Chasing Santa Fe: The Guardians of the Violins

"W i t h o u t m u s i c l i f e w o u l d b e a n e r r o r."

Nietzsche

Don't expect to be invited to a dinner party at Harriet & Karl Schreiner's

home anytime soon. Why? Because their lovely dining room table and every

other surface in this airy room is filled with magnificent, one-of-a-kind violins -

all created by 53 highly-collectible New Mexico and

International artists for the Santa Fe Symphony's

P A I N T E D V I O L I N S G A L A

Photos & Text by C. Whitney-Ward

This delightful and diligent couple share a love for both music and art, and this combined passion made them the perfect pick for Co-Chairs of this unique Symphony fundraiser.

No dinner parties here...

Each artist was given a violin to transform into a work of art, and every artist, note the Schreiners, graciously embraced the project both for its creative possibilities and the incentive to raise money for the Symphony's talented musicians and community engagement projects.

"All the Symphony musicians are residents of New Mexico," says Karl Schreiner," and eighty-percent of the money raised through this Gala supports these talented musicians and in turn the musical excellence of the Symphony." The remaining twenty-percent, according to Karl, goes to fund children's programming - mentoring, musical instruments and children's concerts - as well concerts for retirement and nursing homes.

I was invited to photograph the violins for CHASING and it was a remarkable experience, like stepping into a rare and precious museum.

MARIA ROMERO CASH
Madonna of Music

LAWRENCE BACA

The Silver Violin "Apres un Reve"

KEN WILLIAMS . DALLIN MAYBEE
Music from the Plains

CAVAN GONZALES . AMADO PENA

Stars in the Sky Dos Artesanos

"We've gotten to know all of the artists and have received wonderful e-mails and comments from them," says Harriet Schreiner. "They feel honored to be chosen and are humbled by the whole experience."