violin andbowmakingfromitsEuropeanbeginningstothemostexcitingworkofbestcontemporarymasters... a uniquemusicalidentity.TheexhibitionpremiereslargeandcomprehensivebodyofworkrepresentingtheevolutionAmerican by 19thand20thcenturyimmigrants,howcommunitiesintheNewWorldcombinedinnovationwithtraditiontoultimatelycreate The ViolininAmerica:

Carlsbad, CA 92008 CA Carlsbad,

5790 Armada Drive Armada 5790

Carlsbad, CA Carlsbad,

Permit No. 245 No. Permit

PAID

U.S. Postage U.S. non-Profit Org. non-Profit of EuropeanviolinandbowmakingtraditionstoAmericansoil Old WorldTradition,NewSound

February 23, 2008 - September 7, 2008

The Old World Violin Tradition in • New America World Sound explores thetransplanting

A special exhibition at the Museum of Making Music • 5790 Armada Drive • Carlsbad, CA 92008 TheOld World Violin Tradition in• New America World Sound

and bow making owes its presence in America to the great waves of European immigrants Violin 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 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 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 Black Violin. By Guy Rabut. 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.

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 Violin, 2005. work of Carleen Hutchins whose widely recognized acoustic experiments By Francis Kuttner. 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.

“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 , 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 Cello, 2002 Ultra-light Violin, 2007 Violin, 2007 By Joseph Grubaugh & Sigrun Seifert By David Folland By Joseph Curtin By David Burgess ExhibitionSaturday, FebruaryOpening 23, 2008 Events

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 magazines. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in comparative literature from 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 real- time digital filters to reproduce the sound of specific Old Italian instruments.

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

Photo by Al Fisher. 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 – Wine & Cheese Reception 7 PM – Concert featuring The Hutchins Consort & Anne Akiko Meyers

Tickets: $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 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 , the Hollywood Bowl, Boston Symphony, London’s , National Symphony Orchestra, , Sydney Symphony Orchestra and countless others. ExhibitionConcerts & Educational Event Programming Calendar

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.

Supporters,Special Sponsors Thanks & 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 André Larson, National Music Museum, Vermillion, SD Robert Ames, Fort Lee, NJ Neil Lilien, Meisel Stringed Instruments, Springfield, NJ Paul Becker, Carl Becker & Son Ltd., Chicago, IL David A. Lusterman, String Letter Publishing, San Anselmo, CA Steven Beckley, Little River, CA Mark Wood Violins, Port Washington, NY David Bromberg, David Bromberg Fine Violins, Wilmington, DE Joe McNalley, The Hutchins Consort, Encinitas, CA Jim Brown, Southern California Association of Violin Makers, Claremont, CA Beth Miller, Vista, CA David Burgess, Ann Arbor, MI NAMM, the International Music Products Association, Carlsbad, CA Ruth Charles, Glendale, CA NAMM Resource Center, Carlsbad, CA Joseph Curtin, Ann Arbor, MI Guy Rabut, New York, NY Ken Dattmore, Yamaha, Buena Park, CA Douglas Raguse, Cedar, MI Eastman Strings, Clarksburg, MD Benoît Rolland, Charlestown, MA Roland Feller, San Francisco, CA Andrew Ryan, Providence, RI Teresa and Merle Fischlowitz, San Diego, CA Isaac Salchow, New York, NY David Folland, Northfield, MN Jade J. Schultz, Southern California Association of Violin Makers, La Jolla, CA Christopher Germain, Mount Airy, MD Dr. William Sloane, Los Angeles, CA Gold Diggers - Gifts of Loving Donors, San Diego, CA Kevin Smith, The Violin Shop, San Diego, CA Joseph Grubaugh & Sigrun Seifert, Petaluma, CA Ned Steinberger, Nobleboro, ME John Hall, Rickenbacker International Co., Santa Ana, CA Takahashi Family Fund , San Diego, CA Jay Ifshin, Berkeley, CA William M. Townsend, The Amati Foundation, San Francisco, CA Phil Janikowski, Escondido, CA Rick Turner, Rick Turner Guitar Co., Santa Cruz, CA John Jordan, Jordan Electric Violins, Concord, CA Yamaha Orchestral Strings Division, Buena Park, CA Francis Kuttner, San Francisco, CA David Russell Young, Longmont, CO La Costa Dental Group, Carlsbad, CA Zeta Music, Tempe, AZ Anthony Lane, Petaluma, CA Samuel Zygmuntowicz, New York, NY