News from da Spalla world
New Facebook Group dedicated to Violoncello da Spalla:
It’s called: Da Spalla Enthusiasts. Players, Luthiers, Admirers. It’s a group about people, the joy of playing a Violoncello da Spalla, and research.
It’s a private group because we felt we needed a safe place where members could freely ask and discuss da spalla things without the concern of being silenced or mocked. So yes, there is control over who can get in and who can’t.
I apologise to the members of the “old” Da Spalla Community group. Despite being a moderator, I did nothing when the group was, out of the blue, connected to a business page, and conversations sank between commercials. I was waiting for things to change by themselves because I do not like “divisions”, and I was concerned that having two groups would feel like... a division. The simple fact that I find myself now being the moderator of a group whose admin blocked me tells me that times are mature for a new group. I received many private messages of support, for which I am forever grateful.
A team of admins and moderators will be at work every day to check that the place is maintained safe and healthy so that members can freely share the joy and love for this instrument and the magic it brought into our lives.
Projects are going on in the group, which will take time as we cannot handle them all together. These include:
- a database of da spalla luthiers, which had long been asked for but never realised.
- a database of iconography
- a database of instruments (historical and contemporary, as we are convinced that there is no solution of continuity between the two)
- an index of players/owners of a Violoncello da Spalla
Be patient. We are at work! Follow the group to see the calls for being included in the databases. In the meantime, there are already discussions going on: on the first day, the topics mentioned were: Violoncello da Spalla in folk music, possible future da spalla gatherings or exhibitions, and where to buy technical plans. So, this new group is definitely an excellent place to be in! See you there!
Where to study Violoncello da Spalla next summer
Want to spend a week or more studying with someone who made the history of Violoncello da Spalla next summer?
Sergey Malov will be teaching violin and also Violoncello da Spalla at the Internationale Sommerakademie Bad Leonfelden, upper Austria, from the 14 to the 22 of August.
Sigiswald Kuijken will teach at the La Petite Bande Summer Academy in Collevecchio, Italy, from the 24 of July to the 6 of August.
Stay tuned here on in the Da Spalla Enthusiasts group for more news!
New modern strings available for Violoncello da Spalla
I heard (but didn't try yet!!) that Eliakim Boussoir is making new modern conception strings for Violoncello da Spalla! Someone who tried them on a “normal” cello described them as warmer AND brighter than Pirastro Olive or Chorda, reporting the whole cello as magnified by them! I can’t wait to try them!
You already know where to read and learn more details about them: on the Da Spalla Enthusiasts' new Facebook group!
Featured video of the week
Kaga Yutaka played Vivaldi a couple of weeks ago in Tokyo: enjoy!
Want to know more about his playing?
Looking forward to the new FB group. I am seeing my luthier tomorrow and will encourage him to join.