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Winchester hosts program on violins

Concertmaster to discuss, play different violins

Samantha George will discuss Lawrence University’s prized Andrea Guarneri violin at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, at the Waupaca Area Public Library.

The program is hosted by Winchester Academy in collaboration with the Waupaca Community Arts Board Bach Festival.

Why are some violins more valuable than others? What makes a great violin?

George will address these questions when she demonstrates the difference in violin sounds by playing and comparing a Baroque violin, her own old Italian violin, a contemporary violin and the Guarneri.

The Guarneri violin dates back to 1685. Guarneri was a distinguished Italian luthier or violin maker in the 17th century whose standing rivals Stradivari.

Guarneri’s violins often have a darker, more robust tone than Stradivari’s, and fewer than 200 of Guarneri’s instruments survive.

George is an associate professor of violin at Lawrence University in Appleton. She served as associate concertmaster of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra from 1999-2008 and as acting concertmaster of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra for the 2002-2003 season. Her previous posts have included assistant concertmaster of the Colorado Symphony, core concertmaster of the Hartford Symphony, and guest concertmaster appointments with the Charleston Symphony and the Oregon Symphony.

George received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music, and a performer’s certificate from the Eastman School of Music, and she holds a doctorate in violin performance and music theory from the University of Connecticut.

An advocate for greater appreciation of classical music, George is a host of Lawrence University “Live from the Conservatory” intermission interviews, teaches music appreciation courses at the Washington Island Music Festival and hosts a number of pre-concert and post-concert lectures wherever she performs.

The program is free and open to the public. Cookies and coffee are served at 6 p.m. and the program begins promptly at 6:30.

Winchester Academy is funded through sponsors and tax-deductible donations. Dr. George’s program is sponsored by Joan and Gene Wasserberg.

For more information about Winchester Academy, check winchesteracademywaupaca.org, follow on Facebook, or contact Executive Director Ann Buerger Linden at 715-258-2927 or [email protected].

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