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Interview Articles - Calvin Dyck

Calvin Dyck - The Golden Violin

Canadian violinist, Calvin Dyck, has expanded his fascinating career to include a theatrical recital called “The Golden Violin.” Accompanied by accomplished pianist Betty Suderman, Calvin has created a multi-dimensional show with a romantic and delightful story, colourful costumes, imaginative visual backdrops and stirring music. Read a review of their performance.

Calvin Dyck

Like the voice of angels, melodies from the strings of the “Golden Violin” soar to the heavens. In the virtuosic hands of Calvin Dyck, gifted Canadian violinist, entertainer and recording artist, the last perfect violin created by Dutch maker Johannes Cuypers in 1807 sings, emitting emotions that touch the heart.
Calvin brings the Golden Violin to life with passion, enthusiasm, and musicianship of the highest quality. He becomes his music, and, captured by his wonderful sense of showmanship and his warm smile, the audience becomes it too.

“I love to play a Mozart adagio or a Brahms symphony, but I also love pieces which are so much fun - there are smiles on people’s faces - they can’t help it because it’s so cheerful, it’s so entertaining.”

Interviewing Calvin is rather like that - entertaining. There’s always the unexpected. When discussing his recent CD This Shining Night and how it came together he began singing “Summertime and the living is easy…” followed almost on the same breath by one of opera’s most famous arias “O Mio Bambino Caro” by Puccini.

So what gave Calvin the inspiration to create this particular show? “The idea of the Golden Violin came about after I saw the movie The Red Violin,” Calvin chuckles. “I realized that I could write my own story about my own violin.

Bringing the music to life with story and props

“It occurred to me that just the sound alone of the music and the instrument isn’t enough, that there’s a need to understand the context, like the life experience of the composer or subject on which the music is based - a visual thing to hang a hat on! (Calvin has a thing about hats.) If the music is portraying a particular group of people, like Gypsies, you can describe the fire and the dance, paint a picture, then all of a sudden it’s more than beautiful sounds, it’s a time and place and emotion.”

From Gypsy melodies, to romantic gems and soul-stirring classics, from Copland and Gershwin to Beethoven and Mozart, Calvin, accompanied by accomplished pianist and fellow entertainer Betty Suderman, leads the audience on a musical and legendary journey of the Golden Violin. “We visit major cities and events of the last two centuries. From it’s inaugural concert in Amsterdam the Golden Violin travels to a concert in the home of Robert and Clara Schumann, then on to a gala affair in glittering Paris, a violin competition in Venice, and is miraculously saved from the ravages of World War II by being sent to New York”.

Calvin loves what he does. “I love the serious stuff, like performing the theme for Schindler’s List. And I love the fun stuff.”

The challenge and unique aspect of the show is the tailoring to individual venues. “The script has been amended several times. We try to fit the program for both the venue and local resources, to include local talent, such as an organist.”

Masterful musicianship, a well-scripted story, warm humour, interaction and audience participation are woven together to create a magical experience. To assist Calvin and Betty paint those magical pictures, imaginative lighting and backdrops portray essential characters and locations. “For Summertime we have a hot picture of the South. For Paris, the Arc de Triumphe. In Italy, Roman columns.

Calvin Dyck’s many hats

Calvin and Betty throw themselves into their roles and assisting them are a variety of costumes, specifically hats. Calvin loves hats. “And I love costumes,” laughs Calvin. “I have to confess that I have always been a bit of an entertainer. It’s a part of who I am. I love the variety. We have one or two simple things that capture a given place and time, like a Mozart wig, a French beret, a cowboy hat, a red cummerbund and tie for Italy…”

Then there’s the yellow hat with the bright yellow feather, featured in many a performance as Calvin’s fingers on the strings of the Golden Violin create the soaring sounds of “Hot Canary”.

Calvin wears many hats, not just on stage but in his daily life - as concertmaster for the Vancouver Island Symphony in Nanaimo, adjudicator, professor, entertainer and recording artist, father and community volunteer.

“Most of all,” says Calvin dramatically, “I love to play the violin.”

The Golden Violin couldn’t be in better hands. And it truly shows.

More information bookings can be obtained through Caline Artists Management and to read more about Calvin Dyck visit his own web site.

For an article about Calvin Dyck, Concertmaster, please follow the linked text. You may also read a review of a performance by Calvin Dyck and Betty Suderman on this website.

Note: There are many more articles on this site. Follow the link to view the Index of Articles.