Concerto Competition: Stand out Violin

[PhilipKT]

I was a monitor for a concerto competition at a local church. I had the opportunity to listen to a dozen or so really fine young players, each playing a major piece, and each playing at an extremely high level.
I checked in each player before he went in to perform, and had a chance to glance at instruments. One lad in particular had a breathtaking Violin. I wondered what it was, but didn’t ask.
This young boy played the first movement of the Barber concerto, which, like that of Beethoven or Sibelius or Mendelsohn, fails if not played with exquisite beauty. We were sitting outside the sanctuary, but could see through the surrounding glass windows, and we could hear a little bit. The sound of this violin was amazing, in power and quality, even when heard outside the sanctuary. The proud father came over to chat, and I asked what Violin he had.
“A Vuilluame.” Was the proud answer.
I was quite surprised. “A real one?”
“Yes, a real one. It was very expensive.“
It was interesting to listen to the Young students, all of them played extremely well.
The difference in sound between this violin and the other instruments was profound. A lot had to do with the little boy(all 95 pounds of him)who was playing so well, of course, but it was such a pronounced difference.
Never let it be said that an instrument makes little difference.

[Ganymede Piggot]

ah...but you didn't hear him on other instruments

texas has some of the highest level string kids.  for all-state orchestra the violins have some surprisingly unplayable audition pieces

[Three13]

Did you get a close enough look to see what model it looked like?

[PhilipKT]

2 hours ago, Three13 said:

Did you get a close enough look to see what model it looked like?

No I wish I had, but I didn’t think to ask. He won his division, btw, and no surprise

[PhilipKT]

3 hours ago, Bill Merkel said:

ah...but you didn't hear him on other instruments

texas has some of the highest level string kids.  for all-state orchestra the violins have some surprisingly unplayable audition pieces

 

3 hours ago, Bill Merkel said:

ah...but you didn't hear him on other instruments

texas has some of the highest level string kids.  for all-state orchestra the violins have some surprisingly unplayable audition pieces

Yes that’s exactly right. They’ve scheduled some incredibly difficult music: Concerto for orchestra, Rite Of Spring, Also Sprach Zarathustra, amazingly difficult. And yet they manage to find 80 kids who can play everything.

[violinnewb]

I live in one of the most high cost-of-living cities in the US.  We have hundreds of amazing string players here.  We also have some of the most stingy parents as well.  Most of the students, including some of my former ones, play on good quality Chinese instruments.  I can only imagine the difference if these parents in my locale decided to give up their $100k cars and bought their children Vuilluames!  

It must have been so amazing to have even had a peak/listen to an exceptional student with an exceptional instrument! Thank you for sharing Philip!

[deans]

More than once I've been blown away by a Vuilluame. But I'm sure there are some duds too.

[lwl]

Mine is fantastic (when in proper adjustment, and it's pretty damned finicky about it). But I've also tried numerous others that weren't good.