A busy month has flown by, with London visits and a full work schedule. The London trip was really in aid of my charity www.rabtrust.org . We’ve had a huge shake up this year taking on a new Chair and saying a fond farewell to two retiring trustees. I like…
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Who coined that phrase? No idea, but sometimes it’s important to acknowledge that a break is deserved, a reward for the toil. So this month, with excitement mounting, I ventured out to foreign lands…….the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, the mecca for all things violin, the…
For the start of 2024 I thought I would share this beautiful short video with you all. A player who has become a friend, over the years, played viola professionally with Covent Garden Opera House in London. He shares a real interest in all things good about the past, and…
Christmas Greetings to all the fantastic players out there who support me by trusting me with their amazing instruments. With all best wishes for a wonderful time over the festive period. ‘Merry Christmas and Happy New Year’ Judith
Concerts Galore! November has been such Fun! December promises to be just as good. Royal Northern Sinfonia, Maltings Berwick, 2nd Nov The programme opened with the RNS wind section playing Amy Beach ‘Pastorale’, Grazyna Bacewicz ‘Wind Quintet’ and Leos Janacek ‘Mladi’. Loved the programme choices! Then they handed over to…
Time and time again this question is asked of me. My answer is always the same. Let me look after the cleaning for you. By this I mean the inevitable hand perspiration and dirt that really can make an instrument look grubby. Also, players sometimes don’t realise how much sweating,…
If you’re local to the North East I’m sure you’ll already know ‘The Sage Gateshead’ has been renamed and rebranded ‘The Glasshouse International Centre for Music’. The Glasshouse International Centre for Music New adjoining buildings will create a whole complex to be named ‘The Sage’, so the charity running the…
The products I use in restoration are pretty specialized. From aged wood to fungi! Here’s a little insight. Wood Matching This can mean using wood (see picture above) that I have stored for many years that has darkened in colour and is age appropriate to the instrument I am working…
I want to share with you a few photos of a violin I worked on recently. It is a Matthew Hardie & Son, made in Edinburgh. The date has been written over so the exact date on the label is indistinguishable but by 1824 the business was being advertised as…
I am currently working on a research project in my spare(!) time. I’m trying to find out as much as I can about a specific violin maker who lived in Berwick upon Tweed in the 19th Century. In his day he was one of the best! I started this journey…