“Through the F Hole”

May 4, 2012

Today is my daughter Molly’s 23rd birthday. The shop opened on April 12, 1989. Less than a month later my daughter Molly was born. Soon after she was born, I started to bring her to work and she would reside on a blanket under my workbench. As the shop had just opened, I could not take time off, so I brought her with me. Now, 23 years later, I am reflecting on what the violin trade has taught me. It is something that my daughters have taught me as well: patience.

I am not a patient person by nature, but the violin teaches us patience. It teaches us to be patient while learning to play. It teaches us patience in the making and restoring as well. Nothing good can happen quickly with the violin; every step, from the design, the crafting, the sharpening of tools, the bow hold, the training of the ear to know if you are playing in tune- all if it requires a great deal of patience. It requires patience to be the parent of a string player. The longer I work with these instruments, the more I learn and relearn the same lesson: patience required!

This is truly what the world needs. We need patience. We need the ability to understand things that are out of our comfort zone. And, we need tenacity along with the patience.

Hey, the violin is not going to solve the problems of the world. However, it may contribute in its small way to a better place if we learn what it has to teach us.

Matt Stamell