The cello comes as a bequest by the late cellist Vivien Mackie
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) has received a cello made by Brescian luthier Gasparo da Salò for its instrument collection. It was left to the conservatoire as a bequest by cellist Vivien Mackie, who died in 2023.
Born in Edinburgh, Mackie studied with Pablo Casals in the 1950s and later became a qualified Alexander Technique teacher. In addition to publishing two books, ‘Just Play Naturally’ and ‘Butterfly Soup’, Mackie’s masterclasses were highly sought after internationally.
The RCS string department expressed its gratitude for the cello on social media:
‘Today, we were honoured to receive a generous bequest from the late Vivien Mackie—a stunning Gasparo da Salo cello.
‘Vivien Mackie was a distinguished cellist and a dedicated teacher of the Alexander Technique, who devoted much of her life to supporting and inspiring musicians around the world.
‘A heartfelt thank you to James Mackie and the Mackie family for this very special gift and incredible addition to our instrument collection.’
Gasparo da Salò (1540–1609) was a leading Brescian maker. He moved to Brescia soon after 1562, where he built a successful violin making business over the next 40 years. Alongside instruments from the violin family, he also made citterns, violones and violas da braccia. He was a contemporary of Andrea Amati and the Brothers Amati. His c.1596 double bass and c.1580 viola were featured in The Strad’s 2023 and 2024 calendars respectively.
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