Cello Soulmate Fund (crash victim)
Donation protected
My name is Frances Borowsky. I am a cellist.
On the afternoon of Friday, September 11, 2015, I set off from Baltimore towards York Springs, Pennsylvania to rehearse with my siblings, Elizabeth and Emmanuel, for our Sunday performance of Beethoven's Triple Concerto. We would be performing as soloists with the Gettysburg Chamber Orchestra.
At a country-road crossing just 20 minutes from my destination, my car (recently purchased Honda Fit) was hit on the left side by a pick-up truck, directly behind my seat.
Upon confirming that I was alive and not seriously injured, my first thoughts were towards my cello - the gold-medal winning cello of the 2014 VSA International Instrument Making Competition made by Michael Doran. It had been laying in the space behind me... on the left side of my vehicle. It had been met with direct impact, and I soon saw its condition.
Words cannot describe the anguish I felt, and still feel, at seeing my cello soulmate so destroyed. I was incredulous of the fact that I was able to walk away from the crash scene, albeit sore and in total shock and tears. This hit me hard.
My arms and hands could still move. My bow was intact. I borrowed my Mother's cello and performed the concert on Sunday. Tears threatened to roll down my face as the orchestra started its introduction, but I persevered and the performance was a great success.
Now, however, I will have to start the search for another cello soulmate. I expect that it will take at least two to six months, if not longer, to find another instrument to share in the beauty of performance and travels both near and far. With my golden cello, I had traveled up the East Coast and to Germany, Serbia, and France and was looking forward to many more performance and recording experiences.
Insurance helped cover the value of the instrument and car, however the following now-anticipated extra costs will be difficult for me to cover without your help. I just started in the Doctorate of Musical Arts program at University of Maryland, College Park this Fall.
This is where you come in::
• Travel costs to see and transport cellos: $1,000 (Michael Doran lives in Seattle, which is where I will travel to in order to try new cellos he may have within the next year. I may also travel to meet makers in New York and other cities, and will have several instruments sent to me. Returning these costs approximately $150 each.)
• Additionally, my Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 was severely damaged in the crash as well: $900 [Replacement laptop: $600! 11/28]
• New carbon-fiber case for new cello: $2,200
• Car deductible: $500
Thank you so very very much for reading, for caring, for donating. I will post updates as I can. As a thank you, I will send out download links or actual signed CDs of recordings I made with my golden cello in June.
"Adagio and Allegro" by Robert Schumann
June 2015, Essen, Germany
On the afternoon of Friday, September 11, 2015, I set off from Baltimore towards York Springs, Pennsylvania to rehearse with my siblings, Elizabeth and Emmanuel, for our Sunday performance of Beethoven's Triple Concerto. We would be performing as soloists with the Gettysburg Chamber Orchestra.
At a country-road crossing just 20 minutes from my destination, my car (recently purchased Honda Fit) was hit on the left side by a pick-up truck, directly behind my seat.
Upon confirming that I was alive and not seriously injured, my first thoughts were towards my cello - the gold-medal winning cello of the 2014 VSA International Instrument Making Competition made by Michael Doran. It had been laying in the space behind me... on the left side of my vehicle. It had been met with direct impact, and I soon saw its condition.
Words cannot describe the anguish I felt, and still feel, at seeing my cello soulmate so destroyed. I was incredulous of the fact that I was able to walk away from the crash scene, albeit sore and in total shock and tears. This hit me hard.
My arms and hands could still move. My bow was intact. I borrowed my Mother's cello and performed the concert on Sunday. Tears threatened to roll down my face as the orchestra started its introduction, but I persevered and the performance was a great success.
Now, however, I will have to start the search for another cello soulmate. I expect that it will take at least two to six months, if not longer, to find another instrument to share in the beauty of performance and travels both near and far. With my golden cello, I had traveled up the East Coast and to Germany, Serbia, and France and was looking forward to many more performance and recording experiences.
Insurance helped cover the value of the instrument and car, however the following now-anticipated extra costs will be difficult for me to cover without your help. I just started in the Doctorate of Musical Arts program at University of Maryland, College Park this Fall.
This is where you come in::
• Travel costs to see and transport cellos: $1,000 (Michael Doran lives in Seattle, which is where I will travel to in order to try new cellos he may have within the next year. I may also travel to meet makers in New York and other cities, and will have several instruments sent to me. Returning these costs approximately $150 each.)
• Additionally, my Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 was severely damaged in the crash as well: $900 [Replacement laptop: $600! 11/28]
• New carbon-fiber case for new cello: $2,200
• Car deductible: $500
Thank you so very very much for reading, for caring, for donating. I will post updates as I can. As a thank you, I will send out download links or actual signed CDs of recordings I made with my golden cello in June.
"Adagio and Allegro" by Robert Schumann
June 2015, Essen, Germany
Organizer
Frances Borowsky
Organizer
Baltimore, MD