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Current News
Cremona Violin Making Exhibit October 9th-23rd, 2010 GGivens Violins is proud to host the Cremona Violin Making Exhibition, which is sponsored by the Consortium of Violinmakers "Antonio Stradivari ". Cremona, Italy. Violins, Violas and Cellos will be available from many the of 72 Consortium master violin makers. The instruments will be available to play and consider for purchase. Special pricing will be available during the two weeks of the exhibit. We have an opening event planned for Friday evening, October 8th. Please keep your calendars open. Violinist Chad Hoopes May 2010 Givens Violins would like to congratulate the incredibly dedicated and talented violinist Chad Hoopes on his outstanding performance with the Minnesota Orchestra in May 2010, and his many other well-deserved successes in his musical career thus far. We were thrilled to see Chad in May when he visited the shop to say hello and to have one of his bows rehaired. In addition to his indisputable musical talent, Chad is delightfully personable and engaging, and always wonderful to work with. A native of the Minneapolis area, Chad now lives in Ohio and is a student at the Cleveland Institute of Music. During the years he was in Minnesota, we had the enormous pleasure of helping Chad and his two sisters, a talented violinist and violist in their own right, with their instrument and bow needs. At age 15, Chad Hoopes has performed with venerable musical institutions around the world. He is represented by IMG Artists. In April 2008, Chad was awarded first prize in the Young Artists Division of the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition. In July, Chad will be performing Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto with the San Francisco Symphony. The audience is in for a treat. 
Claire Givens and Chad Hoopes during his May visit to Givens Violins Henry IV, Brothers Amati 1595 Violin May 2010 Givens Violins is pleased to have sold the Henry IV Brothers Amati, Cremona 1595 to the National Music Museum. It is the only violin which is decorated on the back with the armorials of Henry IV and lettered in gold leaf around the ribs in Latin, "Henry IV by the grace of God King of France and Navarre ". This violin will soon be on display at the Museum with a special inaugural event planned for September on the 400th anniversary of the funeral of Henry IV. From South Dakota Public Radio: South Dakota Digest interview regarding the Henry IV Amati violin. 
Pamela Frank Master Class March 2010 Givens Violins sponsored the Pamela Frank Master Class at the MacPhail Center for Music, March 17, 2010. Pamela Frank's insistence on examining the composers' intentions and infinite capacity to articulate and demonstrate complex musical content was inspiring to all of us in the audience. It allowed for dramatic transformations among the participants. The players included: Nora Scheller, Sedra Bistodeau, JiHye Shin, and Sarah Grimes. We are grateful for Pamela Frank's continued interest in working with the MacPhail Center for Music. ASTA Convention 2010 February 2010 
Jeffrey Solow, Claire Givens and Cornelia Watkins at the 2010 ASTA Conference in Santa Clara, CA Claire Givens and Heather McAllister exhibited instruments and accessories at the recent National ASTA Conference in Santa Clara, CA, February 17-20. They enjoyed the opportunity to meet new players and teachers and visit with our customers. Givens Violins was a bronze sponsor and a sponsor of an industry showcase presentation on playing issues that could lead to injury. This presentation was organized by Cornelia Watkins, author of Rosindust, Laurie Scott and Barry Green. Andrew Dipper named Conservator to the Yale University Collection of Musical Instruments October 2009 Andrew Dipper has accepted the invitation to serve as Consultant Conservator to the Yale University Collection of Musical Instruments. Andrew Dipper, Vice-President of Claire Givens Violins, will serve as Consultant Conservator of string instruments. A renowned luthier and scholar, Mr. Dipper has performed restoration and conservation work for many of the world's foremost public and private musical instrument collections, including the Metropolitan Museum in New York; the Federal Musical Instrument Museum of Berlin; the National Music Museum; and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Andrew Dipper speaks at the Yale School of Music September 2009 Andrew will present a talk entitled "A Visit to Stradivari's House: His Workshop, Tools, Commerce and Associates", on Thursday, September 17, 2009 at 5:30pm, at the Yale Collection of Musical Instruments. Using information from a late 19th century traveler's reminiscences of his walk through Stardivari's house, a first floor plan drawn before the house was torn down in the early 20th century, plus a previously unknown photograph found at a London auction in the 1980's, Andrew Dipper made a model of Stradivari's house, researched his art collection and come to conclusions about the house in which he worked. Antiques Roadshow June 2009 Claire Givens and Andrew Dipper have been appraisers on Antiques Roadshow for ten years. To view their appraisals visit www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow. Click on "search appraisals" above the search bar and enter Claire Givens or Andrew Dipper into this field. Keep your eye on the Antiques Roadshow site in the upcoming months for more appraisals by Claire Givens and Andrew Dipper. Max Lundgren and the Minnesota Sinfonia April 2009 Max Lundgren, this year's winner of the Claire Givens Violins Prize of the Minnesota Sinfonia's Young Artist Competition, will also be featured performing on Friday, April 24, 7:00pm at First Covenant Church in St. Paul and Sunday, April 26, 4:00pm, Temple Israel Synagogue in Minneapolis. Artaria String Quartet March 2009 
Artaria String Quartet The proceeds from the Midori recital in Dawson, Minnesota which Givens Violins helped sponsor in 2007, were used for a three month residency by the Artaria String Quartet of St. Paul. In January 2009 the Artaria established three quartets in Dawson (pop.1750) and coached them over a three month period ending with a concert of the three student quartets and the Artaria Quartet in March. Andrew Dipper and Claire Givens were pleased to be present for both concerts and to witness the level of dedication and inspiration created by these events. American String Teachers Assocation (ASTA) National Conference March 2009
Givens Violins will be traveling to Atlanta, Georgia to attend the ASTA National Conference. ASTA is an organization that enriches people's lives by supporting string and orchestra teaching and playing needs. Givens Violins is proud to be a Bronze Sponsor of ASTA 2009 National conference. If you are in Atlanta, March 19-21, please stop by our booth #409. We will have a nice selection of instruments on hand. For more information about ASTA, visit www.astweb.com. Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies (GTCYS) Concert February 2009 We are pleased to sponsor GTCYS' "Young Solosit s in the Spotlight" concert. The concert will be held on Sunday, March 8 at 2:00 p.m., Ted Mann Concert Hall, University of Minnesota, West Bank. GTCYS' 2008-09 Concerto Competition winners Greta Bauer, violin, and Andy Lesser, cello, will perform. We are very pleased to have found Andy Lesser his Michael Scoggins cello last year. Tickets are $13.00 standard admission, $7.00 for children and seniors, and children under four are free. Tickets may be purchased in advance at 612.870.7611 or at the door. For more information about GTCYS, visit www.gtcys.org. MN Sinfonia Young Artist Competition January 2009 The Young Artist String Competition will take place at 12:00 p.m. on March 15, 2009 at the University of St. Thomas Music Building. The winner of the senior division will receive the Claire Givens Violin Prize of $500. For more information about the Minnesota Sinfonia, visit www.mnsinfonia.org. Young People's Symphony Concert Association (YPSCA) Winners March 2009 Congratulations to Max Lundgren for winning the YPSCA Competition sponsored by the Minnesota Orchestra. Max acquired his cello by Daniele Scolari, Cremona, 2006 from us and it had a glorious sound that was refined, expressive and powerful. He will be performing with the Minnesota Orchestra next year as part of the grand prize. We are pleased that cellist John Belk was awarded the $600 Givens Violins Prize at the YPSCA Competition Finals. MacPhail 2009 Master Class March 2009 Claire Givens Violins is pleased to sponsor the final 2009 MacPhail String Master Class. The class is $5.00 general admission at the door and free to MacPhail families. The Master Class will take place in Antonello Hall at MacPhail Center for Music, 501 South 2nd Street in downtown Minneapolis. For more information about MacPhail, visit www.macphail.org.
MacPhail Honor Awarded to CGV Claire Givens Violins has been awarded the first annual MacPhail Center for Music Duet Award. The award was given to both an individual - or couple - and an organization that has been of extraordinary service to MacPhail in the past fiscal year. This year the individual/couple award went to Kathy and Charlie Cunningham. The award was introduced to honor those who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in terms of advocacy, service and giving to MacPhail. Givens Violins became MacPhail's first corporate sponsor in 1994. Our shop is honored to receive this award and is proud to sponsor MacPhail's excellent contributions to string education. Mary West Solo Competition Givens Violins supported the MNSOTA's Mary West Solo Competition by sponsoring the $250.00 grand prize and providing other winners with three $75.00 gift cards. This year's winners include grand prize winner Zhou Long,cello, and gift card winners Derek Huang, violin, Sedra Bistodeau, violin, and Parker Tope, cello. Baroque Bridge Course November 2008 Andrew Dipper, Vice President of Givens Violins and President of Dipper Restorations, taught a two day course on the History of the Baroque Bridge in Cremona Italy this fall. Using examples of early bridges by Stradivari, he traced the history of the design and set-up of violin bridges from 1560 to 1830. He was pleased to have 100 violin makers and students attend his in-depth course at the Cremona Chamber of Commerce. Cremona Exhibit Participation November 2008 Andrew Dipper, Vice President of Givens Violins and President of Dipper Restorations, was invited to participate in the Faculty of the Cremona International School of Violin Making 1938-2008 exhibit at The International Violin Making School in Cremona, Italy in celebration of its 70th anniversary. He made a Viola D'Amore using the plans left by Stradivari. This is the first time that these particular planns of Stradivari have been used to make a Viola D'Amore. A very handsome catalog was produced with this exhibit in which his Stradivari model Viola Da Gamba was pictured. The exhibit ran from October 2 - October 19, 2008. AFVBM Member April 2008 Andrew Dipper, Vice President of Givens Violins and President of Dipper Restorations, was accepted as a full member of the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers (AFVBM) at the bi-annual conference in Seattle. Highlights of this event included a magnificent exhibition of Cremonese instruments from the period 1730 to 1750 including Guarneri del Gesu "King Joseph" and "Lord Wilton" violins, Stradivari's "Sassoon" and three instruments made by Carlo Bergonzi. Bows exhibited were by the makers Maire, Pecatte, Simon and Henry. Experts from all corners of the world gave lectuers and participated in panel discussions. Andrew Dipper was honored to deliver a lecture on Stradivari's House A Sad Loss for Our Shop April 2008 We at Givens Violins are very sad to report the passing of Lupot, our faithful Brittany Spaniel "security guard". During her twelve years at the shop, she was loved by all and is fondly remembered for brightening our days. Her absence is felt by many of our customers and friends and all of us who work here. MN Sinfonia Young Artist Competition April 2008 Cellist Tina Jung, first place winner for the senior division, received the Claire Givens Violin Prize of $500. She also performed Max Bruch's Kol Nidre during the fifth set of Great Winter Festival concerts. For more information about the Minnesota Sinfonia, visit www.mnsinfonia.org. 2008 Saint Paul String Quartet Competition May 2008 Claire Givens fully supported the Arianna String Quartet as this year's Final Round jury for the St. Paul String Quartet Competition. There were six exceptional young quartets this year from across the Midwest and our very own Melanzana Quartet won the Bronze medal (Evan Vicic, violin; Katherine Williamson, violin; Erin Gallagher, viola; Paul Leger, cello) The first prize went to the Viaggio String Quartet (Eric Gatz, violin; Anthony Bracewell, violin; Stephanie Price, viola; Ken Kuboto, cello) and second prize to Polaris (Andrea Jarrett, violin; Vincent Meklis, violin; Matthew Lipman, viola; Gabriel Cabezas, cello). For more information about the competition, visit www.spsqc.artaria.us. Givens Sponsored Midori/McDonald Concert November 2007
Antiques Roadshow February 2008 To view an Antique Roadshow appraisals by Andrew Dipper and Claire Givens, visit www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow, click on "search appraisals" above the search bar, and enter the name Andrew Dipper. Keep your eye on this site for more appraisals by Claire Givens and Andrew Dipper will be available in the coming months. August 2007 Claire appraised a 1924 Martin Nebel violin when she and Andrew Dipper went to Las Vegas for the 2008 Antiques Road Show. December 2006 Andrew appraised a French Court Harp by Naderman, c. 1776 when he and Claire Givens went to Tucson to appraise instruments for the 2006 season of Antiques Roadshow. March 2004 See Claire on the second episode of Antiques Roadshow's visit to San Francisco. Claire appraises a 19th c. violin by Hippolyte & Pierre Silvestre of Lyon. July 2003 Watch for the Hot Springs, Arkansas installment. Both Andrew and Claire taped segments. January 2001 The 2002 Season Tucson Installment I is an appraisal by Claire of a Carl Becker 1930s violin worth at least $25,000. Assorted Items March 2007
Gift Cards Now Available January 2007 Givens Violins gift cards are the perfect gift for any string player. Cards are available in the shop or by phone order, 800.279.4323. Rare Books For Sale January 2007 Click here to view a list of rare violin books for sale. The books are on display at Givens Violins. 20 Years With Givens Violins January 2007 Workshop Manager Douglas Lay celebrated 20 years with Givens Violins. Doug has been instrustrumental in creating and maintaining the high standards that have become business as usual for Givens Violins. We look forward to another 20 years with Doug. Pernambuco Conservation Efforts December 2005 Givens Violins is pleased to be a member of the International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative. We donate $1.00 from every rehair to help the IPCI preserve and protect Brasil's Pernambuco trees. We thank all of the bow makers in the IPCI who have put so much effort into this project. The Strad - History Man Be sure to check out the article, "History Man", in the February 2002 issue of The Strad magazine. It is an article about our very own Andrew Dipper and Dipper Restorations. Visit to Washington DC The Staff of Givens Violins visited the collections of violins at the Library of Congress and at the Smithsonian in Washington DC. At the Library of Congress, we had the pleasure of seeing and playing the 1733 Guarneri del Gesu violin of Fritz Kreisler. We were also able to play the very famous "Betts" Antonio Stradivari of 1704. At the Smithsonian, curator Gary Sturm showed us four of Stradivari's decorated violins including: The Sunrise, The Hellier, The Ole Bull and the Greffuhle. It was a remarkable opportunity to have a hands-on experience studying some the finest instruments in existence. Microfiber Cleaning Cloths Givens Violins offers microfiber cleaning cloths. These cloths are state-of-the-art in their ability to pick up loose rosin and other particles from your instrument. The fibers that make up the cloth are 0.050 denier (less than 1/100 the thickness of a human hair). This micro size combined with the shape of the fibers imbue the cloths with a truly unique cleaning ability. Pick up yours today for only $5.60. Anderson Music Stands If you're looking for a music stand that combines function with beauty stop in and see our selection of Anderson Music Stands. The stands are made of wood and brass and come in a variety of finishes. For more information visit the Anderson Music Stand website. Anderson Music Stand. |
