Treasured Gaviniès violin was played by the first concertmaster in the original youth orchestra
The gift of a 295-year-old violin to the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra by an NBYO alumna will ensure audiences can continue to enjoy the priceless musical instrument in the hands of an incredible young musician.
Cecilia (Ceci) Flanagan-Snow donated her Gaviniès violin dating from 1731 to the NBYO’s ‘Dr. Mary and Mark Pedersen Instrument Bank’ for use by the orchestra’s principal musicians. Flanagan-Snow was the first concertmaster of the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra, and this is the violin she played during the orchestra’s early years. More than six decades later, it is returning to NBYO and will be placed in the hands of another young musician.
“I have been a musician since I was a very small child. The Gaviniès violin came into my possession when I was a teenager, just around the time the NBYO was formed. I loved the mellow tone of the Gaviniès and took it with me when I went to England to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London, and then on to further studies at Acadia University in Nova Scotia,” Flanagan-Snow said.
“I’ve been following the NBYO’s development over the years and so I reached out to see if they would like to have the instrument to be used by an advanced violinist. I was thrilled to discover that they have a ‘library’ of professional instruments for more advanced students to enjoy. So, I decided to make the donation,” Flanagan-Snow said.
The Dr. Mary and Mark Pedersen Instrument Bank, established with a $176,000 gift that allowed NBYO to acquire 14 professional-level instruments, gives advanced NBYO musicians the opportunity to perform on professional-level instruments.
“Access to an instrument of this quality can make an enormous difference for a developing musician. Professional-level instruments allow young players to explore a greater range of sound and expression and experience the level of instrument they may encounter later in advanced studies or a professional career,” said Kenn Mainville, NBYO’s president and CEO.
“But I think the most exciting part is that the story is still being written. Today, through Sistema NB, we are reaching young people who may never otherwise have had access to orchestral music. A child can begin with an instrument provided to them at no cost, discover a passion and talent for music, progress through Sistema NB and into NBYO, and ultimately find themselves performing on a nearly 300-year-old violin once played by the orchestra’s first concertmaster. That says something very powerful about both the history and the future of the NBYO.”
Maestro Tony Delgado, NBYO conductor and musical director, said placing a nearly three-century-old violin in the hands of a talented young musician is an incredible opportunity for both the musician and the audience.
“This is an instrument from an era where it was easier to test the quality of the instruments, since there were fewer instruments and no mass production. I do believe that the audience will be able to hear the difference, not just because of the instruments, but also because of the increase in the level of the players,” Delgado said. “This is an incredible opportunity for our young musicians. It helps to create a more powerful and refined sound in the orchestra. I think our young musicians will be inspired to get to new levels as we’re seeing with recent graduates.”
Flanagan-Snow said the violin has been a treasured possession since she was a teenager, but age and arthritis make it a challenge to play.
“I played the violin first as Concert Mistress of the original NBYO and as a member of the then NB Symphony. I miss being able to draw my bow across its strings. As a student, I had no idea of its financial value – it was just my ‘fiddle’. The NBYO, through the Sistema NB system, has evolved beyond my wildest dreams. It never occurred to me that it would be going, ever stronger, after 60 years, and it pleases me deeply to support it in a tangible way.
“It is my hope that the principal violinist today, and those who follow, will love the violin and bring its mellow tones to life. I am sure the experience of holding and playing a nearly 300-year-old instrument will provide them with both inspiration and awe,” Flanagan-Snow said.
Maestro Delgado said an instrument like the Gaviniès has better sound quality, more projection, and, in some cases, reaches ranges other instruments can’t. The advanced instruments allow the orchestra to play more repertoire, perform with better quality and play pieces that otherwise wouldn’t be performed.
“What makes that especially meaningful to us is that the musician who will play this instrument began learning violin through Sistema New Brunswick. She was given access to music as a young child through a free program, developed into an exceptional musician, and will perform on an extraordinary professional-level instrument with this remarkable history,” Delgado said.
Mainville said the donation highlights NBYO’s place in New Brunswick’s musical life for generations.
“Thousands of young people have been connected to the orchestra over that time, and many have gone on to careers in music and other fields. This violin makes that history tangible,” Mainville said. “We would love to continue growing the Instrument Bank. There may be other remarkable instruments sitting in homes across New Brunswick that have a story of their own and could now begin a new chapter in the hands of a young musician.”
