I had the fortune during my final semester at New York University to play on a the best cello I have ever played on. It was a Thomas Kennedy cello, made either in the late 18th or early 19th century. It belongs to my teacher, Marion Feldman and she loaned it to me for my grad school auditions as well as my senior recital. It was amazing. My confidence on this instrument (which I nicknamed Sir Bob) soared. I found interesting colors which I had been unsuccessful in finding on my personal instrument (a 1920 Juzek cello from Prague I nickname Princess Sophia).
Needless to say, with the end of my time at New York University I had to return Sir Bob to his rightful owner and I am left with Princess and my not-so-high-quality carbon fiber bow and it's difficult. Frustration and lack of endurance and confidence have settled back in as I find myself searching high and low for fragments of the sound that I was able to create with Sir Bob. Although there are moments when I can hear a beautiful moment lurking in the background, I know that the sound has probably reached its peak and won't become any more magical.
My goal for this summer is to try and find a bow that works properly for Princess. I think that will add a lot as far as finding all the many colors of my instrument that I know it has. I must say though that I'm incredibly inspired, however frustrated I am, to overcome the obstacle of my instrument and bow and one day reward all my effort with a nice cello of my own.
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I think I know you....When were you in All-City orchestra??? I was in there in the early 90s (91-95)...I also played violin with David Robinson's WGS/Still Waters until I moved to LA in 2000.
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