If this violin could speak, what a story it would tell! Masterfully crafted by Vincenzo Panormo, this exquisite instrument had its beginning in London, England in the early 1770s. It was completed in Paris several years before the French Revolution. To escape the war, Vincenzo moved business and family back to London. 200 years after its beginning the violin found itself in a vault in Seattle as part of a prized violin collection. It was 1971 and Sharyn Allsopp had won the Youth Concerto Contest and thus was invited to perform the Sibelius violin concerto with the Seattle Philharmonic. Her teacher, Emanuel Zetlin, said the violin she had would never carry over the orchestra. Knowing the owner, he asked permission to use the Panormo violin for the performance. The two-century old violin sang so beautifully that a love affair began and Sharyn’s father knew he had to purchase the violin for his daughter. He sold his Boeing stocks to buy the instrument and it has since been creating beautiful music under Sharyn’s talented hand. Sharyn Allsopp Peterson brought this violin to Willowbrook Manor last week and I could feel the soul of the violin as it filled my home with breathtaking melodies. 

This is the instrument Sharyn will play for our “Evening with Brahms” Dinner Concert on May 9th. She will be accompanied by pianist Lorraine Earle. I am thrilled to host such a splendid instrument and masterful musicians here at Willowbrook. 
-Terry (Owner of Willowbrook)