A violin with an intriguing history has made its way across the world to the Joy of Music School. The story goes like this: During World War I, as invading forces threatened a small town near Paris, the violin was buried along with a French soldier, to protect it from certain pillaging. The violin’s maker had it exhumed after the war and eventually it was purchased by a woman named Miss Hannah, a Cincinnati Conservatory of Music graduate who taught violin (among other instruments) in 1930s and ‘40s Knoxville. She left it to her prize student Carol Ridenour, who passed away recently and left it to her son, David, with instructions to donate it to the Joy of Music School.

The journey isn’t quite over. We won’t consider it complete until the violin is in the hands of a deserving student. In its current condition, it is unplayable. But we’re hoping someone might help us get it restored and into the hands of a student here at the school. Restoration estimates range from $1,000 to $1,500.

 

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