Instrumentarium
Bernadette Verhagen plays a fine collection of violas and bows. For early music, she lays a 1710 viola on her shoulder. This magnificent instrument was built by Pieter Rombouts and expertly restored in 2008 by Gudrun Kremeijer.
The other viola she plays was built in 1930 by Jean Lavello. This viola accompanies her to almost all other concerts and is ideal for ASKO|Schönberg performances.
Music that sticks
For string players who wish to create the historical sound, every musical period requires a different stick. For music from the late classical period, Bernadette relies on an original John Dodd bow from around 1800. For recent compositions she works with a modern bow by Jochen Schmitt.
And then there are about a dozen other bows that Bernadette uses, originals and copies, from intervening periods. From early baroque to late classical, from early romantic to early 20th century.