Today I had lunch with my sister-in-law Pip. She is the one who encouraged me to look for violin lessons near work, and we all know how that turned out =) Thanks Pip.
As it happens, Pip works at Higgins, which is in the same group of businesses as Animato. For those who don't know and have not clicked the link, Animato is another violin shop in Brisbane. In July I bought Patience from Simply For Strings. They told me she was a Cantabile. I knew from looking about before buying the violin that Animato sold those. So today, after I had lunch with Pip, I took Patience with me and we stopped by the shop.
I told the owner (Dietrich) that I bought this violin somewhere else (but did not say where) but I believed it was originally sold here. He looked at it and said, yes, this is a Cantabile Amore 2001.I got the feeling he was very happy with that batch of violins. He played a little before he adjusting the bridge and lubricating some of the pegs. He saw my shoulder rest and said that while it was a good one, it wasn't suitable for me. He made a few adjustments and I have to say it felt more comfortable. He also said that whoever had this violin before me played it often.
He charged me $11 for all of that - a price I was more than happy to pay. And I will certainly be going back there if Patience needs anything else.
If you get a chance, go out there and say hello. Or, if you feel inclined and are able to do so, you might like to enter the violin competition. First prize is this:
Guarneri replica violin, handcrafted by Konrad Kohlert, valued at $20,000 AUD.
Yes, I can see myself with one of those (just don't tell Patience). What's that? Coming Patience... =)
I debated for a while before deciding to post the following:
I finished work and went home to pick up my princess to take her to dance classes. We dropped her and her friend off. My wife walked them inside. Patience was still in the car (it's okay, I had her with me in the office during the day - I would sooner lock myself in the car than leave her in there all day). This was my first chance to play with her since the Animato visit. So I took it. I don't know how long I was playing for but I think it might have been about ten minutes. It was enough time to run through a few songs that I know. Then I heard mt wife calling. She was on her way back to the car so I packed up. She thinks it is odd that someone would play violin in a car park. In the time I was playing I noticed two other people in the car park. My wife and another lady were walking back to the car park after dropping kids off. Apparently this lady was staring at me, and this embarrassed my wife. I don't get so embarrassed - certainly not for something like that. If it sounded like I was torturing a cat, sure, but I think I am good enough to be able to play music someone may recognise without flinching. What I really want to know is this: what would you think of someone playing a violin in a car park? I like to play, and I like to play when I can. I saw this as an opportunity and I took it.
And it appears half an hour of practice is "enough". I guess it will have to do for now, so I will learn to make the most of that time.
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I don't normally double blog, but I'll add this here
David Loew is playing the cello at Westfield Garden City this week-end. For me Saturday will be taken up with the 11th birthday of the princess, so I am hoping to go and see him Sunday. I've always loved the violin, but recently I have developed a liking of the cello and double bass. It will be interesting to go and see him and hear him play live.
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