Maestro, I just broke my bow

A Times reporter was tipped off about an incident at a Bournemouth Symphony concert.

Violinist Stefan Jackiw was playing UK premiere of a concerto by the Ukrainian Reinhold Glière when his bow snapped – not a violin string, but the actual priceless 19th century bow.

In time-honoured fashion Jackiw borrowed a bow from the concertmaster and finished the concerto with barely a hitch. Jackiw said: ‘I think the conductor (Kirill Karabits) stopped the orchestra but it was just a split second.’

That’s what the Times were told. There was only one reviewer at the concert. David Truslove wrote on the Bachtrack site: ‘(The work’s) bravura manner momentarily foiled soloist Stefan Jackiw whose bow hair suddenly came adrift but, with barely a pause, he valiantly continued (borrowing the leader’s bow) to unveil the concerto’s pyrotechnics with aplomb.’

So which was it?

Did any of our readers see the incident?

photo: Sophie Zhai