Delayed Delivery

 Cardiff Violins telephoned me, to apologise for a further week delay in delivering the violin. It seems the delivery into them was delayed, compounded by a backlog in their workshop for setting it up. No good moaning, I have stacks to do painting anyway: A commission to finish, and sold paintings to pack and mail.

Because my family will want to name the violin with some ridiculous title, when they find out I'm getting it - still secret, I shall christen it 'Vi'. I pick this name as a link to my late wife, Patsy. Her second name was Lavinia, which I will abbreviate to Vi. I will then give it a surname of Lin ...... Vi Lin!

Even better an Irish surname Vi O'Lynne

Learning to Read Music DAY 3

 Learning Music 

In parallel with learning the violin I shall have to learn to read music. To this end I invested a whole £12 in buying a book from Amazon which arrived today

I've finished the first day study, taken the tests and got them right - encouraging.

I made up a Crib-Sheet (I popped the strings of the violin in too)

Online Violin Lessons. The Online Piano & Violin Tutor (Youtube)

I've also hooked up for free Youtube lessons with Allison Sparrow.  It seems a well established set up. It starts with 10 free lessons which need her SONG BOOK 1 (£8 Amazon) with the music

This book is an accompaniment to Alison’s video lessons 1-10 and contains 10

well known classical and original pieces, which have all been specifically written

and arranged to go with those lessons.

These pieces contain all the knowledge cumulated thus far from the video lessons

1-10. There are a few notes here and there that will not have been covered in those

lessons, but they are all explained in the video that accompanies this book.

Telephoning The Violin Shop DAY 2

 I was getting a little concerned that my payment for the violin had left Paypal but the money had not left my bank account. Further, that there was no acknowledgement that the shop had received the order, which concerned me enough to telephone them.

Mark answered the phone and was really nice. He said he would find out what was happening and call me back. I was starting to get worried again when, mid-afternoon, Mark called me full of apologies. They were very busy in the shop - I believe him as they are so busy you and only go to the shop by appointment. It seems the shop is pretty famous, they service instruments for orchestras and well known violinists. 

Mark said that it is not me simply buying off the shelf, for a start they don't live on a shelf. First they go into the workshop where they are setup, I won't bore you with the details. I will get it next week.

When he found out I was a total novice, he became so supportive telling me how I stood stand to play etc. He said I could call him anytime I like for advice and help!

Can sense I will like the Cardiff Violin setup very much

Tuning Yourself Up DAY 1 (Part 4)

 It seems that it is important to get yourself warmed up. Nicky Benetti suggests this routine:

link    Click Here

Tuning Novello (the electronic tuner) DAY 1 (part 3)

Tuning and Setup I watched a video, 

How To Set Up A Violin For the First Time Step By Step | Violin, How to Get Started

  here is the link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY0GrAtEk4U&list=PLbxBvt32rdSVKlObJBIu0FyvG4ND5SzTI&index=3

You need a violin tuner to tune the strings. I've ordered one off Amazon For £13 . 99p:

Crosby TuneMate Electronic Clip On Chromatic Tuner for Violin.

 

Novello DAY 1(part 2)

So I accessed the website of Cardiff Violins Shop and bought a violin via Paypal.

The violin I chose is for beginners, and called the Novello priced at £425 with postage etc

Here's the Blurb:

Named after the famous Cardiff singer, composer and musician Ivor Novello, the Novello is fitted with Wittner Finetune-Pegs,  enabling beginners (and their families!) to tune their violin with ease.

Its pegs will not slip, stick, or crack the pegbox. Nobody will need to stress when tuning, and children will be able to tune their violins themselves rather than wait for an adult to be around to do it. In addition to the pegs, all the usual upgrades are carried out on the Novello, guaranteeing excellent comfort and rendition.

Another great advantage of the Novello is that it comes with a carbon fibre bow that will last longer and perform better than the typical Brazilwood bow that is usually provided with beginners' violins.

Although it's a more recent introduction to our range, the Novello has become the best seller in our beginner's range. Teachers are often so thrilled with the bow, the tuning facilities and the tonal qualities that they recommend it whole-heartedly to their pupils.

 

VITULA LOCUS (Violin Place) DAY 1

 A new blog! How often does this happen?

This is the story of how I became a Violin Virtuoso and played at the Proms! 

It all began when I listened to Classic FM on the radio as I painted in my studio. I painted seven days a week, 12 hours a day, and so I had become immune to interruptions. I sometimes turned the radio down if it got noisy but generally my background was classical music which I heard and enjoyed but which never broke my concentration. As my best friend and granddaughter, Giselle, will confirm, the only thing that can stop me when I'm in full flow is what she calls, a 'crossroads'. I'd better explain the concept of crossroads, before I continue my story.

'Crossroads' began, or at least when I first noticed them, when I was conscripted into the Royal Air Force as a sheet metal worker; an AC2 the lowest rank in the Air Force. I had done a five year apprenticeship to become a shipwright, but this meant nothing to the powers-that-be, I was just a body that belonged to them for two years. But in the RAF, you may not be surprised to learn, I noticed aeroplanes ... 'crossroads' ... 10 years later I was flying the Queen around Africa and the Prime Minister to Washington, not at the same time you should understand! 

After years of flying long range, I found myself in Germany with jet fighters and most nights at home. This meant I could have a hobby and so I started Pen and Ink drawing ... "Crossroads"... within the first two months I had sold 170 copies of my drawings of Rhine Castles.

Commissions poured in and within two years I had to leave the RAF to become a professional artist. Within months we - my long suffering wife was very much part of everything I did - won  'Wiltshire New Business of 1983' and with it came a free accountant and an agent in Bath.

I'm not going to bore you further with detail, but here in summary are the crossroads that followed:

Computing: !988 Winner Most Innovative Software in British Industry 1988

Award at National Exhibition Centre Dinner

I could go on but I'm getting bored. 

So there I was painting in my studio to a background of classical music on Classic FM. When I found I couldn't paint for the tears in my eyes. I was forced to stop to listen to a violin. This happened a few times and I noted it was only the music of one particular violinist that was forcing me to listen, Nicola Benedetti. 

I assumed Nicola Benedetti would be an elderly Italian, although it did ring a bell in this old brain. In reality she is a thirty-five year old Scottish lass, who had won the UK Young Musician of the Year 2004 when she was 16 ... which had rung the bell for me. 

After sitting for hours listening to her, and watching videos in which she generously spends her time with, and teaching, all levels of musicians, I realised, almost in horror as I'm 84, that I had come to a 'crossroads'. I can't be on the outside of this looking in, I have to be on the inside participating.

Schindler's List Here she is

So in the story of how I became a Violin Virtuoso, this is Day 1 of the story. I wonder how heavy a violin is?