v.com:The Festival that Never Ends

Published: Jul. 2, 2007 at 9:34 PM
Last modified: Jul. 3, 2007 at 4:52 PM

Over the past weeks v.com has experienced The Great Balancing Act, a festival of work, thought and results. That is why this site rocks partly.

For me it began from an aside that involves balance somewhat in getting my bow dynamic to arch subtly so as to grab notes better in some respects. But more directly various discussions approached this from many angles so far as the balancing part is concerned. Basically for me, poor posture also meant poor bow approach and handling as much as anything else.

Raphael Klayman's excellent site has the nuts and bolts about holding the instrument ala no shoulder rest; and, gives the details about how to get there very clearly. For me, a new way of playing has resulted.

Then someone jumped in with research done in the Netherlands, which I have only begun to digest. This site takes Raphael's notions and truly breaks them down with photos, techniques and even philosophy. The site. I cannot find the original post, but some portions seem to be having technical difficulties. Nonetheless, the parts related to balance are quite clear in meaning.

Then Michael Schallock-How to Hold the violin. creates a wonderful streamlined but complete discussion on the entire topic hosted right here on v.com. With all this information, guess what I'll be working on the rest of the summer Buri.

Though I have found violin fairly overwhelming, mainly because of serial injuries and having to trudge along the best I can, v.com has always kept me thinking, and some days feeling like I'm making progress as a result of these discussions.

Beyond the festival though, Emily keeps me inspired with her photos of Alaska--a region nearly as beautiful as my mountains in southern West Virginia ;-) ; and, Maura keeps me close to the spirit of the Gypsy fidder--the attitude with which I began. And Emil has turned me into a crazy man who in turn has Paganini doing flips in his grave over my Witch's Dance--but God it's fun.

Sue made me feel welcome from the start, and Buri nearly worked me to death along with Kim Jee or something like that--who seems to have disappeared. And many others along the way (Jennifer, Kimberlee, Christian, .......) have patiently tolerated my sometimes repeated questions when I re-encounter an issue I really already know about, and later privately say *#&$#, I already knew that in embarrassment.

And I have to give a mention at least to my persistence in 'getting there' in trying to hammer down some solid basics. For anyone interested these basics to me means fiddling later, with a much expanded technique that allows me to at least realize my love for general classical--using Suzuki 10 as a pre-fiddler's goal.

It's no wonder I feel overwhelmed at times. Little details from other's issues I grab and reference in my mind like a kid with today's hundred dollars in a candy store. Humidity's role in squeaking. Things so advanced, I'll probably have to ask not only again but many times as I encounter them. The many perspectives on when to re-hair a bow. Shoulder rest or not. And the wonderful perspective that most have their favorite greats; and, among even the greats is greatness and failings.

I asked myself how this festival could be so effective for one thoroughly engaged. I've even commented to others of note beyond here how and why it is effective. It is so effective because of Laurie's stewardship, though I wish she would have Robert put the navigation footers at the bottom of every page within a region's context(discussion, blogs...)

But it is Laurie's commitment in scanning threads, and keeping things real that makes this site what it is first and foremost, followed closely by the hundred post limits someone either ingeniously or as the result of having had to simply set limits conceptualized from the start that enables this as well.

I'm interested and qualified to do information and semantics research. Though it's beyond me for the imaginable future, the next festival day's itinerary would be to systematically parse all this information into an available work that makes FAQ seem like the front cover of a book. Look out Simon Fischer, Laurie and Robert Niles have an encyclopedia of advancing information that is on the move and up and coming.

And finally, my violin whom I consider a lovely lady with a bit of attitude, demands that I continue. Long live Laurie's festival! Great job.