The Art of Sound 2012

The Art of Sound International Violin Making Competition

This March a new violin making competition will be held in Omaha, Nebraska. Judges for the competition are John Waddle, Amos Hargrave, and Stephanie Voss. Application forms and guidelines are available now. Only fifty violins will be accepted for the first competition. Admissions will be on a rolling, first come first served, basis. Only full time established professional makers will be accepted.

Significant dates to note:

November 15, 2011 Application deadline

January 10, 2012 Acceptance deadline

March 1, 2012 Instruments must arrive in Omaha

March 29, 2012 Judging begins

March 31, 2012 Awards dinner

April 14, 2012 End of "The Art of Sound" Exhibition

Call us any time for details and for an application. Forward this notice to your friends!

Local: 402.827.9270, Toll-free: 1.877.838.6222

View the application form here

Unique Opportunity to See Great Instruments

The Art of Sound: An Exhibtion of Violins and Violas by Today's Master Makers
which runs March 19 - April 9, 2010 is open! This year we have more instruments than ever and the makers represented in the show are among the most well known.

It is an opportunity to see and hear fine violins and violas made by some of the best living makers in the world.

The show is free and open to the public during regular business hours.
Monday, 1-5pm
Tuesday - Friday, 10am - 6pm
Saturday, 11am - 5pm

Special Event Coming Soon:
On March 30th, we will host the first ever benefit auction for the Omaha Conservatory's Scholarship Fund hosted by Hal France. Enjoy a wine tasting, an auction of instruments from the show starting at incredibly low prices, and a performance on show instruments.
Details below

A. Cavallo Violins LLC
Benefit Auction

Proceeds will benefit the
Omaha Conservatory of Music's Scholarship Fund

The purpose of the Conservatory's Scholarship Fund is to aid those students
who show great potential and are also demonstrate financial need.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010
7:30 pm

-Wine Tasting-
-Performance-
-Instrument Auction of Show Instruments-

Hal France,Celebrity Host

Tickets are $28.00 a person

For reservations call
402.827.9270 or 1.877.838.6222
or come by the A. Cavallo Violins, LLC at 87th & Pacific (in Countryside Village)

Reservations will be on a first come first served basis. Space is limited.
Our events are great fun and usually sell out, so call us early to reserve your place.
We look forward to hearing from you!

If you can't come to the event but you want to bid on an instrument see below:

CAN I BID ON AN INSTRUMENT EVEN IF I CAN’T COME TO THE EVENT MARCH 30TH?
Yes. You may bid on an instrument using our Absentee Bidding System. Absentee bids will be accepted by mail, phone, or e-mail up until Saturday, March 27th at 5:00 pm. Please have your bids in as early as possible so that we will be able to effectively bid for you. For full details of the Absentee Bidding System, contact A. Cavallo Violins, LLC or see our website.

CAN I BID ON AN INSTRUMENT CONFIDENTIALLY?
Yes. A. Cavallo Violins, LLC will use the strictest measures of confidentiality maintaining and executing absentee bids.

CAN I BID ON AN INSTRUMENT AND DONATE IT TO THE OMAHA CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC IF I WIN?
Yes. The Conservatory will benefit from the proceeds of the instrument you purchase and then benefit again from the gift of a beautiful instrument to lend to a worthy student in need.

CAN I SEE THE INSTRUMENTS BEFORE THE AUCTION?
Yes. We would be happy for you to come by A. Cavallo Violins, LLC to see the instruments. You may wish to set up an appointment by calling 402.827.9270 or toll free 877.838.6222.

CAN I SEE THE INSTRUMENTS ONLINE BEFORE THE AUCTION IF I LIVE OUT OF TOWN?
Yes. Pictures & descriptions of instruments are available on www.acavalloviolins.com under Special Events.

WineStyles Recital 08.29.09

Wine Styles
presents
William Wolcott, violin & Alexander Ross, violin

Saturday, August 29, 2009
7:30 pm

A chance to hear works of Mozart, Prokofiev and de Beriot
played by two of Omaha's Premiere Performers

Join William Wolcott & Alexander Ross in an exploration of the elegant Mozart Duo for Violin and Viola, the brilliant grand Duo Concertante #2 by Charles de Beriot, and the dramatic and brooding Sonata for Two violins by Prokofiev. There will be a wine pairing with each musical selection presented by the charming Bob Bolden of WineStyles.

$10.00 per person

Contact WineStyles to purchase tickets.
1110 S 71st St # K
Omaha, Nebraska 68106

Our 'Revamped' Shop

Hello all! Even with a questionable economy we have continued to burst our seams, so recently we took on a series of projects.

We began with a discussion period as to where to place and how to rearrange the shop. With a plan of action, Alex ordered 6 additional violin racks to aid in organizing and optimizing the space of our show/trial room. While waiting for the racks to be completed, yet another organizing topic was brought to the board - the case room was, quite frankly, dis-functional and we were in need of better placement for beginner bows. Just prior to Alex's most recent road trip, the violin racks arrived and the 'revamping' began. To keep a long, agonizing, and frustrating story short it took about double the anticipated time to complete the project. With that, we would like to share photos of our most recent shop project.

We started 'smooth sailing'

We had it all laid out...

Leave it at that this was rack 5 of 6 and closing on hour 4

Finished project

Result of initial project (optimized case room)

With you, the customer, in mind we successfully completed this project to enhance your experience at the shop. Stop in and visit!

Hope to see you soon,
~ Cassandra General Manager

Vacation Hours

Independence Week Vacation Hours

at A. Cavallo Violins, LLC

We will be available by appointment only
Saturday, June 27 - Saturday, July 4

Regular business hours will resume on Monday, July 6 at 1 pm

e-mail (acvsales@gmail.com) or call 402.827.9270 or toll-free 877.838.6222 for an appointment

Have a safe & Happy 4th of July!

Summer Violin Making & Restoration Workshop with Stephanie Voss

hosted by A. Cavallo Violins, LLC

July 28 - August 1, 2009

Stephanie Voss sets the highest standards for integrity in our business. From the viewpoint of restorations, she takes a conservative and careful approach to respecting old works, repairing without modifying each instrument. Her skills with set-up are exceptional and she is a caring and thorough teacher. Because of the positive response Stephanie received at our recent exhibition, we are bringing her in for a 5-day workshop for violin makers and restorers. This is open to any qualified person, but limited to 6 people total due to space.

For More Information:
Go to our website
OR
1.877.838.6222
OR
acvsales@gmail.com

Spotlight on Specials

Dear Friends:
I just thought you would like to hear about some of our specials that are a part of our SPRING CLEARANCE EVENT for the next 2 weeks. Here we go:

Violin By Gunther Lobe
This violin by the German master Gunther Lobe has extraordinarily transparent oil varnish laid over dramatically flamed maple and Alpine spruce. Lobe's workmanship is extraordinary in originality and faithfulness to classic ideals, and the silvery rich sound is reminiscent of the Stradivarian aesthetic. It is easy to play, responsive and amazingly focused in its projection.

Original Price: $ 13,500 Sale Price $9,750

Violin Outfit with Violin by Wenzl Fuchs and bow by FC Pfretzschner
We have a friend needing to sell this marvelous German shop outfit she purchased as a girl in the 1960's. Everything is in great shape, and this is a wonderful bargain! The violin normally sells retail at $2500, and the bow can often command $1,000. The violin has a dark and beautiful sound without sacrificing clarity. This is a great buy!

Original price $3,500 Sale Price $1,800

Violin by Heinrich Th. Heberlein, Jr., Marneukirchen, 1926
This fine example of the best workshop in Germany at this time has a lovely red-brown oil varnish and great clear projecting sound. it will be a catch for the advancing student!

Original Price $3,900 Sale price $2,500

Guarneri Model Violin by Wojciech Topa

Wojciech Topa is considered to be the most outstanding practitioner of violin making in Poland today. Many of his instruments are played in major orchestras, including the Cleveland Orchestra and the Atlanta Symphony. His shop is in Zakopane, Poland. He sets the highest standards for wood choice and workmanship, and his instruments always are dramatic in sound. His work has the exacting character of the German school, but has the lyric human quality of the Italians. These violins are among the finest instruments being made in the world today!

Original Price: $ 12,000 Sale Price $10,000

Brescian Model 16 5/8 inches Viola By Peter Yang
Peter Yang is a finely trained maker from Chicago who produces instruments with beautiful qualities and fine workmanship. The varnish is typically antiqued and the wood quality is superb. These instrument produce a rich and colorful sound that is unique. My favorite metaphor for the sound of this viola is "chocolate."

Original Price: $ 9,000 Sale Price $6,000

Cello By Frank Lee
Frank Lee is one of the most acoustically successful makers of cellos today. This cello has carefully selected and aged tonewoods; Maple from Vermont and Alpine Spruce top; and a fine golden brown oil resin varnish that is sensitively antiqued. Mr. Lee's modeling is based on Stradivarius, and the result is a clear projecting sound that does not lack power or resonance. This is truly a professional instrument!

Original price $15,000 Sale Price $11,000

If you wish to purchase or try out these instruments, please call me (Alex) toll free at 877.838.6222.

Spring Clearance Sale!

Hello friends! Right now we have an amazing storewide Spring Clearance Sale going on until the 1st of June. We have already had a great response during this sale and have been able to equip players of all ages, from the beginner to the performing artist with beautiful instruments, cases, and bows while they SAVE BIG! We are very excited with the outcome so far and want to make sure every player out there knows about this wonderful sale.

Below are some examples of qualifying instruments. We hope that this opportunity will fulfill the needs of the player in your life. Please contact us directly for more specific information on qualifying instruments.

Sincerely,

A. Cavallo Violins, LLC

Used Violin Outfits Each of these instruments are hand-carved under the supervision of a European master by fine craftsmen in Beijing, China. They have all of the features of a professional instrument, from the ebony fingerboard and pegs, the aged Himalayan spruce and maple, the hand-applied multi-layered spirit varnish, the tailpiece with four fine tuners, the Dominant, Vision or ProArte strings, and an Aubert French bridge. Each outfit is fitted in Omaha by the experts at A. Cavallo Violins, LLC. The outfit includes a suspension case and brazilwood bow that has an ebony frog and Siberian Stallion horsehair. Outfit includes: Violin, Bow, & Case A. Cavallo Retail: $500 Clearance Price: as low as $200

Concert Series Instruments We specially select these instruments for the advancing student and serious amateur. Each instrument features straight-grained spruce tops, complimented by handsomely flamed maple back, sides, and scroll. The hand-finished shaded or antiqued varnish gives each instrument a striking appearance. Examples of our concert instruments that will take the student to the next level! Violin A. Cavallo Retail: $1,750 Clearance Price: $900 Viola A. Cavallo Retail: $1.900 Clearance Price: $800 Double Bass 35% off select instruments (These instruments are sold without case and bow.)

Artistic Level Instruments Master Instruments Master Instruments are up to 50% off, such as Wojciech Topa, Gunther Lobe, Dimitar Dimitrov, Tansin Diedenbeck, Pavel Onoaie, and Janxin Wu. Violins finished by American Makers These instruments are finished by American makers specifically for Musaica Imports. A. Cavallo Retail: $4,000 Clearance Price: $2,000 (These violins are sold without case and bow.) Cello by Clement & Weise By Clement & Weise of Germany this cello is one of the standards of excellence for tone production and quality among current makers. It is based on a classic Stradivarius pattern with highly accurate measurements, wood thicknesses, and attractive and faithful antique finish. This results in an instrument which can carry the player well into the advanced stages of performance with a minimum investment. This is the introductory instrument in the Clement & Weise line but is in no way a compromise in tonal quality. A. Cavallo Retail: $4,950 Clearance Price: $2,500 (This cello is sold without case and bow.)

Anderson Music Stand This beautiful Anderson Music Stand by Lotus Design is a rich blend of classic beauty and performance. Several patented mechanisms were created to achieve a unique combination of portability and functionality. Handcrafted from the finest Brazilian Cherry or walnut, the Anderson Music Stand will enhance the joy of your musical experience. The desk height varies from 20" - 52" while the exclusive snap-and-lock mechanism allows you to choose six different desk angles and the extra-deep shelf accommodates heavy books or folders. It features aluminum hardware which has been anodized in a rich gold color coating that is extremely durable and will never tarnish. The stand comes with a handy durable padded carrying case with an adjustable shoulder strap. A. Cavallo Retail: $295 Clearance Price: $250

Accessories Discount Receive 25% off cases and bows with any instrument purchase. All accessories are sold at the lowest possible price (Between 10-30% off list price)

Hear It from the Master

Last weekend we were graced by the presence of Stephanie Voss, Certified German Master Violin Maker. She has been crucial to A. Cavallo Violins, LLC over the years for her expertise, wisdom and business experience.

She spent Saturday with us, often helping with the hordes of customers we saw. At one point we had 5 different groups of people looking and trying instruments, a record for the shop. She answered questions about instruments people were looking at, the violin business in general and her personal journey as a violin maker.

That evening, about 30 people convened for the "Hear it from the Master" discussion and wine tasting. There were three segments of discussion, interrupted by three courses of wines, including a German wine, and Italian wine, French wines and American wines in keeping with the diversity and style differences present in "The Art of Sound" exhibition.
Here are some of the questions, answers, and points of discussion that were brought up:

• Q: What is the difference between a "Stradivarius" and "Guarnerius" model violin and what are the reasons for the distinction? A: The biggest visible difference is in the shape of the f-hole and the edge and purfle work. The Guarnerius f-hole is more upright with a teardrop instead of a circle at the top, and is often larger and more open. The Strad corners are often squarer and less rounded, and the c-bouts are more perfectly proportioned, as well as the bee sting from the joining of the purfle always goes to the inside of the c-bouts. Stradivarius model violins tend to be very responsive and have a more silvery clear quality of sound, and Guarnerius violins tend to be darker and more muscular in sound and response.
  

• Q: Was the wood the golden age makers the secret to the great sound? Did it come from a period of mini ice age as many people have suggested? A: The wood in Stradivarius' violins is often not even great (and in his early works not always maple, using a cheaper substitution), and there is great wood available today. One of the neasures is how wide the "winter" grain is, not only the measure of the width of the grain. There is great wood coming from European Alpine, American, Carpathian, and even Chinese enviroments. The distinction of quality is often more about the age and treatment of the wood.

• Q: What about the "Secret of Stradivarius?" Was there such a thing? A:Stradiviarius was an artist! He was just a darn good maker, as good as any, and combined the skills of carving, form, varnish, and inlay to a very high level. His instruments are works of art, and it is not possible to reduce his sucess to a "secret," in fact it does him great injustice!

• Q: Are modern makers inferior to old makers? A: We are in a golden period right now! The level of artistry, worldwide communication, and technical expertise is unrivalled in history. New instruments are very possibly the best investment.

• Q: Are there significant technological innovations in construction changing the violin significantly? A: There have always been experiments historically, but the basic form of the instrument has not changed significantly since the days of Stradivarius. It is overwhelming to think of how such a perfect form was arrived at in 1700!

Everyone left with a good feeeling of violin fellowship, nice wine and gourmet appetizers. They all learned something and incresaed their excitement about the individual creations available from old makers and makers today! -A.

Show Opening

Hello friends! It has been some time since our last post due to preparations for the opening of The Art of Sound: An Exhibition of Today's Master Violin and Viola Makers. Good news is that everything went off without a glitch on Saturday for our opening event. With the show room revamped, the instruments displayed across the shop, a complete catalog of makers and instruments, a price list finalized, and a deep cleaning of the shop we were finally ready. We filled the shop with friends, food, and good performances, accompanied with a wine tasting.

Earlier in the day on Saturday we sold the first violin from the exhibition. Vladimir Logashov's violin finished in 2008 found a home. Throughout the evening we also spoke with a couple of potential buyers. Our point in telling you this?!?! If you're interested in purchasing you best stop in sooner than later because the interest level is high!

Also, if you would like to join us for our event this weekend there are still some seats left, just contact us directly. "Hear from the Mater" will be hosted by Stephanie Voss who is a Certified German Master Violin Maker and will be speaking about styles and methods of violin making.

On top of all this, we were featured in the Sunday Omaha World Herald. To read the story, follow the link.

If that isn't enough to get a violin/viola lover inspired to join us, then I don't know what would be. This is a rare opportunity to see 102 instruments by living makers in the same shop!

Contact us at:
1.877.838.6222
acvsales@gmail.com

Warm regards,
Cassandra

General Manger

2009 Exhibition Opening Event

The Art of Sound:
An Exhibition of Today's Master Violin and Viola Makers

OPENING EVENT:
Wine & Instrument Tasting
Saturday, March 14
7 pm
A. Cavallo Violins, LLC

Come and enjoy an evening filled with music, wine, and appetizers. William Wolcott and other artists will perform on instruments submitted to our exhibition. Three flights of wine will be presented throughout the evening.

Tickets: $28.00 (+ tax)
Tickets must be purchased in advance and seating is limited!

A. Cavallo Violins, LLC
8705 Shamrock Rd.
Omaha, NE 68114
Please contact us with any questions regarding our upcoming instrument exhibition.

402.827.9270
Toll-free: 877.838.6222
acvsales@gmail.com

Upcoming Shop Event

The Art of Sound:

An Exhibition of Today's Master

Violin and Viola Makers

On Friday, March 13, 2009, we will open the The Art of Sound: An Exhibition of Today's Master Violin & Viola Makers. The show will be a rare opportunity to see and hear over 100 fine violins and violas made by some of the best living makers in the world. A. Cavallo Violins, LLC will have instruments from across the United States, Canada, Italy, Germany, England, China, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria. All instruments in the show will be available for purchase. We are in a golden period of violin making; the materials, craftsmanship and artistry today are unrivaled in history. Come and experience the art of violin and viola making at its best!

Special events will be featured each weekend. The opening event on Saturday, March 14 at 7 p.m. is a wine and violin tasting with Bob Bolden, wine master and performances by David Neely and William Wolcott on instruments from the exhibition. Tickets are $28.00 per person and must be purchased in advance. Contact us directly for additional information and to reserve your seat, as there are a limited number of tickets.

Dates: March 13 - 28

Times:
Mon. 1 - 5 pm
Tues. - Fri. 11 am - 7 pm
Sat. 11 am - 5 pm
Special Events TBA

Location:
A. Cavallo Violins, LLC
8705 Shamrock Rd.
Omaha, NE 68114

Please contact us with any questions regarding our upcoming instrument exhibition:
402.827.9270
(Toll Free)877.838.6222
acvsales@gmail.com

We look forward to seeing you!

Sincerely,
The Staff at A. Cavallo Violins, LLC

Shipping Horrors

     If one were to ask me what the most daunting task is here at A. Cavallo, it would definitely be coming in on Monday after the weekend and realizing I have forty new orders to pack and ship. Keep in mind, the mailman comes at 3:30 and I arrive at work at 1:00. Two and a half hours is a cruel time frame to put one under when there are thirty or more orders to fill. Nevertheless, this time frame must be met in order to keep this company of five employees running.

     From my experience and employment here at A. Cavallo so far, I have been given privileged access into the company’s dealings. One thing which stands out to me is how much the Gleasel Ultra Practice Mute is in demand. In the morning, I will usually have twenty orders to fill. It is not surprising to me if half of those orders be Glaesel Practice Mutes. People throughout the United States and around the world have a great desire for these rather ugly pieces of rubber. Individuals in distant countries such as Indonesia will gladly pay a hefty amount in shipping costs in order to have a Glaesel Mute priced at only $3.99. The substantial price increase for international shipment does not seem to deter people from acquiring these popular mutes. The economy may be going downhill, but demand for the Glaesel Mute remains strong.

     Once everything is packed and ready to go, it is then taken down the block to await the mail truck, which is supposed to be there at 3:30. There have been times where the mail truck never comes and one of our employees ends up running the mail to the post office. This is without question a nuisance and a waste of time for the company. However, we know that there is a person somewhere in the world in need of the Glaesel Practice Mute and we will go the extra length to make sure that mute arrives at its destination, wherever that may be.

 -Daniel Jacobsen

Fall Rain Adventure

A while back on Monday, September 29, 2008 Alex, Maddy, Matt, and I each walked into the shop enthusiastic for our day. That was until, as Alex initially discovered, the heavy rains from the prior evening proved too much for a section of our roof!

As Alex made his way across the shop to disarm our security system he had to wade through a puddle of water. Directly above the puddle were 3 water-swollen ceiling tiles, appearing ready to give way at any moment. Just inches away from the puddle and leak were 2 cellos and 2 basses.

Upon further inspection, Alex soon realized that the puddle upstairs had a twin downstairs! This puddle had attacked our collection of boxes used for shipping. So, Matt's victory in cleaning and organizing the basement quickly became a frustrating disaster again.

As water continually dripped from the swollen ceiling tiles, our concern grew. With the roof leak fixed and the instruments moved out of the way, Matt was delegated as the brave sole to 'dig in'. Upon tearing into the soggy tiles, he was greeted by water-soaked insulation, which had a tendency to simply fall. Soon our ceiling took on a grave appearance.

By the end of the day, with a phone call into our contractor, we were ready to bolt. We had carried out loads of soggy tiles and insulation, swept most everything up, and our generous window cleaners had mopped our show room floor on their stop by. With this done, we could only gaze at the basement anticipating what the next day would bring, on top of the stress of preparing for my leave to get married.

With no instruments damaged we walked away thankful that this adventure did not take a turn for the worst. Repairs of buildings are manageable, but water damaged instruments could have been disastrous.
Only the best,
Cassandra

General Manager
A. Cavallo Violins, LLC

Fodor Visits A. Cavallo Violins, LLC

On Thursday, September 25 two renowned visitors came through our shop door. Eugene Fodor, 1974 Tchaikovsky International Competition winner, stopped in while in town for a concert. Accompanying Mr. Fodor was Richard Molzer President of Cannone Enterprises, Inc who is a prestigious violin maker, dealer, and restorer.

Throughout the visit there was never a dull moment. Mr. Molzer looked at our wholesale instruments and briefly discussed Denver dealers with Alex. After discussion of our 'picture wall', Mr. Fodor allowed Alex a gander at his personal violin and bows. The interest then moved to Mr. Fodor's fabulous new interpretation of Pagannini's Caprice No. 1 in E Major. This movement is typically performed to a very strict, straight tempo; however Mr. Fodor is testing a 'push-and-pull' phrasing effect to add a more musical line to the piece and plays it at a much slower tempo than normal. Before leaving, our array of mutes did not go unnoticed or untouched! Mr. Fodor chose an Artino Practice Mute and our ebony 4 prong mute, which is in further development.


The next evening, Matt, Maddy, and Cassandra attended The Omaha Conservatory of Music's 2008 Benefit. Mr. Fodor was the focus of the evening, performing Vivaldi's Four Seasons along with numerous solo selections which included his interpretation of Pagannini's Caprice No. 1. Might we add, that this event was performed on 4 different violins (2 Guarneri and 2 Stradivari)!



In the course of the year, we have several interesting visits by major artists like this. Each visit is always interesting and educational for us.


Sometime you should just stop in our shop and see the 'picture wall' of signed photos by contemporary and older artists! This history makes our business fun, interesting, and educational.

Shop's Commercial Adventure

It was Monday, the beginning of a fresh week for A. Cavallo Violins LLC. The employees arrived here at nine in the morning, four hours before we were supposed to open. There was a sense of crisp, new energy in the air for the staff. Other than shipping, Mondays are usually relatively quiet here. This Monday was to stand very much apart from the rest of the week however.

This was the day the Omaha news team from channel seven was supposed to film a commercial for us. We laid out a very impressive display of basses, cellos, violas, and violins. The entire show room of A. Cavallo Violins was laden with bright new stringed instruments from our vast collection. Looking at our display from the front of the room, it looked as if there was a vast ocean of stringed instruments blocking and restraining us from going anywhere. It would have been incredibly easy to simply stumble trying to zig-zag your way through this array of delicate wooden creations. One can only imagine the domino effect this would have caused on the instruments; basically a violin dealer’s worst nightmare could have come true if we had not been careful.

After the session upstairs was drawn to a close, the camera crew then proceeded to go downstairs to continue filming. It was quite entertaining with all the lights turned off and Matt and Maddy acting out their screenplay. Matt could hardly contain himself from laughing as Maddy would ask him a scripted question. As soon as the camera was turned off, everyone would burst out laughing. It was as if we were making a blockbuster and the main stars of the show were two violin technicians: Maddy and Matt.

As all five of us stood for a “family” photo at the end, you could feel a sense of genuine warmth in the air. A. Cavallo Violins is much more than a typical music store on some corner. All the employees here look out for one another and keep each other going on stressful days. We work in a very encouraging and upbeat environment, which makes this place much more attractive to new and old customers. When all of us first arrived here, we were co-workers, now we are friends.

-Daniel Jacobson- College Intern in Marketing

Wholesale Trip To Minneapolis, MN

   A. Cavallo Violins has began to venture deeper into the world of wholesale.  With the size of the company having increased by a significant margin, A. Cavallo Violins is just beginning to explore the opportunities and benefits of wholesale. Employing the new whole sale name of  Musaica Imports, Dr. Ross and I (Daniel Jacobsen) began the company’s second wholesale trip, this time to Minneapolis in the state of Minnesota. We left at approximately a quarter to 6 in the evening on the thirteenth of July. After a little more than six hours of riding in a car, we arrived in Minneapolis exhausted from the long trip but ready to undertake the challenge that lay before us in the coming days.

     Instead of staying at a hotel during our trip, we stayed at the house of none other than the principal cellist of the Minnesota Orchestra, Anthony ross, the brother of Alex Ross. As soon as we arrived, we were immediately greeted by their family dog, Ozzy, bigger than any dog I’ve seen in my life, but yet the most gentle animal you could imagine.

     The next morning, we began our day by enjoying a relaxing breakfast at Einstein’s and then set out to see our first client. Every violin dealer had a different approach and desire as to what they were looking for in an instrument. Some wanted a thin finger board, others thought that a thick finger board was more desirable. Some clients were so particular with the fittings and other instrument pieces that they would sort through them and pick out the ones they wanted and the ones they didn’t want.  Some of our wholesale instrument fittings have designs upon them which aim them more at a very specific market of the music industry The smallest details upon our instrument fittings were closely scrutinized by the dealers we met with. To say the least, they were impressed with our selection of fittings and the price attached to them. However, at this time of year the music business is somewhat slow and clients we met with offered to give our offers more thought as business picks up during the school year.

     The clients we met with were overwhelmingly gracious towards Dr. Ross and me. They were professional and wanted to get straight to business, which we both appreciated.  The last thing you want is to spend two or three hours with the client talking and then leave empty handed. Luckily, our trip proved to be fruitful for the most part. Clients are becoming more accustomed to the new supply of Chinese instruments on our wholesale list. Normally when the common man thinks of a product labeled “Chinese”, the first thought that comes to mind is “cheap”. However, this is not the case for the line of Chinese instruments we have in our inventory. They are well made and easy on your wallet, a wonderful instrument for an intermediate string player.

     The wholesale path of Musaica Imports is proving to be an adventure, not only for myself, but for Dr. Ross and my fellow employees.  After this last business trip, it is safe to say that Musaica Imports is off to a good start.

 

-Daniel Jacobsen,

 Marketing Intern

Shop adventure into wholesale

Hello, I am Cassandra Johnson the new General Manager of A. Cavallo Violins, LLC. Just over one month ago I joined the team here, just as Chris ventured off to graduate school. It has been a wonderful life experiment thus far, with many things to learn and adjust to each day. Besides myself and Daniel, the summer intern joining the team, we have expanded the business from retail and online to include wholesale.

Prior to the actual instrument arrival many things were happening in the shop. Matt & Maddy vigorously re-organized the basement workshop achieving better utilization of space, labeling of parts and accessories, creative storage, tool organization, and much more. Upstairs, Daniel took on compiling a list of shops nationwide to be considered as dealers. Meanwhile, Alex and I compiled a catalog from Terms & Conditions to Inventory tables.

Within days of joining the team, boxes of violins arrived from China. We were immediately impressed with the appearance, quality, and tone of the instruments. The instruments are from a workshop that is 3 generations old, having survived time and the cultural revolution due to its locale. All wood used is from a logging operation in Tibet, owned by the same individual, and is aged and dry racked for a minimum of 10 years. Direct supervision is provided by the owner, with varnishing of the finer grade instruments completed in the United States.

Once the instruments arrived, Maddy and Matt found themselves engulfed with set-ups. Daniel, for much needed breaks from the computer, found himself in the shop polishing violins. I too, at times have found myself aiding in this step as there is simply so much to be done with a single instrument prior to sale. Maddy and Alex began discussing packing methods of fittings and instruments and arrangements were made. Time did not seem to be on our side until one Thursday evening, an hour before shop closed, Alex and I were forced into the basement for 2 hours due to severe weather which included tornadoes! During this time Alex began the inspection and completion process of the set-ups.

As time elapsed and the instrument set-ups were completed, Alex began making initial contacts with shops. This meant setting dates for the trip and making travel arrangements. It also included preparing and leaving 3 fairly new employees and an intern behind for 3 full days to manage shop!

The first trip went quite well, even though the drive was lengthened by detours due to flooding in Iowa. Now that Alex has returned we have received more violins and the entire process is beginning again... from set-ups to contacts, travel, and packing. I guess its safe to say that we have added another aspect to the everyday life of the violin shop...