William Fitzpatrick - violin expert

The Many Stories of Bill Fitzpatrick: The day I snapped my bow

How a broken bow could give a lesson of life

In this video, Prof Fitzpatrick tells a story about a broken bow could give him a lesson of life.

Released on May 11, 2022

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DISCLAIMER: The views and the opinions expressed in this video are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Virtual Sheet Music and its employees.

Video Transcription

So Bob Holmes introduced us to Pat, a violin teacher who lived near us, near Fisk University, and I began having private lessons. So as I was practicing one day I was so into it that as I was walking out of the living-room my bow entered the crack between the door and the frame. I saw it enter but by the time I could stop I had cracked my bow almost totally in half. I panicked I tried to Scotch-tape it but that didn't work so I decided to use glue and it seemed at least to hide it. Later in a lesson I couldn't play an off-the-string stroke. Pat took my bow and she tried to demonstrate it but she couldn't and that's when she noticed the glue. She asked what happened and I told her. She went outside, told my grandmother and they came back and only chided me for not saying anything. Lesson learned!
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Comments, Questions, Requests:

George Mahida * VSM MEMBER * on May 12, 2022 @6:26 pm PST
Dr William Fitzpatrick thanks for sharing your violinist journey video. What I notice in this video that your grandmother and teacher didn’t say anything about the broken bow. Their concern was you didn’t share with them what happened. Here is prime example of unconditional love! Your perspective was I need to fix my broken bow. You are Blessed!
reply
William - host, on May 13, 2022 @12:00 pm PST
Thank you! I am extremely lucky to have been surrounded by such people!
Tosh * VSM MEMBER * on May 11, 2022 @10:25 am PST
Your anecdote reminded me of a similar thing that happened to me. When I was about 11 years old I had a Brazil wood bow and while walking through a doorway I clumsily snapped it in two. My Dad was going to pay for a replacement...at the local violin shop, I had picked out a Hill bow, which back then (about 70 years ago) cost about $65...it's now worth several thousands of dollars. Anyhow, when my Dad found out that I had used $10 of my own money to buy a football, he got angry and said I could pay for the new Hill bow myself. Luckily I could, because I had earned money delivering newspapers on our street. I don't know what life lessons that taught me, other than self reliance and being very careful with my bows and violins in future.
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William - host, on May 13, 2022 @5:09 am PST
Great story! Thanks!
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