CFA News
College of Fine Arts News

Antique Violin Collection Belonging to Gatorade Inventor to be Loaned to UF Music Students

A collection of antique violins and violas that belonged to, and were played, by the late Dr. James Robert Cade, a University of Florida physician, researcher, and the lead inventor of Gatorade, will be loaned by the Cade Museum Foundation to third-year students at the UF School of Music starting in Fall 2009.

"My father played the violin beautifully, " said Phoebe Cade Miles, who heads the Foundation. "Some of my favorite childhood memories were listening to my parents play chamber music together." Dr. Cade often loaned the violins - and even gave some as gifts - to children who had expressed an interest in learning to play.
 
The Museum Foundation, which now oversees the collection of 30 instruments, some dating from the 18th century, decided the best way to honor Dr. Cade's musical legacy was to make the instruments available to area students. Music professors from the UF have evaluated each instrument for sound quality and recommended those which would be suitable for the loan program.
 
“Our student musicians are privileged by the loan opportunity for an instrument from Dr. Cade’s private musical instrument collection, " Lucinda Lavelli, Dean of the College of Fine Arts, said. "Dr. Cade was a remarkable innovator, remembered for his creativity in science and also in the arts. While these instruments will greatly improve the educational experience for our students, the Cade legacy of creativity exemplifies the vision of the College of Fine Arts: creativity is critical to success in any discipline.”
 
Mrs. Miles said the Foundation intends to sponsor concerts featuring the instruments starting as early as next year in the historic downtown Firestone Building. The building, currently set to undergo renovations, will serve as the temporary headquarters for the Museum.
 
"I think my dad would have liked this," said Mrs. Miles. "He was convinced that playing music was one of the best medicines available in this world, because it has the power to lift the human spirit."
 
For more information, please contact Cheryl Fisher, 301-654-5805, cherylfisher6@yahoo.com.