PhilipKT Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 So, one of the most beloved students anybody ever had got accepted to Yale, and is more excited about being able to play in the Yale cellos than in his major of Neurophysicalcomputersciencecreatelifeology. For the last few years he’s been playing in 1993 Stohr cello and a very nice( for what it is) Knoll bow. I have been encouraging him recently that now that he’s graduating and going to a fine school, he needs a better instrument. He does not think he needs a better instrument, Oy! He’s a very humble boy, which is just one more of his virtues, But he finally agreed to make some trips to the local violin shops and see what they have available. My question is what nice violin shops are in or near New Haven Connecticut? I don’t necessarily need a big one, I’m interested in where people who are knowledgeable honest and nice. Also, if there any individual makers who happened to live in that area it would be nice to know about them as well. I spent many years playing on mediocre-or worse- equipment, and for many of those years I didn’t even know it was mediocre, but I was very happy when I learned, and was able to step up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeH Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 Take him cello shopping in Europe this summer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilipKT Posted May 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 1 minute ago, GeorgeH said: Take him cello shopping in Europe this summer! That’s actually not a bad idea! Where? and I’m Teacher, and not Parent, so I can’t go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeH Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 France, Germany, and Italy. I wonder if anybody does a "The Violin Making Centers of Late 19th Century Europe" tour? Be kind of fun. We could all show up on a tour bus at @jacobsaunders, and he could show us his iconic dustbin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilipKT Posted May 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 I would like to meet Jacob and see if he’s as grumpy in person, hahaha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violadamore Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 24 minutes ago, GeorgeH said: France, Germany, and Italy. I wonder if anybody does a "The Violin Making Centers of Late 19th Century Europe" tour? Be kind of fun. We could all show up on a tour bus at @jacobsaunders, and he could show us his iconic dustbin. And his renowned hospitality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClefLover Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 Is Tom French’s shop still up there? He has/had nice instruments, a lot of cellos, as he is a cellist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
not telling Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 There's a shop in Greenwich called Atelier Constantin Popescu. I only talked with his wife but I really liked her. Um, not sure that helps, ha, but it IS an hour away from New Haven. So doesn't hurt to check him out. The luthier is a professional level bassist but there would be cellos there and probably some good advice. The competitiveness of Yalies can make anyone go insane anyway, not really anyone or everyone, but...all of the Yalies I've ever known are in some way ruined by the atmosphere they experienced there...(your boy will be eaten by the rabid overachievers if he stays humble, and changed in a bad way if he doesn't) but...yeah...I would give this situation a quadruple yikes rating (out of five possible yikes)...you can't go to Yale with a $1000 instrument. He just can't. You know that. Even if he's not majoring in performance, can't. I remember some past thread where players discussed being counted out of the running for symphonies and elite opportunities ONLY because of the instrument. Try to find that thread. I did, and couldn't. It was 2014. Carl, WillL, Crazy Jane, and others were adamant with their experiences of that. He should read through that thread if he cares to keep playing after college or even if he only wants a good experience in college. The reality is, also, that in New Haven you're not prohibitively far from absolutely any shop on the East Coast. But I hope that helps having a very near shop to peruse. From what I was hearing they are one of the only real shops in the area before you commit to looking at the 1000 choices in Philly/Boston/New York. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Merkel Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 This could end badly. Remember that quote beware of all enterprises that require a new cello. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
not telling Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 Oh! Indeed. Attributed to Bill Merkel? And yet I suspect you don't play on an Eastman or even on a Jay Haide. And even if you owned a finer factory instrument than any fine violin currently in your possession, would you avoid auditioning on it? A serious question. Along with that one... have you been asked in an audition what your instrument "is"? I figured it's not maestronet legend because many were confirming the situation a couple of years ago. Seems like it should be some kind of protected category of job discrimination if that determines any decisions but what sort? Could a factory instrument be considered a disability? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Merkel Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 I don't play anything fancy, and I'm not going to Yale unless they bus me up as an outside agitator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobsaunders Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 9 hours ago, PhilipKT said: That’s actually not a bad idea! Where? and I’m Teacher, and not Parent, so I can’t go If you mean well for your student, you would let him find a competent consultant, and keep your council Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.Ceruti Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 7 hours ago, not telling said: I remember some past thread where players discussed being counted out of the running for symphonies and elite opportunities ONLY because of the instrument. I really hope someone links to that thread; I would love to read through it, as an owner and long-time player of a reviled Mirecourt Workshop Violin Unworthy of Consideration!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
not telling Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 I feel like quality Mirecourt instruments get plenty of love here but reviled...I get that. It's sad to have something you love dismissed as "the usual". Have you had any audition experiences similar to what I described? Yeah, I thought it would have been interesting to link to that thread too but Maestronet's reviled-for-good-reason search feature wasn't up to it. (I'm not saying that sort of elitism is good, just that it "is", according to those whom I trust would know). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StanY Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 (edited) 14 hours ago, PhilipKT said: My question is what nice violin shops are in or near New Haven Connecticut? I don’t necessarily need a big one, I’m interested in where people who are knowledgeable honest and nice. Also, if there any individual makers who happened to live in that area it would be nice to know about them as well. Larry Wilke, a cello specialist who learned from his uncle David Caron, is 30 minutes down the road in Clinton. Makes an exceptional Gofriller model based on a bench copy of Starker's Gofriller. We spoke with him a few times and played 2 or 3 of his cellos before ultimately choosing one from a similarly great maker a little closer to home. p.s. My daughter's stand partner was also accepted at Yale in the fall for cello, small world. Edited May 15, 2019 by StanY Type Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glebert Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 So has he already auditioned with the Yale Cellos or is he excited about being able to try out for them? If he has not auditioned perhaps he could meet or at least talk with the conductor/director and get some advice from them? Perhaps that person could also suggest a shop or maybe even know someone who is upgrading to a top level instrument and selling something that would work well for your student. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilipKT Posted May 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 5 hours ago, jacobsaunders said: If you mean well for your student, you would let him find a competent consultant, and keep your council Jacob, I have never presented myself as an expert, and I have never said otherwise than a student should play as much as possible, learn as much as possible and ask as many people as possible. It is Mildly insulting that you suggest otherwise, especially as you have been reading my comments for 20 years or so, and I have always said exactly the same thing. Plus, the very fact that I posted the request for information makes your comment unnecessary. What am I doing here, except asking for guidance to a reputable shop where a very gifted and dear student can get an instrument suited to him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilipKT Posted May 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 6 minutes ago, glebert said: So has he already auditioned with the Yale Cellos or is he excited about being able to try out for them? If he has not auditioned perhaps he could meet or at least talk with the conductor/director and get some advice from them? Perhaps that person could also suggest a shop or maybe even know someone who is upgrading to a top level instrument and selling something that would work well for your student. I have no idea what the audition process is, or even if that group is open to non-majors. I’m sure he will audition if possible, and arrange for lessons, and he will probably do that during student orientation. I know there is an orchestra for non-majors, and he will certainly be a prominent part of that, but I know nothing else about the process Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Merkel Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 At least one carbon fiber cello made it in.... Plus they all look graduate-level age. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CYfkuyYrT4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilipKT Posted May 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 (edited) 3 hours ago, not telling said: I feel like quality Mirecourt instruments get plenty of love here but reviled...I get that. It's sad to have something you love dismissed as "the usual". Have you had any audition experiences similar to what I described? Yeah, I thought it would have been interesting to link to that thread too but Maestronet's reviled-for-good-reason search feature wasn't up to it. (I'm not saying that sort of elitism is good, just that it "is", according to those whom I trust would know). My Opera stand partner was that extremely rare connoisseur who could indulge his tastes, and was also a fine musician. He had six or seven Glory era Italian instruments, but the cello he almost always brought to work was a 1907 Collin, Which is apparently a French factory cello with made up name. It was a wonderful cello, and he told me once it was worth about 35 grand. If that’s a typical Mirecourt cello, I don’t think anybody should have to apologize for having one. Edited May 15, 2019 by PhilipKT Spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilipKT Posted May 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 19 minutes ago, Bill Merkel said: At least one carbon fiber cello made it in.... Plus they all look graduate-level age. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CYfkuyYrT4 I saw that video as well, and if I were Aldo Parisot, I would’ve told that young man to leave and never come back until he had a proper cello Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Merkel Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 Maybe he's on the Yale rowing team too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Burgess Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 4 minutes ago, PhilipKT said: I saw that video as well, and if I were Aldo Parisot, I would’ve told that young man to leave and never come back until he had a proper cello Hell yeah! Polyester clothing should not be allowed either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Merkel Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 At least not if it's new polyester clothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilipKT Posted May 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 6 hours ago, StanY said: Larry Wilke, a cello specialist who learned from his uncle David Caron, is 30 minutes down the road in Clinton. Makes an exceptional Gofriller model based on a bench copy of Starker's Gofriller. We spoke with him a few times and played 2 or 3 of his cellos before ultimately choosing one from a similarly great maker a little closer to home. p.s. My daughter's stand partner was also accepted at Yale in the fall for cello, small world. That’s an excellent suggestion. I’ve played two Wilkes, and I own a Caron, so I’ll certainly mention Wilke to Abhinav. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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