Recent Cello-related Purchases

I have been re-investing in my cello recently with a couple of accessories. First, my wife helped me find a truly professional music stand, which I love. It's the type I've seen used on MTV; black with a pattern of circular holes. It's really solid and stable, but it does fold up. It has a thick edge, so it can hold my heavy binder of music without swaying at all. Also, I picked up a solid metal folding cello stand, so that I can keep my cello out for easier access both at performances and for practicing. I picked it up from www.nashvilleviolins.com a neat shop run by Dave Wascher, an old college friend of mine. Also, I have been buying up a lot of new music and making even more arrangements. We bought my daughter a 1/4 sized cello which is due to arrive soon, and also a 1/2 sized one (and a soft case) to a student of mine until she outgrows it (at which time it should fit my daughter).
Along with my recently purchased Jargar strings (see earlier entry) I have also picked up new polish, a polishing cloth, and a soundpost setter. I have never been afraid to spend money on my instrument. Even though playing music has been an element of my life since I was four years old, and cello since I was 10, I have never taken anything for granted. Even though my parents spent a lot of money (no, they weren't rich) for me to have my own cello and private teachers, I also spent my own money. My first cello was a Kay, my second a Roth, and my current cello is a Stradivarius copy. I sold the Roth for $1,050 when I started college in 1984 order to buy something that could carry me into adulthood. With the help of Larry Zgonc, I found an old broken cello in the classified ads of The Oregonian for $300. The neck and body were completely separated, and it had deep cracks in the face. I took a gamble, and had it repaired and rebuilt at the David Kerr violin shop. It took them a long time, and cost me $700 (including an old hard case). But I was $50 ahead, and I could tell right away that I was much happier with the sound. Appraisers have told me that my cello was probably built in New York City in the 1920s by Czech immigrant luthiers (instrument makers). I also bought the best bow I could afford about this time, with $450 I had earned at my paper route and working in the pressroom at the Gresham Outlook. Why so much on the bow? Because cheap bows warp easily and perform poorly compared to an artisan, hardwood bow such as mine, which is German-made and is as straight and trustworthy today as it was the day I bought it.

Mason County Fair

I played a total of six performances at the Mason County Fair, July 29, 30 and 31 on the Olympic (concession) indoor stage. I stuck with contemporary music mostly, only playing a couple of classical pieces and a couple of my own compositions; most of my arrangements were of pieces written between 1920 and 2003. Each of my sets was about an hour, with two each day Friday (I used a vacation day from my day job), Saturday and Sunday. The fair was fun, and I enjoyed the ambience, food and other acts such as the Elvis impersonator, JP Patches the clown, the Smilin' Scandinavians, Null, Strangers With Candy and others. The attendance was not huge, but it was okay, so my audience varied in size but I don't think I played for more than 75 people at any given point in time. It was so hot I wore short sleeved dress shirts instead of my tuxedo shirt, and I didn't wear a tie. The sound guy did a great job, so I was able to clearly announce my songs, and everyone could hear me. At one point as I played, one of their amps blew out, and they had it replaced with backup equipment in about 15 minutes. I also like to thank Gretchen for having me play; I really had a good time, and people tell me they enjoyed hearing me perform.