DR ALEX JIMENEZ, DIRECTOR OF ORCHESTRAL STUDIES, FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, TALLAHASSEE, WROTE (2005): "As always, thank you for your services and for taking time to be with us here during Tallahassee Symphony Youth Orchestra rehearsals on Saturdays ... Again, many thanks, Jan."

See www.tsolive.org/youth/main.html.

Lauren Pollock performs and teaches

in Gainesville FL.

Click here: Lauren's Studio. LAUREN POLLOCK says: "Contact me about taking violin lessons. I accept all ages and levels. Currently I use the Suzuki method, which focuses on both learning by ear and reading music, to begin most students. I try to accommodate all students by moving on from the Suzuki literature once I feel they are prepared to delve into other methods and styles (fiddle, Celtic, improvisation). I also incorporate music history and theory into my teaching."

Help and Be Helped

Ashley Willwerth Foundation:

Gainesville Violins's talented young customer, Ashley Willwerth (April 26, 1986 - October 8, 2004), died tragically in a car accident. The Ashley Willwerth Memorial Scholarship Foundation is dedicated to provide financial assistance to students of string instruments and their teachers - including gifts of published music, supplies and tuition and gifts or loans of instruments. Gainesville Violins supports the Foundation and respectfully requests that you, too, please contribute. Thanks! Please visit the site to see how you can help or be helped by the Foundation.

www.AmatiFoundation.org:

The nonprofit Amati Foundation (Austin TX) serves youth orchestras and young string players in amazing ways. See on our "Customers" page what it did for John Henry Kruer (RIGHT), then visit its website (above).
It might help you too!

All About Bows: Important Websites

Visit www.ipci-usa.org/index.html to read about the International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative (IPCI) which works to conserve increasingly rare pau-brasil trees from which bows are made. Please help by joining or by giving at www.ipci-usa.org/page5.html.

See Lynn Hanning's site www.lahbows.com/index.asp to read all about the need for conservation, all about bows and all about buying a bow. Lynn is President of IPCI-USA and a world-renowned bowmaker and teacher. The site has an excellent checklist for prospective bow buyers.

Conservation-minded? Concerned about the remaining pau-brasil trees? Then visit www.codabow.com. Read all about the world's premier carbon-graphite bow. Made in the USA! Also visit the "Bows" and "CodaBow" pages on the present website.

Want a fancy violin or bow? Visit www.alkdesigns.com: This is the website of Jacksonville FL artist Adria Krantz ("ALK Designs") for really cool painted violins and bows! You can order from us. See our "Contact Us" page.

Weddings and Other Events

Duo Cellissimo:

Adrienne deNoyelles and Ed Klein play cello duos for weddings and other events in the Gainesville FL
area, north-central Florida and southern Georgia.

Visit their website for sound clips and more information. See also our "Customers" page.

www.wehnerweddings.com:

Choose Kyle Wehner for wedding music in the Jacksonville/
St Augustine FL area.

www.azaleastrings.com:

Azalea Strings is a Gainesville, Florida, professional string ensemble that performs in and around North Central Florida and Southern Georgia. They perform regularly at weddings and private functions as well as with symphonies throughout the region.

Three Cool Fiddling Websites

Florida State Fiddlers' Association:

The Florida State Fiddlers Association (FSFA) is a group of musicians and music-loving friends who have organized for the purpose of holding a yearly convention and fiddle contest. A quarterly newsletter is published. Join here. See the Gainesville Violins ad in the newsletter for great special offers!

http://207.150.192.12/temp/sawgra/index.html

The Sawgrass Fiddle Association is dedicated to preserving the traditions of fiddling for young people. An annual fiddle contest for children and teens is at the heart of its organization. This fiddling day at Paynes Prairie State Preserve, Gainesville FL, is intended to be enjoyed by everyone from young to old. Gainesville Violins is a proud sponsor of the event. Use the above link to get to details of the April 2006 event and also visit the "Fiddles" page on this website.

Annemieke
Pronker-Coron,
organizer.

http://www.thisbigstringband.com:

Jim Marks, guitarist and fiddler, lives in Gainesville! Visit his band's website for amazing pictures, bio's, MP3's and CD's. See also the "Fiddles" page on the present website.

Exploding the Myths and Telling the Truth

Fritz Reuter & Sons, Inc:

Jan and Anna with their old friend and mentor Fritz Reuter in Chicago. Fritz's website is a treasure trove of interesting information and stories. He debunks many myths and exposes a lot of unethical practices ... the "dark side" of the violin business. There is
a valuable section on how to buy a violin. This
entire website is a must-read for all.

See also our "Policies" page re Ethics.

The World's Finest Cases

www.musafia.com:

From Cremona, Italy - the world's finest cases. Visit the Musafia site for a list of US dealers. See our
"Italian Violins" page.

Suzuki Institutes: Instruments for Winners

Suzuki Institute of Dallas in Dallas TX.

Gainesville Violins has many customers at the Dallas Suzuki Institute in Dallas, TX. They invited Jan and Anna over on December 20, 2004, for a special concert played on Gainesville Violins instruments! These
kids are winners. See the pictures on our "Customers" page.

Wehner's Suzuki Talent Education in Orange Park FL.

LEFT: Kyle Wehner with Mrs Suzuki at the World Suzuki Conference in Dublin, Ireland, 1995. Kyle is now co-owner of Wehner's Suzuki Talent Education in Orange Park FL and director of its string program. This is the Suzuki center which Gainesville Violins visits once a month in order to serve its Jacksonville area customers. Check our Schedule for more information.

The Shar Connection

Gainesville Violins is a totally independent
proprietary business owned by Jan and Anna
van Rooyen in Gainesville, Florida, USA,
from where they serve customers worldwide.

In order to serve their customers even better,
Gainesville Violins has become a business
associate of the famous Shar company
which is located in Ann Arbor, MI.

Customers can now order many items in
the regular printed Shar catalog from
Gainesville Violins at a discount price!

Call Shar on 1-800-248-7427, order their
free regular catalog and then CALL US
(see the "Contact Us" page
on this website).

We'll send the item to you at "no risk": If you don't
like it, just return it to us within 5 days in like-new
condition and we'll refund the purchase price to you.
There is no risk. You can only win!

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