It’s been nearly a year in the making, one that concert-goers to our Masterworks performances were able to witness firsthand. During our last Masterworks performance on May 6, the VSO Violin came to life in the hands of our Associate Concertmaster Kathy Andrew.

Crafted throughout the season in the lobby of the Flynn by Violinmaker-in-Residence Douglas Cox, the VSO violin was the brainchild of Executive Director, Ben Cadwallader. The idea was to provide a unique way for audiences to engage with the music by observing the creation of an instrument over the season. A neighbor of Jaime Laredo, Doug Cox modeled the VSO Violin on Laredo’s own Stradivarius violin.
On the night of the violin’s debut, Assistant Concertmaster Kathy Andrew remarked on the unique moment in time; “Tonight we’re playing pieces that are nearly 200 years old. To think that this violin could still be played 200 years – and beyond – from now is just inspiring.”

While the violin is only a few weeks old, we hope that it lasts for 200 years or more. The VSO Violin is currently available for purchase through Cox Violins, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. The VSO is the only symphony in the US to commission a violin for a special performance. The hope is that, through the generosity of the community, that we are able to keep the violin in the VSO family for many years to come.
To read more about the detailed process Doug took to make the violin, you can read his blog.

UPDATE: The violin was featured on the “Made in Vermont” series on WCAX. You can watch the piece by clicking on the image below.