Instrument belonging to Facebook engineer who died last year aged 33 has been left in trust for use by talented musicians with a community-building proposal
The Tarisio Trust Sun-Law Vuillaume Fellowship has named violinist Miki-Sophia Cloud as the first beneficiary of a two-year loan of the ‘Sun-Law’ Vuillaume.
As reported in January 2018, Eric Sun was a Facebook engineer and keen amateur violinist who was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a type of aggressive brain tumour, just two months after purchasing his dream violin.
Sun died at the age of 33 in November 2017, but he and his wife Karen Law made plans for the Vuillaume to be used by worthy young musicians. The Eric Sun-Karen Law Vuillaume Fellowship was set up under the aegis of the Tarisio Trust and has just chosen Miki-Sophia Cloud as the violin’s first recipient.
‘I am so deeply honored to be the inaugural recipient of the Sun-Law Vuillaume Fellowship,’ Cloud said.
‘When I read the New Yorker piece about Eric Sun and Karen Law last winter, I was rendered speechless – so inspired I was by their story, their great courage, and generous vulnerability in sharing it.
‘I hope to bring that same spirit of courage, generosity and vulnerability to each day I spend with this precious instrument, sharing its luminous sound with my colleagues, students, and audiences near and far.’
Tarisio’s director Carlos Tome commented: ‘We are delighted to have received such an enthusiastic response to the inaugural Sun-Law Vuillaume Fellowship and are inspired by the level of entrepreneurship and humanity demonstrated by the applicants.
‘It is heartening to see how many musicians are actively thinking about ways to use their talents for social change and justice. We are greatly appreciative of our esteemed judges, who had the difficult task of choosing the winning project, and we sincerely encourage all those who applied to pursue their meaningful endeavors.’
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