VSO#6 episode 1 "cheap and dirty"

i know... we're not done with VSO 5 yet...

but i have to start planning for VSO 6 and 7 soon. i envision them to be sister instruments. for the first time, i will surrender to the dark side and build a soprano VSO (#7). usually, i think of them as small whinny little critters. but what the heck, in the spirit of all the excitement over Master Luthier Landon's Ole Bull project, i thought i would try one for myself too. if i was a professional builder, i would have loved to submit a fiddle, but owing to my amateur status, i will make VSO#7 for my own amusement. VSO#8 is tentatively going to be a 5 string with a pick up.

anyhow, VSO 6 will be dedicated to a long time music friend Richard Chapman who has retired to another part of the country. he used to run a youth music ensemble, i helped coached and played whatever missing part(s) during rehearsals and performances. he is the only person i know who owns his own set of tubular bells, timpani, xylophone, drum kit, and also flute, violin, cello, bass, french horn... i can't remember how many instruments he actually had. but we had a lot of fun (and stress) over the kids holiday concerts and endless rehearsals and tutoring.  we spent hours planing and organizing. we researched the new pedagogic stuff that came out and went to schools to recruit. we went out looking for concert venues and support.  

over the years, we poured so much of our time and money into it that it could never have been sustainable. we just couldn't get the support of the community. by ourselves we were getting nowhere. but we had a great 5-6 year run and the kids had A LOT of fun performing. which is all that matters in the end. i hope the kids will retain some of that harmony they created later in their lives.

i will mail this VSO out to Richard as soon as i get done. its going to be a folksy instrument.

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awesome Wells
to be continued...