Introducing Matthew Dehnbostel, our Viola Specialist!
Interview conducted by Anika Barland
AB: What does an average day at Givens Violins look like for you?
MD: On any given day you’ll find me working with current clients and the instruments and bows they’re playing while on trial. We’re always looking to find the best fit for them. I’m also working with new customers, getting them acquainted with our inventory and the services we provide. I help customers select accessories for their instruments and bows, as well as get them set up with our workshop for repairs, estimates, and their various needs. I’m always looking to the market to update our inventory, with the goal of serving the needs of our customers. In my free time, I’m looking into new products and learning about the history of important luthiers and how their work has evolved. We’re blessed to have an amazing workshop and restoration team, so it’s important that I continue to learn as much as I can to better help our customers!
AB: Which violas in our current inventory do you enjoy playing the most?
MD: As a violist, I prefer a rich and dark sound that still has an energy to it. I love it when you find the right instrument pairing and it almost feels like the bow is flying across the strings! I’ve had quite a few favorite instruments come through Givens violins while I’ve been here- including my current instrument. Right now, one of my favorite violas is one we just recently acquired by Otto Erdesz, known in his time as the ‘King of Viola Makers’!
AB: What qualities stand out to you in a high-quality viola?
MD: The complexity and control of its color palette is really telling of the quality of instrument. As well as how easy it is to draw the sound you are looking for.
AB: When working with a young viola player, what factors are most important when finding and fitting a viola for them?
MD: There are a couple important things that I try to keep in mind when picking instruments for young players. Firstly, I want to find an instrument that fits them properly. Viola is already a very physically demanding instrument to play, so finding them something that fits well will help their growth immensely. The other thing that is just as important is finding an instrument that sounds great. I want young players to feel good while playing and enjoy the sound they produce. This is important to enhance the motivation to play!
AB: What factors are important when helping a violinist make the change to playing the viola?
MD: Congratulate them on choosing the superior instrument… 😊 Then we make sure to size them properly for an instrument. The biggest hurdle for starting viola is always finding the right fit; that is something I have lots of experience doing. The next hurdle is adjusting techniques slightly to account for the larger size of the instrument. More weight in the bow arm is needed to get the instrument to sound, and the finger spacing in the left hand is further apart which requires a bit more flexibility.
AB: In fitting a customer for a viola, what tools do you use to match them with a suitable instrument?
MD: I have played every viola we have for sale, enough to gain an in-depth understanding of the instrument and what it can achieve. I then commit it to memory. During my conversation with a new customer, I always ask 2 questions that help me gauge what they are looking for in a new instrument: “what sound quality do you prefer?” and “what are you hoping to achieve with a new instrument?” These questions along with my memory of the instruments help me know what to suggest to them. Though I’m a violist, I’m not perfect in every way, I do make sure to play the instruments again to make sure my memory of them is accurate. This helps me fit violas to a customers preferred sound palette.
To physically fit a viola there are some tools you can use to help the process go smoother. A caliper can help measure the thickness and depth of the instrument’s neck, and a tape measure to go over the instrument’s body dimensions, but the most important tool is a well-trained pair of eyes. If you know what to look for it’s very easy to see if an instrument fits properly or not. I keep an eye on the players right and left shoulders to make sure they aren’t raised when playing and an eye on their chin/neck to make sure they aren’t squeezing the instrument to hold it up. Also, I look at how far the arm extends from the body when playing in first position and the shape of the hand when playing on the C-string. We also track the 7 major viola measurements, because it’s not just about the body length of the viola.
AB: How do you find the right bow?
MD: At Givens Violins we use the method the bow maker William Salchow developed, which divides the bow auditioning process into two phases, testing for sound and testing for response. This method allows the player to be systematic in their considerations and find the best sounding and playing bow for their instrument. I typically suggest auditioning 3 bows at a time to not overwhelm their process.
AB: Finally, why is the C string so important?
MD: Because it is better than every other string!
Contact Matthew at mdehnbostel@givensviolins.com or (612) 375-0708 to schedule an appointment.
