Category: violin

With Clara being the superior instrument in pretty much every way, I don’t think about my other violin much. But she deserves it =).

When I first started taking lessons, I decided I needed a better instrument than my high school violin. That instrument was purchased for a grand total of $900, including case, bow, and stand. And it was just awful.

So I shopped around locally and ended up in David Stone’s shop in the U District. He regaled me with the story of a particular violin that he’d been restoring – “an early 19th century German fiddle found in an attic some dude who cared nothing for it.” The romantic in me sucked it all in – this violin was around during the early days of the United States, and she looks it!

She didn’t sound great, but multiple people told me that old violins like this will open up with playing and love. I christened her Rowena, because well, she’s old 😉

Unfortunately, Rowena never did open up in sound much. And I also struggled somewhat with playability, because being so old, her dimensions were a bit non-standard too. But I can’t bear to get rid of her, so she rests comfortably in her case.

Clara – from the Late Latin name Clarus meaning “clear, bright”

Clara is my beloved violin. Commissioned from David Wiebe in 2013 whose main claim to fame was making a few instruments for Yehudi Menuhin, I did not receive the instrument for a full two years – exactly Christmas of 2015. I had tried a number of instruments from local Seattle shops, but eventually took the plunge based on encouragement from my teachers (both of whom play on Wiebe’s).

Crafted from North American maple and Englemann spruce, probably the most interesting thing about Clara is her one-piece top. Usually, violins are made with a two-piece top due to the ease of finding a suitably-sized piece of spruce. But David had a beautiful piece that was large enough and was eager to use it =).

The side and back sport maple with a wide flame, producing a rather mesmerizing effect!

The varnish is orange-brown. Visually, I could not be happier with my instrument *gushing*

Despite her name, Clara has a rather dark sound without being muddy. I have settled on Pirastro Passione gut strings over the years.

We’re going on 6 years, but a lifetime remains in the musical journey that Clara and I are on.

Have a listen!

As a first post, I thought I’d start with the hobby that has been most important to me in adulthood – the violin and classical music!

Like any self-respecting Asian parents, mine forced me to start taking violin lessons at age 7. Boy I hated it. My mean Russian teacher stressed me out but not enough to motivate me to practice more than 10 minutes a week right before each lesson. As soon as my parents decided I was old enough to make my own decisions regarding stuff like this, I quit (age 16). I think I always loved the music, even if I didn’t realize it back then. It’s just I had other interests as a kid – video games, sports, being a moody teenager.

Fast forward 8 years – I’m 24, working, and looking for social hobbies. I have the brilliant idea to meet people in a community orchestra ;). I audition and fail for one. I audition for another and get in. I meet cool people, play for a year or two, and eventually become dissatisfied with my own abilities.

I start taking lessons of my own accord and with my own dime (gasp!). Ilkka and Marjorie Talvi are great. Ilkka used to be concertmaster of the Seattle Symphony, and Marjorie used to play with the opera. Both are amazing players, but more importantly, they are gifted teachers who also know how to deal with adults. It took a while, but before I knew it, I was practicing quite a lot and realized this had become my primary hobby.

In 2015, I commissioned a new violin from David Wiebe, a violinmaker based in New York. I christened the instrument Clara =). More on her in a future post, but here’s one of her good angles!

And on to now. I’ve worked with Ilkka for almost 10 years and covered a tremendous amount of rep!

I’ve played in many settings – lessons, orchestras, musical pits, recitals, chamber music parties. And I can’t imagine my life without it all!