Julian Armour

Principal cellist with Thirteen Strings and The Chamber Players of Canada. He is also the artistic director of the Music & Beyond Festival.

His cello: It was made in 1770 by William Forster, one of the top English makers, whose instruments are highly sought after.

A little history: The English learned to make superb cellos in the 18th century because there was a real need. Larger instruments would have been shipped from Italy and often got destroyed on the way. Because cellos are larger than

violins, they get damaged or destroyed easily. Every cellist knows someone who has had their cello broken to pieces by airlines. My cello sat out both world wars in California. Wars have destroyed a huge number of instruments over the centuries. My cello is in excellent condition. Even the pegs are original, which is extremely rare.

What it’s worth: Let’s just say that it took me many years to pay off my loan for this instrument.

Where he found it: In a small shop in New York, I came across my current instrument when it was undergoing some minor repairs. I played on it for about 30 seconds and I knew it was exactly what I had been looking for. It took me several months to get the owner to agree to sell it. I have owned it for over 20 years.

On cello personalities: My other cello is a French instrument from the 1890s. I used to play on it about half the time. It is “blond,” my English cello is a “brunette.” My friends have nicknamed them “Betty and Veronica.” While both are terrific instruments, I almost always play on Veronica these days because I just love the refined sound I’m able to get day in and day out. It is always a treat to play on this instrument.