Ken Allen, viola

Michelle Liechti, violin

John Bergin plays violin #551,
copied from Robert Koff's Vuillaume.

Jamecyn Morey, violin

 

Teddy Wiggins, a graduate of the Walnut Hill School, now a student at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Canada.

Karen Cueva performs on
From the Top at New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall.

Raushan Akhmedyarova
San Francisco Symphony
New Century Chamber Orchestra

Lambert Chen, winner of
the "Golden Violin" prize

Todd Reynolds, Adams, MA

 

"The Singing Tree" - a short film by Rolf Parker-Houghton

Rolf Parker-Houghton of Putney, Vermont, recently completed a short film inspired by the making of a violin. It was a year in the making, with many visits to the shop for filming. View the film on Youtube by clicking this link.

It features the fantastic fiddling of Ruthie Dornfeld.

We now have another young film-maker in the studio, Nicolas Arms, who will be making a very different sort of film.

"Ole Bull" violin goes home to Oslo, April 2010

A Cox violin is heading for Oslo in April and will be played in the prestigious Menuhin Competition by Alice-Ivy Pemberton, a 12-year-old from New York City. The violin is opus #609, modeled after the famous “Ole Bull” violin of Giuseppe Guarneri “del Gesù.” The violin was made in 2008 and is one of only four “Ole Bull” models Cox has made. Click here for photos and more information about Alice, the Menuhin Competition and the violin.

Cello en route to Iraq for S'diq Aziz
through Sonad Project

The vision of the Sonad Project is to present concerts and to create artistic, creative, and participatory performance and learning environments, open to all. This process inspires transformational personal connections that transcend political, economic, racial, cultural, ethnic, religious, gender, skill level, education, and generational boundaries. Read about Doug's donation of a cello for a young Iraqi here, and more about the project itself here.

Fall and winter crop of violas

Two new violas have been set up and will be ready for trial after their settling-in time: one 16" and one 16-3/8". We have in the studio a number of larger violas including three 16-5/8" Cox violas, four more ranging up to 17-1/4", and a 17" Marten Cornelissen 2003, his Opus 508.

Three new violas are started on the bench, all of native Vermont wood: two of Butternut and one of Cherry. We don't know of any other Butternut instruments, so this should be interesting.

Showings

Visitors are welcome at the studio in West Brattleboro. Call before making the drive to be sure that Doug will be there.

Boston 2010-2011

Call (802) 257-1024 or email for an appointment. Dates may be subject to change.

Douglas Cox quoted in New York Times

On December 4, 2009, Doug was quoted in a New York Times article about a recent study of the varnish used by Stradivari. Click here to read the article.

2009 Quartet Project

Building the quartet for Lawrence University opened the door to musings about the pros and cons of making matched sets of instruments.

While the practicality of doing so might be questioned, the pleasure and fascination of the process led Doug to start another quartet, modeled after the Lawrence instrument but with some modifications.

The instruments are hanging in the greenhouse (photo at right taken December 4, 2009). They will be ready to varnish and set up soon. Look for them to be playable in the spring.

 

Caring for your instrument

We recommend Commonsense Instrument Care by James N. McKean, published by the String Letter Publishing. It includes an in-depth description of how instruments are made, as well as advice on care and prevention. We also recommend Robert Cauer's website which has detailed information and fascinating photos.
Here are some basic care principals.

Prevention:

• Invest in a good solid case with a suspension system.
• When you are not using the instrument, put it away in the case.
• Don’t leave it on a chair or table, especially in a high-traffic area with people, kids, and dogs coming and going.
• Don’t leave it unprotected on the floor.
• Never leave your instrument in a car for any length of time, especially in hot or cold weather.

Insurance:

• Insure your instrument for the full value. If you don’t know the value, have it appraised.

General Maintenance:

• Use a clean, dry cloth to wipe rosin and dust off the instrument after each use. Otherwise, don’t clean it yourself. Don’t use paper towels, any kind of household cleaners, soap or water on your instrument. If it must be cleaned, take it to a professional.

The Bow:

• When your bow no longer grips the string and gives you the results you like, it may be time to have it re-haired.

The Bridge:

• Start with a bridge that is carefully fitted to your instrument by a professional maker. As you go through the year, keep an eye on the bridge to make sure it stays straight. If it becomes warped, have it straightened or replaced.

The Soundpost:

• Don’t string up an instrument if the soundpost inside the instrument is not in place, or missing. It’s best to have the soundpost adjusted by someone with the proper training and experience. Instruments respond to seasonal changes, and some instruments will need adjustments with the changing time of year.

Open Seams:

• As humidity rises and falls, your instrument will swell and contract. Sometimes these stressors will lead to open seams. Gluing looks easier than it really is; take it to a professional if you have an open seam.

Links