siblings and I headed off to Wendsday night church as usual. I was planning to meet up and practice a piece with a pianist friend after the service in one of the church's music rooms. We were in a bit of a rush though; so, as my dad shooed us out to the car. I wasn't completly ready to go. I had my books, shoes, socks, and violin in my arms. In order to avoid dropping anything while opening the car door, I put my violin (in the case) on top of the Honda Civic before throwing everything else in the car and getting in. I was amazed at how long the violin stayed on top of the car. It wasn't until we had made a left turn onto a local highway that we all heard the thud of the violin case hitting the trunk of the car and then the road. Of course I stayed completley calm (screamed like a college girl in a horror flick.) Moments later my dad does a loop off of the east bound half of the highway with a 55 mile/hour speed limit; going into, and out of the grassy dividing median and back onto the emergency lane of the highway facing the oncoming traffic. I run out and save my precious instrument that was sitting in one lane as two eighteen-wheelers pass me by in the adjacent lane. The drivers probably didn't know weather or not to laugh or yell at this barefoot boy with his shirt untucked and belt unbuckled practically diving to save what appeared to them as nothing more than a black case. My instrument is not exactly a strad; in fact, it's just a chinese made violin that costs probably less than what many of you make in a weeks salary. But I didn't realize how much I cherished it until I almost lost it. Sure, it's cheap. But on a good day, and after a lil practice, we can make some decent music. I'm not saying I'd want that whole scenario to happen again, but it certainly made this cheap box and strings a little bit more cherished and sentimental in value. Marco :-)
From N.A. Mohr
LOL...and I'll bet you NEVER leave it on the roof again...Posted on June 27, 2004 at 01:26 PM :) From jennifer steinfeldt warren
I have an almost exact same story. I was in a hurry and was loading things into my car, putting the violin on the trunk. All that was in my mind was whether or not I had enough gas to make it to the gas station. When I got to the gas station, I realized that my violin was not in the car. I panicked, of course. I drove back to the house and looked everywhere on the ground and then my sister and I took flashlights and followed the whole distance between point a and point b. I didn't remember putting it on the trunk. I called the cops and everything, in case I had left it on the ground by my car and someone had picked it up. Called pawn shops the next morning. Put up flyers. To make a long story short, it had flown off of the trunk into the highway and some travelers saw it and picked it up. They thought it was a suitcase (???!!) and took it home. When they opened it up and found out a violin was inside, they didn't know what to do. there was not ID in the case (learned that lesson). A week later, they just happened to be going through our town again, and stopped at the gas station I'd been to and saw a flyer. I got my violin back with no damage done. Except I'd had a week of crying and thinking my life was over. But all was well:)
Posted on June 27, 2004 at 03:19 PM From owen sutter
i watched somebody i was working with set their violin behind the back tire of their truck and then back over it, amazingly the case held and there was no damage. I should find out what sort of case that was..
Posted on June 27, 2004 at 07:27 PM From jennifer steinfeldt warren
That happened to a cellist I knew. Her cello wasn't so lucky...
Posted on June 28, 2004 at 12:24 AM From Vernon Kirby
"i watched somebody i was working with set their violin behind the back tire of their truck and then back over it, amazingly the case held and there was no damage. I should find out what sort of case that was.. " Our Chamber orchestra director did that...Ruined her instrument badly... we laughed.. alot.
Posted on June 28, 2004 at 12:34 AM From owen sutter
well you're not very sensitive are you, i hope it wasn't anything irreplacable
Posted on June 28, 2004 at 01:33 AM From Elena G
Ok... interesting stories, but what I want to know is: Who in their right mind would consciously place their instrument on the ground behind their truck's wheels??? I mean really, you'd think you'd just put it next to the driver's door or something....?
Posted on June 28, 2004 at 02:03 AM From Vernon Kirby
It was just a Juzek, one of the newer ones.
Posted on June 28, 2004 at 02:11 AM From Emil Chudnovsky
I have REPEATEDLY had to tell some of my more novice students to not put down their violin on the floor, by their feet, while writing in fingerings or bowings. It seems such a fundamental thing to me that I'm still shocked every time I see a kid look around for a place to set down the fiddle and then choose the floor.
Posted on June 28, 2004 at 03:38 AM From owen sutter
hmm, whats wrong with holding it?
Posted on June 28, 2004 at 04:00 AM From Stephen Brivati
Greetings,Posted on June 28, 2004 at 04:51 AM Emil I see that all the time. Last week one of my most attractive students (not sure of the relevance of adjective) who has a four year old kid brought the latter to a rehearsal. The kid ran towrads her mother , treading on the neck and snapping it off in the process. Not the mother`s , the violin. The other two things that make me neurotic are leaving violins and bows on chairs in breaks and -hanging- violins off the stand by the scroll. How much effort does it take to put an instrument in a case while you go for a coffee? aaargh prunes, Buri From jennifer steinfeldt warren
I put mine on the floor beside my chair when I take a computer break...hm...HELP ME I'M A NOVICE!!!. Or just lazy. Mental note....Case only! Will I remember that? no.Posted on June 28, 2004 at 04:53 AM -Jennifer From Valerie Gordon
Well, my violin had a near death experiance earlier this year durring an orchestra rehersal, of all places. I had my case sitting on my lap and I was getting my violin out, when someone hit my chair from behind, and jolted my violin to the floor. The case fell on top of my baby and there was an aweful noise!!!! I was so scared that the sound post might have gone through the front of the violin, but luckly it didnt. There were a few bad cracks, and some dents, but there was no permenant damage luckily!! I have no idea who hit me...but man, I think that they are lucky that I don't know who it was! Thank god for insurance...Posted on June 28, 2004 at 05:02 AM *Val From Emil Chudnovsky
Jen, I keep trying to get across the idea that the violin is ALIVE. She's a LADY. Would you offer a lady a seat on the floor? (Unless you're Ali Baba or something, I mean.)
Posted on June 28, 2004 at 05:25 AM From Stephen Brivati
Greetings,Posted on June 28, 2004 at 05:42 AM exactly. The story about Auer telling a student not to put a violin on the floor -in its case- was an example of indirect teaching. Attitude is everything. Cheers, Buri From Preston Hawes
Don't even put it down by the drivers side door. I did that ONCE and never again. I was telling myself..."OK, Preston you have too much in your hands...put the violin case down next to the car and put everything in...just don't forget the violin....DON'T FORGET THE VIOLIN!!!".... I almost drove away without my violin. Luckly, I was backing out of the lot so I saw it sitting there all forelorn. I felt as though I had betrayed it or something! I felt really bad!!Posted on June 28, 2004 at 04:26 PM Preston From jennifer steinfeldt warren
I will reform...no more violin on the floor for me. I feel like a new person. I want a pendant or something. A one year anniversary. Maybe my violin will love me more now.Posted on June 28, 2004 at 04:34 PM -Jennifer From owen sutter
oh, dont put your violin in the space between the back seats and the front, down on the floor ever. That is the area that tends to crush if you get rear ended, i know somebody who lost a gagliano that way, and the violin on the seat above it didnt even go out of tune.
Posted on June 28, 2004 at 05:40 PM From Evelyn Ray
I'm 52 years old and everytime I have to put my violin down during a lesson, my teacher looks at me and says, "Is it safe?" Years of teaching children has made it a habit for her. I appreciate it because now at home whenever I'm practicing and need to put the violin down to tend to something I hear her say, "Is it safe?" It always make me think twice.
Posted on June 28, 2004 at 09:24 PM From Stephen Brivati
Greetings,Posted on June 28, 2004 at 11:42 PM funny, I cook dinner for my wife everyday and she often seems to be muttering `Is it safe?` Cheers, Buri From jennifer steinfeldt warren
Buri, with your prune obsession, I'd have to ask if it is safe, as well!!Posted on June 29, 2004 at 12:39 AM -Jennifer From Peggy Foggio
How about the amazing return of the Strad Cello stolen from the porch of the principal cellist of the Los Angeles Symphony by a bicyclist and its almost demise into a CD holder... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3728193.stm.
Posted on June 30, 2004 at 02:24 PM From lorenzo Z
I remember being told off for unthinkingly jumping over a cello (head in the clouds) when I was a kid. Could never be that casual now.
Posted on June 30, 2004 at 09:28 PM From Aaron Ong
I dunno how far this story was true, but this was related to me by a violin teacher. A student's violin had a rib separation so she contaced what she thought was a luthier in Singapore who assured her that the violin can be fixed. So the violin was duly sent and was returned with the body reattached to the ribs .... with STEEL CARPENTER'S NAILS!!!! So much for a "luthier". AAAARRRGGHH!!!! Posted on July 2, 2004 at 09:16 AM - AARON From Wenhao Sun
Wooowww I just wanted to mention... apparently the Musofia cases can keep the violin safe even while a truck runs over it. They are super expensive though.... But they look really nice.
Posted on July 4, 2004 at 05:49 AM From Peter Ferreira
I have purchased Musafia ( http://www.musafia.com/index1.html ) cases for all my violins! They are the best. Some of the models also float, and protect agains heat.Posted on July 4, 2004 at 03:56 PM Peter From alicelizard s.
Once when a friend of mine got home from music camp very late at night, she put her violin down on her driveway (behind the car) while unloading her stuff. She said she was so tired she forgot about it, and the next day when her mom was backing out of the driveway...
Posted on July 4, 2004 at 04:39 PM From Aaron Ong
ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!! NEVER NEVER EVER put your violin on your driveway!!!! I will never treat a violin, even a cheap skylark, by putting it in harm's way. I can't imagine the sickening crunch the violin would have made. One must treat a violin like he/she treats a hapless baby. I mean, would you ever put your baby on the driveway behind the car??????? - AARON
Posted on July 5, 2004 at 10:12 AM From violinist adept
If I have an armload of things including my violin and I'm in a rush to go somewhere, the violin always goes in the car first. Who cares if I forget to bring my music to a lesson? My teacher sure as hell has the music too haha.
Posted on July 5, 2004 at 11:12 PM From Christina Wilke
I had a bad experience with my violin when I was young as well. I was playing on a student model Glaesel violin that I think cost all of 600 dollars, but it was the only violin I had at the time (I was still very much a beginner). I lived in Alexandria, VA at the time, where the temperature is fairly temperate throughout most of the year, but I spent one New Years at my aunt's and uncle's in Potsdam, NY. My dad told me he'd bring the violin in from the car, and of course I was young and didn't realize that I should check on it anyway, seeing as it was really my responsibility. The next morning we went to pack to come home and I realized my violin wasn't in the house. We had left it in the trunk in -12 degree (farenheight) weather! Luckily, we didn't open the case right away and let it warm in the case as we went home. Needless to say, I still have that violin (I don't play on it) but it still has probably about 25 very shallow cracks throughout the violin! I'm just glad I learned my lesson early...
Posted on July 5, 2004 at 11:34 PM From William Dziadkiewicz
The violin I use for pretty much everything I have had for 15 years or something like that. I have never really been too precious about it, rather more seeing it as a tool. When I was at school I used to ride to school on my bike with my violin on my back and my brothers trumpet in my hand. To balance out the trumpet I used to ride no handed, priding myself on negotiating the 3 miles without having to touch the handlebars. It frequently got soaked by rain, baked by heat, frozen by snow (the case is very basic and leaky). At lunchtime my friends and I used to use the case to play cricket (with the violin in it). When I look at it now I think it is a miracle that it is still in one piece. Posted on July 6, 2004 at 10:36 AM Not really having a particularly formal musical upbringing it never occured to me there might be someone who specialised in the repair and setting up of violins so I have always been quite happy to take it to bits and modify/repair it. I still cycle to orchestras and lessons today and because I am so familiar with this instrument I am quite happy to treat it as I always have. I think if I were to be too touchy about it I would fnd it very difficult to get around to all of my engagements. Recently I had a cycle race to attend directly before a rehearsal so I tied a change of clothes to the violin case and hid it behind a bush in a field until the race was over, picking it up and getting to rehearsal just on time. I have a supposedly good violin but find it too formal a buisiness playing it and my trusty old no-name thing makes a suprisingly nice sound despite all of its faults. It is certainly louder than a lot of other violins I hear, or maybe that is just me. From Emil Chudnovsky
William, I experienced a number of horrified shudders as I read your casual description of what would certainly constitute abuse and battery, if your violin were a human being. It's not a question of treating the violin as though it were a sacred relic; you wouldn't treat a child that way either. But if a child needed surgery, an unawed and un-touchy approach would still not entitle a parent with no medical training to perform an appendectomy. You took it "to bits" and modified it? With what, Elmer's glue and a pocketknife?Posted on July 6, 2004 at 05:52 PM It doesn't matter how good or bad the violin you have might be. It is indeed a tool and, as I've said in other discussions, a work of art. As the latter, it certainly deserves more respect and ginger handling than a cricket bat or bike ballast. But as the former, as a PRECISION tool, and an incredibly delicate one, it deserves at least the avoidance of rough handling. You don't have to be terribly formal about it to not use a laptop computer (a delicate precision tool) in lieu of a welcome mat in front of your door. Nor do you have to walk on tiptoe with your violin, but what you describe amounts to sadism, not informality. Yes, the violin is a tool of our trade. But part and parcel of that trade is loving the music we play and the instruments on which we play it. I'd be hard pressed to call someone a colleague who hates music. I'd be almost as hard-pressed to call someone a colleague who claims to love their violin but treats it as though neglect and abuse could ever be the same as love. From Peter Ferreira
Emil, I second that!Posted on July 6, 2004 at 06:48 PM ...and with so many kids who wish they had a violin to play and learn... It's sad... Peter From William Dziadkiewicz
Emil, constant abuse and battery probably wouldn`t be too far off the mark really but then as a schoolboy this was the case for everything (new shoes, bikes, games kit). To say it was just a case of schoolboy exuberance was probably only half true. The fact is that in a school of 2000 people there were 20 playing violin of which I was the only boy. I`m not making excuses but will say that violin throughout school was far from an all consuming occupation and as such could sometimes be quite easily pushed aside.Posted on July 7, 2004 at 08:46 AM As far as working on my own violin goes. Obviously I may not be the most objective judge of my own work but I consider myself to have gained a reasonable understanding of how the violin works and as such can treat the job with a sufficient degree of finesse. In fact I couldn`t imagine being able to suppress my desire to dabble given the time spent playing it. I have had reasonable success in jobs such as modifying the bridge position/height, soundpost adjustments, pegbox reaming and fingerboard re-attachment. When I say modify I don`t mean I have painted it blue or anything like that, it still looks like a violin. I have always been quite comfortable working on the violin because I perceive it as something made by human hands not unlike my own rather than a divine object. I appreciate the time and craftsmanship that goes into a violin (possibly more as a result of working on my example). I also believe that the violin can outlive me and as such the period for which it is in my care is really not ownership but tenure. All this said though I believe that the violin exists to be used and in my case used it certainly is (in my adult life exclusively for making music). The many incidents/accidents/occurences that have befallen the violin over my years with it are like the rings of a tree or the threads of a tapestry. In much the same way the violin has affected me and contributed to my own "rings", in the music we make and the places we go. It is a matter of synergy, the violin as a whole being incomprehensibly more than the sum of its parts but also nothing without me to play it. From Larry Brandt
"The many incidents/accidents/occurences that have befallen the violin over my years with it are like the rings of a tree or the threads of a tapestry. In much the same way the violin has affected me and contributed to my own "rings", in the music we make and the places we go.Posted on July 7, 2004 at 11:51 AM It is a matter of synergy, the violin as a whole being incomprehensibly more than the sum of its parts but also nothing without me to play it." I don't see any relation to "rings of a tree" or "threads of a tapestry". That's just plain abusing the violin! Damaging the violin doesn't do it any good, and those metaphors you quoted have positive connotations, in contrast to wrecking what might be a very good instrument that other people could get a lot of joy out of. Nothing without YOU to play it!? There are many other people who would probably gladly play it, and would certainly not abuse it in any way! Sounds almost like those abusive husbands you hear of, who batter their wives and tell them that they are nothing without them! You are perfectly right when you say "the period for which it is in my care is really not ownership but tenure", and as such you should do your very best to try to preserve the violin for future generations. There will no doubt be somebody in 20, 50 or even 100 years time cursing you for ruining what for all you know could be a master instrument! I think that the least you could do is take the best care of your violin now that you possibly can, probably take it to a properly trained luthier to fix it up (or at least check that the work you have done is of a satisfactory standard). It might cost some money, but I think it's the least you can do to repay the debt to future owners of the violin. Sorry if I've been a bit harsh and critical, but I feel quite strongly about this. From Peter Ferreira
Greetings,Posted on July 7, 2004 at 02:08 PM Here is my personal quote: I am my violins violinist, its player, one of many this past 300 years and when I die, someone else will have a chace to enjoy it's beauty and magic" Peter From Kevin Jang
Wow Marco...it's like that old ad for American Case Company in the old Shar catalogs...SCARY!!Posted on July 7, 2004 at 02:53 PM My story is quite famous in the annals of Peabody history...I know Igor remembers... My sophomore year at Peabody we were playing the Firebird Suite by Stravinsky. I was sitting second stand outside first violin where everyone can see me. You know the last line in finale where the big high note tremelo is and the brass have their big chorale? Well I wasn't using a shoulder rest at the time and me and my stand partner were sort of screwing off and we had our chins off of our rests and my bow somehow hit the e-string...the violin (an Otello Bignami, Bologna Italy, 1959...)flies off of my shoulder in the air and lands on my girlfriends foot behind me. It was like slow motion. You know in those movies where everything goes real slow? I was like (in the real slow motion style - low pitched voice) "NO!!!" Everyone in the audience saw it - including the Deans and the Director of the school!! Orchestra members thought they were hallucinating...I mean when was the last time you saw a VIOLIN pop up in the AIR?!! RIGHT?! Anyways, the violin was actually ok, just a few scratches and a slight need for a sound post adjustment...that is one solid fiddle... From Aaron Ong
William, no matter how you say it, abusing a violin IS abusing a violin. One should know better that to treat a precision instrument like you treat a football or what have you.Posted on July 8, 2004 at 12:39 AM After all I'm sure you don't treat your wristwatch as a hammer, nor do you (as someone said) use your notebook computer as your doormat. Nor does one usually use the Mona Lisa painting as a table cloth, no matter what the excuse is. And if you do get ill (I hope not), I'm sure you don't think of yourself as your own doctor and try to cure yourself. And if you really want to learn how to repair a violin, get an apprenticeship under a master luthier. There you can learn how to fix as many violins as you want. In the right way and manner too. Often somethings are not worth experimenting on by yourself nor are they worth saving pennies from. I'm not sorry to say this but... Grow up, man! AARON From William Dziadkiewicz
Yes I was being a little bit arrogant suggesting that the violin is nothing without me, this was probably intentional just to be a little contentious. I also concede that damage to the violin is in no way beneficial to its tone or serviceability. I think what I meant by that is that I am in some way fond of my violins distinctiveness.Posted on July 8, 2004 at 09:12 AM I think the concept that has become evident in the responses to my thoughts is that I see a violin differently to everyone else here. To use analogies such as child needing surgery or a beaten wife as such placing the violin on a par with a human being is a foreign concept to me. Admittedly the other extreme is the reckless abusive approach adopted when I was a child. I think what I have been trying to say is that as an adult I have now arrived at a point somewhere between the two extremes. It is a matter of practicality that my violin will be to some (relatively small) extent be placed in harms way, for example cycling with it strapped to my back in traffic and adverse weather conditions. This is something I am willing to risk because I enjoy attending orchestras, lessons and the such. My violin is serviceable and in constant use to my great enjoyment which is more than can be said for a lot of violins. Of all the people who begin learning the violin only a small percentage will end up in a situation like this either reading or contributing to such a forum as violinist.com. For everyone using violinist.com I imagine there are 10 violinists who have fallen by the wayside and possibly more violins that are stored in cupboards or in a state of disrepair. Although I appreciate the violins life span is longer than mine the period of its history that is of most importance to me is now. I consider my obligations to myself before those to posterity. As far as working on my own violin goes, I could take it to a luthier but I imagine I would still feel the need to have a stab at it myself once it were back in my hands. It goes back to the conceptual difference discussed earlier. If you are ill do you try to heal yourself?...no but if you car breaks down do you try to repair it yourself?...yes. Again I am not directly comparing a violin and a car but I am saying it is something I am willing to have a look at myself. I am not completely inept in such matters and where appropriate I have been sympathetic to original construction techniques such that anything I do is redeemable in the future. For example I have used hyde glue where appropriate. I wouldn`t like to be a luthier any more than I would like to be a motor mechanic. Possibly this is just an aspect of my personality but apart from medical matters I am willing to dabble in pretty much anything from building construction to electronics and beyond, never really seeking professional help (although I will look for advice where I feel it necessary) for anything. I know exactly what I have because I know it inside out. From Avelyn Bradley
William made some interesting points- he doesn't deliberately abuse his violin, it's an extention of his persona. The places he goes are thus enriched with his music. The "fancy folks" with the $$$ violins decline to "subject" themselves or their "worshipped" instruments to less than perfect conditions. Alas!Posted on July 9, 2004 at 06:09 AM I do quite understand the horror of seeing a violin damaged, and some of the above stories had me on the edge of my seat! But,don't you wish we could get a film clip of Kevin's Flying Violin? ~AB From Becca W
Just had to add my close-call violin story...Posted on July 20, 2004 at 12:33 AM When I finally grew into a full-size violin (having played violin since I was 4 or 5) my parents didn't have enough money to buy me a violin. However, we had in our possesion a decent (more than decent, a pretty darn good) violin that has been in my dad's family for a few generations. We're not sure how old it is or how much it's worth or anything, but it's a good little instrument. Anyway, my brother had taken that with him to college, even though he didn't play much anymore and I played like a maniac. My younger sister has always been a little bigger than me, but because I was older, on my 13th birthday, my parents bought me some cheap chinese student violin (probably cost south of $300). I used this violin for a while, and shared it with my sister, until we brought the old family violin back from my brother. Anyway, I know how you feel, Marco, and I don't think that we realize how important things are to us until it looks like they're about to be taken away from us. becca From Sue Donim
Frequent are the occasions when I arrive to teach in school, and find my young students' violins in a state of disrepair: and the stories the students come out with when I ask! 'Oh, my brother came home from university and got drunk and had a go...' 'My baby brother trod on it...' 'My dad was stirring the soup with it...' etc. etc. - it's enough to make your hair curl. One of my own dear relatives (adult, I should add) used to keep his new violin unprotected on the living room floor as a matter of course. Posted on July 20, 2004 at 01:55 AM I think the attitude you're brought up with counts for everything: I remember once accidentally leaving my violin at school after orchestra (I was nine years old). My father made me return to school that evening (it was winter and dark, and my school was in the forest...) and ask the caretaker to open up the school so I could retrieve it. Let's just say I never left my violin at school - or anywhere else - again. I once finished with a guy I was dating because he left my violin unattended in a supermarket trolley; I considered it an act of gross disrespect. From Claire Jones
It sounds like William treats his violin just like the old gypsy players of europe. They didn't have cases, carried their fiddles around on their backs through all seasons and a lot of them were incredible players! (My 2 cents)Posted on July 20, 2004 at 12:24 PM At orchestra just a few weeks ago one of the cellists put his instrument down for the break (lay it down on its side, bow on top) and as he stepped over the cello, kicked his $1300 bow off and snapped it into about 6 pieces. Ouch. Similar thing happened with $5000 bow left on a stand a couple of years ago. Oh, and my favourite is of an extremely well respected violinist who was going to leave his (verrrry valuable) violin behind at the (locked) concert hall because they had just had an evening rehersal and they had one in the morning. Anyway, he decided he'd take it home 'just in case' and the next day when they arrived at the hall it had burned down in the night. What a near miss. From sara a. m.
Just make sure that you close the case(which I'm sure you do)when putting your violin in. My teacher had told me a story about an adult student (beginner) had to put it down somewhere (I forgot why, I think she had to do something with the music) and she chose to put it on the floor. Well, knowing what would happen my violin teacher told her to put it in the case or it might get stepped on. So she put it in the case. After she was done with whatever she was doing, she decided to move back a little, forgetting that her violin was right behind her. But, she looked back right before she stepped on it, thinking that she had saved it. Well, she would have if she hadn't stepped on her shoulder rest. Yeah so she tripped and really stepped on it. And keep in mind, it was in the case.Posted on July 20, 2004 at 04:00 PM Oh, and to make it even more devestating, she didn't have one of those cheapy beginner violins. Nope, she had a sixty-two year old violin that her grandfather had given her, and it was pretty expensive (around $10,000) when it was first purchased, so it was probably worth about twice as much as it was then, if not that. -sara From Jenni Thompson
I was in Portugal early October of this year, playing for a festival, which happened to be at the same hotel I was staying in. The festivites were in the late morning so we would have all day to sight see and shop and tour basically. I'ts almost midnight, I plop down on my bed after playing a game of pool with friends, exhausted from the day, and fall into a light sleep for about five minutes. Then a thought hits me, from out of no where - Where's my violin? I lift my head and crane my neck a bit to see where I usually set it down, just to make sure it's there. It's not. It's not there. I'm awake now, sitting up, frowning, looking in all corners of my hotel bedroom trying to see my violin. I had to have brought it in.Posted on November 9, 2004 at 09:50 PM It's not there. I throw the covers off and begin rushing around the suite, getting more frantic every second, as I can't find my violin that my insurance only covers half of because I won't be 18 for another two months now. It's really not here! So I grab my keys, throw on my flip flops, and run out the door in an almost complete frenzy now, because I don't even have a vague idea where it could be; all I know is that it's midnight, I can't remember having it since around 2 that day, and IT'S NOT IN MY ROOM! The festival coordinator sees me in the lobby, and I explain to him that I don't know where my violin is, and it slowly dawns on me while I'm talking that it could still be in the room I designated the "warm up room" that was in the hall we used for the festival. So, mentioning this also to him, we walk to the room and he unlocks the door. And... there it is, my case. Perfectly fine. Right where I left it. Thank God the door was locked. I don't think I could ever be so careless again, knowing the utter terror (and consequences I could have suffered!) that I went through then. From Melanie Kaboy
Several years ago when I played with the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra, we were getting ready for a concert. I was going down the stairs, which were all metal and cement. I was carrying my violin, an older German instrument. Not expensive at all, but I had just purchased it not even 6 months before. I slipped (damn dress shoes), went backwards, hit my head on the metal rail, fell sideways and smacked my violin against the rail and the wall. The violin then flew out of my hands, banged against the wall one more time and fell down about 4 cement steps. It was all in slow motion and I'll never forget the sounds that I heard during my violin's hard fall to the ground. Posted on November 10, 2004 at 01:37 PM I bawled. We had about 5 minutes until I had to get onstage for the concert, luckily I didn't have a concussion or anything, but I can't say the same for my precious violin. The soundpost needed readjusted and it had a nice, long, thick crack going from the endbutton to halfway up the violin on the right side of the fingerboard. Thankfully, one of the orchestra directors had come from a rehearsal with another group and had her violin with her. I was able to play it for the concert. It was a very nice violin, the only problem was, I couldn't enjoy playing it b/c I was so upset about my violin! I took it into the shop and had to pay a couple hundred dollars to get it fixed. I've been extremely anal about making sure my violin is safe ever since then. I traded that violin in for a different instrument a few years ago, but will never forget how lost and scared I was at the thought of losing my violin! Of course, I was luckier than the girl who had her violin stepped on when she sat it in an open case during a retreat rehearsal. About 250 kids were there (combined retreat for 3 youth orhcestras) and we were on break. I heard the sickening crunch...that violin was destryed completely. |
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