VSA 2020 Virtual Convention Program
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Virtual 2020 Annual Convention of The Violin Society of America Event Schedule Wed, Nov 11, 2020 8:50am A Year of Firsts 8:50am - 8:55am, Nov 11 Meeting/Reception Oberlin Track 1 Track 2 8:55am Jason Starkie Cameo 8:55am - 9:00am, Nov 11 Meeting/Reception Oberlin Track 1 Track 2 9:00am Digital Amati: Software for Francois Denis' Traite de Lutherie; a tutorial by Harry Mairson 9:00am - 4:00pm, Nov 11 Track 1 This online workshop, to run for the better part of a day, is devoted to understanding the basic ideas of Euclidean, geometric drawing of stringed instrument forms, inspired by François Denis’s remarkable book, Traité de Lutherie: the Violin and the Art of Measurement. Denis’s book contains drawing directions for seven canonical models. These directions comprise an informal kind of computer code, which I’ve formalized as real code. This enables makers to render, adjust, and re-render variations of design, using a computer. Course participants will get an introduction to how to use the software I’ve put together (a kind of domain-specific programming language) to do these kinds of drawings. Zoom Password: 928605 Speaker Harry Mairson Thu, Nov 12, 2020 8:50am Can't Wait to Set The Stage 8:50am - 8:55am, Nov 12 Meeting/Reception Oberlin Track 1 Track 2 9:30am Oberlin Acoustics Workshop: Jim Woodhouse: The state of the art in violin acoustics (Sponsored by D'Addario) 9:30am - 10:30am, Nov 12 Oberlin Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87384884943 The talk will present a brief survey of the three main areas of violin acoustics: behaviour of the instrument body, the mechanics of bowing a string leading to questions of playability, and psychoacoustical investigations into the perception of violin sound and quality by players and listeners. All three areas have deep roots back into the 19th century, but all have seen significant developments in recent years. Speaker Jim Woodhouse Professor, University of Cambridge 10:40am Broad Intro for Acoustics 10:40am - 10:45am, Nov 12 10:45am Oberlin Acoustics Workshop: Sam Zygmuntowicz - Snapshots of sound (Sponsored by D'Addario) 10:45am - 11:45am, Nov 12 Oberlin Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87384884943 Alternate analysis of real played notes, to explore timbre, dynamics and transients. Speaker Sam Zygmuntowicz VSA 12:00pm Oberlin Acoustics Workshop: Joseph Curtin: The search for an objective definition of violin quality (Sponsored by D'Addario) 12:00pm - 1:00pm, Nov 12 Oberlin Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87384884943 A long-held dream of violin research is to find a measurement capable of separating “good” violins from “bad.” All kinds of researchers have made all sorts of measurements – and drawn all manner of conclusions. And yet the goal has proven remarkably elusive. This presentation considers what we’ve learned along the way, describes a recent paradigm shift in the field, and asks whether the whole enterprise may be quixotic. Speaker Joseph Curtin Joseph Curtin Studios 1:00pm International Greetings! Cameo check-in 1:00pm - 1:05pm, Nov 12 Meeting/Reception Oberlin Track 1 Track 2 1:15pm Oberlin Acoustics Workshop: Claudia Fritz: Some results of a series of listening tests about projection (Sponsored by D'Addario) 1:15pm - 2:15pm, Nov 12 Oberlin Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87384884943 Though our now well known Paris and New-York experiments have shown that new violins can be as good (and even better) as Old Italians in terms of projection, projection still remains an intriguing concept, perceptually as well as acoustically. A series of listening tests (which mainly took place during the Oberlin Acoustics workshop) have been designed to explore further what projection is, and its relationships with other perceptual attributes like richness, brightness and loudness. Speaker Claudia Fritz Researcher, Sorbonne University Fri, Nov 13, 2020 9:00am Oberlin Acoustics Workshop: Colin Gough: From free plates to assembled violin (Sponsored by D'Addario) 9:00am - 10:00am, Nov 13 Oberlin Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81253685738 We trace the behavior and evolution of the violin free plate modes as we gradually add additional elements such as the back, ribs, f-holes, soundpost, bass-bar, and bridge. We pay particular attention to how the modes of the violin body without the soundpost and bass bar, which we call the basis modes, contribute to the modes of the complete assembled violin, and the role of the bass bar and offset sound post. We also make some observations on the effects of archings on the free plate and assembled violin modes. Speaker Colin Gough 178, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham 1 Subsessions Pablo Alfaro Introduction 9:00am - 9:05am, Nov 13 10:15am Oberlin Acoustics Workshop: George Stoppani: Exploring violin plates as 3 region systems (Sponsored by D'Addario) 10:15am - 11:15am, Nov 13 Oberlin Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81253685738 We are all familiar with plate tuning and some of the modes where the plate is freely suspended. However, when the edges are constrained, more like for an assembled instrument, we see a different set of modes and behaviours that were not previously known. The sensitivities to thinning of the regions raises questions about graduation strategies that we have perhaps taken for granted. Speaker George Stoppani 1 Subsessions Wyatt is kickin' it in Chicago 10:15am - 10:20am, Nov 13 11:30am VSA Virtual Luncheon Event: Marilyn Wallin 11:30am - 12:15pm, Nov 13 Oberlin Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81253685738 Speaker Marilyn Wallin Owner, Marilyn Wallin, violin maker 12:30pm Oberlin Acoustics Workshop: Thomas Nania: Archtop Guitar Dynamics (Sponsored by D'Addario) 12:30pm - 1:30pm, Nov 13 Oberlin Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81253685738 An overview of the history of the archtop guitar and in-depth discussion on the eigenmodes and corresponding eigenfrequencies of the archtop guitar. This body of work depicts the vibratory behavior of the archtop guitar top-plate and corpus throughout its build process. Speaker Thomas Nania House of Luthiery 1 Subsessions Sarah Peck Checking in! 12:30pm - 12:35pm, Nov 13 1:45pm Oberlin Acoustics Workshop: Evan Davis: What about the Cello? (Sponsored by D'Addario) 1:45pm - 2:45pm, Nov 13 Oberlin Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81253685738 The cello is not a large violin. However, the study of the cello has been heavily influenced the tools, methods and language developed in the study of the violin for better or worse. Come along on a guided tour of the investigations of the acoustics of the cello being done at the Oberlin Violin Acoustics Workshop. Speaker Evan Davis Sat, Nov 14, 2020 7:00am Joe Joyner Video! 7:00am - 7:00am, Nov 14 Meeting/Reception Oberlin Track 1 Track 2 8:00am Holly Piccoli! 8:00am - 8:00am, Nov 14 Meeting/Reception Oberlin Track 1 Track 2 10:30am Rob Juzek: Metropolitan Music History and Lessons Learned 10:30am - 11:00am, Nov 14 Track 1 Speaker Rob Juzek Lori Kirr: International Violin History and Lessons Learned 10:30am - 11:00am, Nov 14 Track 2 Speaker Lori Kirr International Violin Company 11:15am Carlo Chiesa - Milanese Making, 1650-1850 11:15am - 11:45am, Nov 14 Track 1 While in Cremona the best violin makers flourished, a little distance away, in Milano, some skilled luthiers were also at work. But they never reached the success of the most illustrious workshops, and are often still considered of the second class. We’ll explore the history of violin makers in Milano from the Grancinos to Giacomo Rivolta, pointing our attention to some enlightening or curious stories. Speaker Carlo Chiesa violin maker 1 Subsessions Pablo Alfaro, wrong Conference Cameo! 11:15am - 11:20am, Nov 14 Matt Wehling - The Impact of Voirin 11:15am - 11:45am, Nov 14 Track 2 Award winning bowmaker Matt Wehling will discuss the large role the somewhat overlooked master FN Voirin (1833-1885) played in altering the bow to fit modernizing clients’ needs in the 1870’s, and how those modifications are still in use today through the enormous popularity of Sartory’s bows. To show how Voirin changed the bow, Matt will first briefly describe what the earlier bows of Tourte and Peccatte were like, the changes made by Voirin, then the effects of these changes on the subsequent bows of Lamy and Sartory. Variations in aesthetics, tone, graduations, camber and playability will be discussed. This lecture is aimed not just at the bow aficionado, but also people who are violin enthusiasts looking for a good first lecture on how the bow progressed by looking at the work of these 5 makers (though the emphasis will be on Voirin). Speaker Matt Wehling VSA 1 Subsessions Introduction with Matt Wehling 11:15am - 11:25am, Nov 14 11:45am Members Luncheon, Board Election and Omo LIVE! 11:45am - 1:00pm, Nov 14 Meeting/Reception Speaker Marilyn Wallin Owner, Marilyn Wallin, violin maker 1 Subsessions Greetings from International! Be sure to check vendor room and thanks to our sponsors! 11:45am - 11:50am, Nov 14 12:00pm Ahhh, working from home with Ryan McLaughlin 12:00pm - 12:05pm, Nov 14 Meeting/Reception Oberlin Track 1 Track 2 1:00pm Bettina Hoffmann and Timothy G. Johnson - A Conversation About the Viol - It's History, Making and Place in Contemporary Culture 1:00pm - 1:30pm, Nov 14 Track 1 Speakers Bettina Hoffmann Timothy Johnson 1 Subsessions Pablo is here to introduce our next presentation 1:00pm - 1:00pm, Nov 14 Joshua Beyer and Jean-Philippe Echard - The Stradavari La Clapisson Pochette 1:00pm - 1:30pm, Nov 14 Track 2 Since 1861, in the French National Collection of Musical Instruments, there has been a one-of-a-kind small violin-type specimen built by Antonio Stradivari, known as the 'Clapisson'.