Csehy

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Founded in 1962 by Hungarian violin virtuoso Wilmos Csehy, the Csehy Summer School of Music is a Christian organization dedicated to developing excellence in classical music in a Christian environment. Operating as a summer camp program, Csehy provides many opportunities for music study and performance, as well as time for sports and other activities. The program attracts young musicians from around the world, so cross-cultural experiences abound.

Wilmos Csehy, 1914-1983, pronounced ‘shay-hee’, was born of Hungarian parentage and traveled extensively in musical ministry along with his wife, Gladys, an accomplished pianist, as the Csehy Musical Messengers. Sometimes, other professional musicians would joint them in their concerts. A part of their work included conducting music camps in both the classical and sacred genre. For most of his professional life, Wilmos Csehy played a rare Landolfi violin made in 1772 in Milan, Italy, and was once the property of Ferdinando David, a contemporary of Felix Mendelssohn. On one occasion, I heard them give a concert wherein Mr. Csehy played a tiny violin made for him by his father when he was 3 years old, which was the age at which he began to take lessons from his father.

The Csehys were also expert at playing the open glass harmonica, which they did four-handed. This was somewhat different than the classical cylindrical glass harmonica that is so well known. The Csehys assembled wine goblets on a table filled with varying amounts of water. With fingers moistened in rosin and water, they would simultaneously circle the rims of those goblets, producing a four-part harmony that was so refined that it sounded celestial.

(This information about the Csehys was provided by Rev. Dennis R. Dean.) Proofread 2-24-2002