September 2011
New Fall 2011 students with instructor Becky Elliott.
Students Daniella Appel and
Krissy Siegfried with their
first instruments.
The September 2011 trimester is in full swing with 5 new students, including one from Kyrgystan. We have a total of 29 students this term and expect to have 5 graduates in December.
Five CSVM students received Scholarships from the Violin Society of America last spring. Many thanks to the VSA and all who work hard in support of the organization.
The annual convention of the Violin Society of America (vsa.to) will be held November 3 - 5, 2011 in Timonium, MD and will feature individual critiques and small group discussions on various topics. An acoustics demonstration and discussion has been added this year. There will also be an exhibit of fine instruments and bows.
Tschu Ho Lee has been visiting in Korea. He was happy to be able to see some CSVM graduates during his trip.
Hyun Yoo (12/09), Mr. Lee, Yongje Song (12/08).
Spring 2011
In May 2011, Joseph Curtin, Advisory Board Member gave a presentation on various aspects of acoustics for violin makers, focusing on the perception and testing of sound.
In April 2011, Mark Kosower, principal cellist of the Cleveland Orchestra presented a discussion on sound and sound adjustment from a player's perspective and played his T.H. Lee cello.
Left to right: Mark Kosower w/ Fred Thompson, Mr. Lee, Becky Elliott and students; Mark Kosower playing T.H. Lee cello; Joseph Curtin's presentation
Gregory Pine and Petio Kostov have joined the Chicago School of Violin Making Board of Directors. Petio is a 1997 graduate of the school. Greg is married to violinist Rachel Barton Pine who recently resigned from the CSVM Board of Directors due to her increased performance schedule.
An Advisory Board is a new initiative being formed at CSVM. Several prominent makers/restorers, players and business people have agreed to be a part of this Board, including: Charles Beare, David Burgess, Joseph Curtin, Henry Fogel, Chris Germain, Rodney Mohr, Renè Morel, Rachel Barton Pine, Janos Starker, and Marilyn Wallin.
Sara White has been named an Alternate Director of the Violin Makers Association of Arizona International. Sara is a 2002 graduate of CSVM and resides in Tucson, AZ.
The CSVM Bass #1 was completed in April 2010 and is now for sale at Classic Contrabass in Wheeling, IL. Work has begun on Bass #2. Fred Thompson has already put in many hours of work and at least 12 students have signed up to participate.
Left to right: Fred Thompson varnishing Bass #1; Aaron Brown varnishing; Dan Armstrong 'admiring'; Dan Armstrong playing
Fred Spector and violin
Recent presentations at the school include:
- John Becker, Chicago-area restorer - presentation on Carlo Bergonzi
- Joseph Curtin - informal talk with students
- Koo Young Chung (Dec. '87) - first in a planned series of presentations on violin making
- Michelle Fiore (Dec.'97) - owner of Classic Contrabass in Wheeling, Il, talk on bass-making
- Fred Spector, former violinist with Chicago Symphony Orchestra, toured the school and showed his Carlo Bergonzi-circa 1733-36 violin to students.
CSVM and the Violin Society of America:
- Tschu Ho Lee, founder and Director Emeritus of the Chicago School of Violin Making served as an Instrument Workmanship Judge at the Violin Society of America Convention and Competition in Cleveland, Ohio in November 2010.
- Congratulations to Petio Kostov (Dec.'97), Certificate of Merit for Workmanship, Violin; William Lakeberg (Dec.'79) and Kenneth Sullivan (May '83), Certificate of Merit for Tone, Viola.
- Several CSVM students attended the convention and volunteered for various jobs throughout the week. With their participation and that of various VSA Board members and volunteers, CSVM was a notable presence at the convention.
- Several CSVM grads are active members of the Violin Society of America board. Rodney Mohr (Dec. '82) is the current President, Marilyn Wallin (May '85) is the Immediate Past President and Chris Germain (Dec. '85) is President-Elect. Ken Sullivan (May '83) and Jim Warren, CSVM Board member, are also active VSA board members.
58 graduates, students, Board members and friends gathered for drinks and a meal at the Hard Rock Café in Cleveland on November 10th for a CSVM 35th birthday celebration. Thanks to Jessie Gilbert (Dec. '02) who made all the arrangements and ensured that everything went smoothly.
Left to right: David Douglass and Rachel Barton Pine during a presentation; Drawing class; Chess game at lunch
The Spring 2010 class under the school's new awning