This website, our first ever, is under construction and coming soon. We will now be sending all announcements and other correspondence by e-mail. If you are a current VCS member, or would like to be on our e-mail list, please e-mail your e-mail address to us at: info@violoncellosociety.org.

As you may know, our Administrator of the last 40 years, Esther Prince, passed away on Jan. 13, 2008. We are now in a major organizational transition, and we must request your ongoing patience. At the moment, we have no staff to answer inquiries. You can write to us at info@violoncellosociety.org, and we will take note of your communication, but we trust you will understand if we are not able to respond to everything, at least right away. Please check back to this site for the latest developments, which will be posted here as soon as possible.

Thank you,
the VCS Board of Directors

 

CURRENT OR LATEST EVENT:

Join us on Mon., Dec. 14, for our exciting event...   EXTRAORDINARY CELLO BOWS -   YUNG CHIN on the Janos Scholz Collection and the Pernambuco Conservation Initiative  A Special Evening...   We are extremely fortunate to host the eminent New York bowmaker YUNG CHIN, who will provide a fascinating slide show and interactive discussion.  He will present extensive photos of the celebrated cello bow collection of the late Janos Scholz (see more at right), which was described by Elizabeth Cowling as "the finest and historically the most representative collection of cello bows owned by any private individual."  These antique bows are now in the Smithsonian, where Mr. Chin was brought in as an expert to document them.  They comprise some 150 examples by the very greatest French, English and German makers, produced from about 1800-70.  Mr. Chin has a unique knowledge of the collection, and has given this presentation for many groups of connoisseurs, including the Violin Society of America (VSA) and the Entente Internationale des Maîtres Luthiers et Archetiers d'Art (EILA).  In it he compares the output and methods of the master craftsmen, brings to light various unusual bows, shares valuable insights into the inner world of bowmaking, and fields questions and comments from the audience.  Mr. Chin is also a primary authority on the controversy surrounding Pernambuco wood, the endangered species which is the indispensable raw material for making bows.  He will address the issue in detail as part of his presentation.  This highly educational and stimulating event is not to be missed.   If you haven't done so, PLEASE PAY YOUR VCS DUES! We depend on them to finance ALL our activites.  Click HERE to visit our webpage, and go to Membership Registration.   JANOS SCHOLZ (1903-93)... ...whose legendary collection of cello bows is a central theme of our event... was truly one of the guiding lights of the cello world.  Brilliant cellist (of the Roth Quartet) and formidable teacher (of Yo-Yo Ma), he was a founding member of the Violoncello Society (in 1956) and was its president from 1962-67.  Originally from Hungary, he was also a distinguished gamba player, and the first to record the Bach Gamba Sonatas (Columbia label, 1938).  His many other accomplishments are too numerous to mention.  His connection with the Violoncello Society was very significant, and we are proud to be able to honor his legacy.

YUNG CHIN was a violin student of George Zazofsky and Louis Krasner.  From 1980-87 he trained with and worked for the dean of American bowmaking, William Salchow.  At the 1984 VSA competition held in Ottawa, Canada he won a gold medal for his cello bow.  In 1987 he established his own shop at 250 West 54th Street, where he still is today.  He is the founder of the Oberlin Bowmaking Workshop, which began in 1996.  Mr. Chin is a member of the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers, as well as the VSA and EILA.  He has served as a juror for a wide variety of bowmaking competitions, and is a frequent writer and lecturer on the subject of bows.  In 2002 he was co-founder of the International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative (IPCI-USA), and served as its president for two years.  He is currently the International Chairman of the worldwide IPCI movement.   BE THERE FOR THIS RARE OCCASION!   Monday, December 14, 2009 7:30 P.M. KOSCIUSZKO FOUNDATION 15 E. 65th St., NYC   Non-member regular admission:  $15 Non-member student admission (with student ID):  $8   Reception Following the Event - Everyone is Invited!