cutaway model 2001

Flesherton a Destination in search for Stringed Instruments

With the arrival of Mark Schnurr to the village of Flesherton there are now two professional instrument makers here and with a population of 700 that makes the per capita number comparitively high. David Prentice builds violins and violas and Mark produces violins and cellos so it would be possible to leave town with a string quartet and a great meal from a local cafe. A drive of 1 1/2 hours NW of Toronto will get you here and already a number of players have been making there way to the village intent on trying several instruments at a time. It makes the trip worthwhile. The search for your voice in the string world should include a journey to evaluate the inspired instruments being produced in our village. By appointment please.

Klopoushak Wins E-Gre Prentice Violin in Hand

Carissa Klopoushak of Saskatoon won the 2009 Eckhardt Grammate Competion at the Brandon University School of Music on May 4th. Carissa was unanimously declared the fist prize winner. Carissa is a student at the McGill school of Music in Montreal. She won the competition playing a 2005 Prentice violin on loan to here from its owner Mark Fewer a professor at Mcgill . The violin will be on loan this year to a masters student at McGill, Eric Fujita, who will be performing all of the Ysaye solo sonatas in the spring of 2010 at Mcgill.

Adam Romer Principal Viola in City of Birmingham

Following sojourns as Principal with the Gewandhaus Orchestra and Berlin Radio Orchestra Adam Romer has landed in England as principal violist with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Adam will take up his duties beginning March 2009 and will be subbing in the interim with the CBSO. Adam plays a 16 1/2" Maggini model viola made by David Prentice in 2001. Congratulations to Adam and his wife Miki, a violinist, who will be working with the English Consort and the Gabrielli Consort.

Banff Centre Purchases Two Violas

The Banff Centre has purchased two violas made in 2007 by David Prentice. The instruments will be part of the Music and Sound Instrument Bank. One is a 16 1/4 " Andrea Guarneri model and the second a 16 1/2" Maggini model. Barry Shiffman, director of the music program said that the violas were just what they were looking for . One instrument will be lent out to emerging artists while the other will be kept at the Centre for visiting players to use. He indicated that the Guarneri model was the kind of viola that may lure violinists over to the dark side. photo

Shiffman First Viola in Recording of Verklarte Nacht

Barry Shiffman can be heard playing his new Prentice viola in a performance of Verklarte Nacht at the Montereal Chamber Festival by following the link below. He is playing a Maggini model viola made in 2006. The second violist is playing an original Maggini viola. The other instruments were high vintage Italian violins and cellos.

http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/singleConcert.html?20070719moons

Scott St John and Sinfonia Concertante with TSO

Scott St John and his sister Lara will perform Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra on January 20 & 21 2007. Scott who is now second violinist with the St Lawrence String Quartet asked if I could loan him a viola for the concert as scheduling was making it awkward to arrive in Toronto with a violin and a viola. He will use a 16 1/2 " Maggini model viola that I have recently finished.

New 15 1/2" Maggini Model Viola

A commission for violist recently lead to a design for a 15 1/2 in. viola with a 14 1/4" string length . I hadn't built a viola this small before and had reservations about being able elicit a true viola sound from an instrument of this size. I chose to scale down my 16 1/2" Maggini model and use that as a basis for a design. I first notice this propensity for scaling in Maggini's instruments when I enlarged a photo of a violin to 16 1/2 " and was surprised to find that its measurements were all that I wanted in a viola of that size. I have built many successful instruments based on that model . I read an article recently (where and by who escapes me) that made this same observation also adding that this is not a characteristic of Strad and the other Cremonese makers. With a little restructuring I arrived at a pattern that I liked and made a form for a 15 1/2 " viola. I was verey satisfied with the results. The instrument speaks very easily and well and has a C string that can hold its head up with its larger siblings.

 Maggini Model With Early Classical Setup

I recently completed a commission for a !6 1/2 Maggini model viola with period setup . Adam Romer, principal violist with the Berlin Radio Orchestra, wanted a viola that would allow him to play the baroque repertoire and the music of the early classical period. The solution was essentially a late baroque setup with a longer fingerboard. We took advantage of Adams stay in Toronto while he played in thre Canadian Opera's recent run at Wagner's Ring Cycle in the new Hummingbird opera house to make a number of bridge, soundpost, tailgut and string trials. We arrived at a balance that was closest to his desired sound and response. Adam returns to Berlin to continue his period instrument studies and Radio Orchestra career with two Prentice violas in tow.

Jay Gupta to Join Quebec Symphony

Jay Gupta will join the viola section of the Quebec Symphony Orchestra this September. Jay finished a masters program at Julliard in June and will be doing a series of chamber music concerts in China this summer. Originally from Calgary Jay studied at the Mount Royal Academy with Nick Pulos before doing a bachelors degree at UBC in Vancouver. Jay plays on a 16 1/2" Maggini model viola made by David Prentice in 1998. Jay will join Shannon Knights in the section. Shannon plays an 16 1/4"Andrea Guarneri model made by David Prentice n 1997.

Prentice In Print 2005

The November Strad presented Local Colour an article by Colin Eatock presenting the violinmakers of the Owen Sound area in Canada . The work of David Prentice , John Newton , Greg Walke and Sybille Rupert was featured along with photos and background material. A profile of David Prentice was printed in the University of Waterloo Alumni Magazine. Written by Sunny Widerman it presented a snaphot of life as a violinmaker in the 21st century.

Oaxaca Scrolls

On a recent family trip to Mexico I found a man selling fossils in a small weekly market. Amongst them was one I couldnt resist. Both sides present a different manifestation of fossilized scrolls, the larger of the two in breathtaking three dimensions.

Bozzini Quartet releases Second CD

The Bozzini Quartet released their second CD featuring the music of Steve Reich. Entitled Different Trains the CD presents the 1988 composition of the same name by Reich. The recording of this work was undertaken with the reccomendation of Steve Reich himself.

Cutaway Viola Now Available

I have been working on the design and development of a cutaway viola for a year, and the first instrument has been completed. With non-symmetric cutaways on the upper bouts, an indented lower bout at the endpin and viol like corners the instrument presents a pleasing face that is both traditional and modern in appearance. PHOTO   more>>

Bicentennial of  Beethoven Opus 47 

Beethoven's Sonata Mulattica for violin and piano was premiered in Vienna on 24 May 1803. Ludwig himself was at the keyboard and George Bridgetower, violinist, performed with him. Aside from the fact that this sonata is one of the landmarks of the classical repertoire the details surrounding the collaboration of the two provide a fascinating look at Europe in the late 1700's. Bridgetower not only performed the work but was in fact the one who commissioned it from Beethoven.  That a black violinist was not only touring Europe successfully, but commissioning the foremost composer of the day for material paints an unexpected picture of the period. Clearly the racial bias and cultural hegemony of the 20th century had not yet infected the thinking of 18th century Europe.  >>more

The

Soo Locks

Viola Project

(details soon)

  Who was the man that premiered Beethoven's Sonata Mulattica Op 47 with Ludwig himself at the piano. A consideration of George Bridgetower by JK ...................>>