My Strad and I
When I won the Oskar Back National Violin Competition in 2005, I not only received a generous sum to complete my studies in Switzerland with Pierre Amoyal, but also an offer to play a Stradivarius. This Strad belonged to the collection of the Oskar Back Instrument Fund. Because I have very small hands, I had been playing a small-sized violin up until then. So I didn’t think I’d be able to play the Stradivarius, since it had a standard scale length.
Just to have held a Stradivarius in my hands at least once and to have played such a legendary instrument for a moment, I made an appointment with the curator. To my great surprise, I found that I could handle the size of the violin very well. And the sound…! I was instantly hooked and wanted nothing more than to play this violin and get to know it better.
For six years, the Strad was made available to me—a time during which it evolved from “THE Strad” to “MY Strad.” At least, that’s how it felt. When the moment was almost upon me—the six years had nearly passed, and I would have to return my violin to the Oskar Back Fund—I wanted to push that thought as far away from me as possible.
Just around that time, I was informed that the Oskar Back Fund’s collection would be taken over by the Musical Instrument Fund and that my Stradivarius might be purchased by them. And IF that were to happen, I might—just maybe—be allowed to continue playing it. A period of waiting followed; sponsors had to be found to make this purchase possible.
In April 2011, I received a phone call informing me that the Musical Instrument Fund had been able to purchase the ex-Paul Godwin Stradivarius and that the board had decided I would be allowed to continue playing it for the next five years. I spontaneously burst into tears of relief and joy.
Yes.... And then it was April 2016. And yes....... then things got tense again. Would I be allowed to keep playing “my” violin? And luckily… once again, I received the reassuring phone call that the fund was entrusting the Stradivarius to me for another extended period. Phew!
Over the years, I’ve become so attached to this instrument; it’s both my lover and my baby (without taking anything away from my husband, daughter, and son!). I’m completely smitten with that violin. It’s so beautiful and suitable for every purpose! It’s also important that I’ve never felt limited by this instrument. On the contrary: time and again, it lets me discover possibilities I didn’t even know existed. A huge thank you to the Musical Instrument Fund!
My Bow and I
Every violinist knows this: the sound of your violin is partly determined by the bow you play with. Only with the right bow can you truly do justice to the violin. That’s why it was important to find a bow that suited my beautiful Stradivarius. The Musical Instrument Fund gave me the confidence to search for a bow that would be a perfect match for my violin.
I tried many bows and visited numerous violin makers, but I still hadn’t found the right feel. That is, until I briefly played with Mr. Herman Krebbers’ bow during one of his lessons. It was a Sartory bow, and it fit like a glove. The right balance, exactly the right contact with the strings—springy, full of character, yet subtle when I wanted it to be. And it drew a warm sound from the violin. The Musical Instrument Fund was able to purchase the bow from Mr. Krebbers and loaned it to me. What a combination!
