Blog | Quincy Whitney

Science Demonstration

April 28, Barnes & Noble, Nashua. Luthier Alan Carruth, of Newport, demonstrates Chladni patterns on a free cello plate carved by Carleen Hutchins by sprinkling glitter on the open plate and then vibrating the plate at specific frequencies. Hutchins’s technique of applying Chaldni sound patterns to fiddle plates—and her publishing legacy related to her violin acoustics experiments–made her an international celebrity in the violinmaking field, in addition to the fact that she invented a Violin Octet. ...

Apr 23: Toadstool Books, Milford

Despite gorgeous spring weather on Saturday, April 23, Toadstool Books in Milford hosted a small, but enthusiastic, and very in-depth discussion about fiddles, musical acoustics and the female violinmaker who changed nearly every paradigm in the violin world—one fiddle at a time—Carleen Hutchins. Tom Knatt, a luthier who studied with Hutchins and now primarily makes guitars, joined booksmith Toni Syrmopoulos and John Scott, a string bass and bass guitar player, both of Lyndeborough, for an detailed talk about science, Chladni patterns and the violin octet—eight fiddles across the range of written music, from an 11-inch treble to a seven-foot contrabass....

N.C. Wyeth

Inside the studio of N.C. Wyeth....

Gregory Singer and David Mignano

Gregory Singer of Gregory Singer Fine Violins, 246 West 80th Street, NYC, a violin dealer, founder and conductor of the Manhattan Symphonie, violinist and fiddler, plays fiddle, with David Mignano—a luthier who studied with Hutchins, performs on bass. A musical celebration of luthier Carleen Hutchins. ...

Jalopy Theatre

Jalopy Theatre in Brooklyn–what a perfect setting for an American Luthier book launch event! A vintage, brick-lined acoustic folk theatre, surrounded by vintage stringed instruments—mandolins, dulcimers, banjos—a theatre, music school, instrument shop and luthier repair shop all-in-one–and hosted by Jalopy owner Lynette Wiley who could not have been a more generous or gracious host! ...

Cellist Akua Dixon

Cellist Akua Dixon plays her Hutchins Baritone Violin–the very first baritone that Hutchins ever made. Violinmaker and cellist, both long-time residents of Montclair, often shared mutual interests as neighbors. Hutchins loaned and eventually gifted her baritone to Dixon who has actively sought to educate the public about Hutchins, and her super-resonant octet violins. The baritone is the sixth instrument in the Hutchins Violin Octet, the violin closest to the cello in size....

Montclair Book Event

With the April 19 Book Launch event for American Luthier at Watchung Booksellers of Montclair, NJ, the story of local violinmaker Carleen Hutchins returned home to a small but enthusiastic audience, treated to a short talk by biographer Quincy Whitney, and a special presentation and performance by celebrated jazz cellist Akua Dixon....

Sunken Studio

Here in the dramatic sunken studio, fans of Wyeth can begin to understand the dimensions of the huge murals N. C. Wyeth painted, one of which was “The Giant,” a copy of which has adorned my writer’s studio for more than twenty years! To view the studio of N.C. Wyeth was akin to visiting Shangri-la!!!!...

Children’s Orchestra Legacy

What an amazing Gala concert last night at the Kaye Center at Hunter College at East 6th in NYC! It was difficult to tell that these performers were of high school age except when you stop to study all the faces that look so young! They could adequately compete with many a college or university orchestra! Jeffrey Sun, CO’S 2016 Discovery Competition winner performed magnificently as guest soloist in Vieux Temps Violin Concerto. Cellist Hai-Ye Ni, celebrated for her expressive tone and technique seemed a perfect match for the Haydn Cello Concerto in D Major. But the culminating ...

John Montgomery Violins

Such an exceptional evening on April 12 at John Montgomery Violins in Raleigh! Master luthier John Montgomery could not have been more gracious or enthusiastic about hosting an American Luthier event, complete with a full house of fifty or so filling his spacious front room. On the glass display case John had placed several innovative instruments including a viola da gamba, his own hurdy-gurdy which he later demonstrated to an after-party audience, and a Hutchins Alto Violin, also known as a “vertical viola” that he had recently acquired. In 1995, YoYo Ma won a Grammy for his performance of the ...