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JOHN E. SIPE BIOGRAPHY

 

John E. Sipe is the fifth of six children born to parents of German and English heritage whose forefathers had migrated from Pennsylvania to North Carolina and settled in Catawba County. He was born on February 27th, 1931 in a three room house about five miles south of Newton, North Carolina that was owned by his great grandmother, Jane Turner, known throughout the area as “the great wine maker”. He attended both elementary and secondary school at Balls Creek School in Catawba County.

 

On June 16, 1951 he married Mary Hughes from Kannapolis, North Carolina. Out of this union came one daughter, Crystal Jane Sipe, born December 6, 1953 and one grandson, Raymond J. DeMund, born November 14, 1986.

 

In August 1951,shortly after his marriage he was drafted into the U S Army where he served honorably in the Korean War. After his discharge on April 1, 1953 he returned to Newton and worked in the local furniture companies until a “Spiritual Awakening” led him to violin making. Up to this time, his environment had afforded him a limited insight into the capabilities and range of colors that the violin could produce. Although self taught, success meant following the path that God had laid out for him.

 

In 1972 he attended master classes at Hofstra University in New York City, taught by world famous makers and repairmen. He also toured Europe visiting many of the famous makers and their shops. In 1977 he traveled to England to study bow making from Malcolm Taylor, then retired bow maker and teacher from W.E. Hill and Sons. On his return home he made forty-five bows now being used by professionals throughout the music world. He retired from bow making because he was allergic to the Pernambuco wood, which is toxic.

 

Today at age 74, he is among the top of the profession and still at work creating masterpieces for today and future musicians.

 

 

      

 

This is the house John was born in about five miles south of Newton on HWY 321.  Since his birth, the house has gone through some modern changes like the white siding that covers the old original weather beaten pine boards.

It is still occupied today. 

 

John Sipe Violins

 

Catawba County Museum Exhibit

 

 

          On August 7th, 2005, John Sipe donated a specially made violin to the Catawba County Museum.  Pictured here is John, daughter Crystal and his wife Mary after John was awarded a key to the city of Newton.

 

       

 

   

 

The “Newton Wilson”

 

  

 

 

         A poem, “The Violin Maker’s Workshop”

                     Written by Mary Sipe

         

 

                           Read the poem

 

  

 

 

 

 The donation letter written to Sidney Halma

                            by John

 

     

 

 

    The Catawba County Museum of History

       

 

 

 

THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN THE HICKORY DAILY RECORD NEWSPAPER

 

 

A gift for Newton

Violin will make its debut on Sunday

By KIM GILLILAND

Record Staff Writer

Friday, August 5, 2005

NEWTON -- Violins crafted by John Sipe are played in symphonies from Chicago to New York. His latest creation will play in Newton on Sunday as a gift to his hometown.

“I wanted to give back,” said the 74-year-old Newton native, who now lives in Charlotte. “My family encouraged me to do this.”

In 1960, Sipe began making violins at his home in Newton. In 1985 he retired in Charlotte and built a workshop behind his home, devoting himself solely to making violins, violas and the occasional cello.

Sipe spent the last four months assembling the pieces of Burma maple and West Virginia spruce into the violin, called “Newton Wilson,” for the infant son of Nathaniel Wilson, the first local state legislator, who helped the N.C. General Assembly create Catawba County.

Leroy Sellars, a professional violinist with the Western Piedmont Symphony and the Rowan Symphony Orchestra, will play the gift violin Sunday at the Newton-Conover Civic and Performance Place.

“It sounds like the old Italian violins,” Sellers said. “You can’t hardly tell them apart.”

Sellers will play three pieces, including Handel’s Violin Sonata No. 3, Allegro.

The violin will find a permanent home at the Catawba County Historical Museum, located in the 1924 Courthouse in Newton.

“This is an astounding gift to the people of Newton and Catawba County,” said Sidney Halma, executive director of the Catawba County Historical Association, which operates the museum. “Mr. Sipe has honored his native community with the finest work of his art, and allows his fellow hometown citizens to appreciated more fully his distinguished career.”

Sipe is also making a bow, to be displayed with the violin.

The violin will not rest.

“It needs to be played at least four times each year,” Sipe said. “It’s just as good as any new violin made today.”