More News

Ken Trotter had outgrown his violin.

The 17-year-old Friendsville, Tenn., resident had played the instrument since the sixth grade, working the bow and strings daily, trying to make a new, more mature sound.

But he couldn't, and his father – who was raising four kids alone – couldn't afford a new instrument.

So, in stepped Dalton Potter, owner of Potter Violin Company, 500 miles away in Bethesda.

Through his work with the American String Teachers Association, a Virginia group that promotes string playing and teaching, Potter donated a $2,000 violin to Trotter, even though the two had never met.

"We wouldn't have an opportunity to get [a new violin] without this program," Trotter said. "And we were kind of stressing out figuring out a way to get one."

For his efforts with Trotter, and 1,000 other students like Trotter who Potter has also donated instruments to, the American String Teachers Association awarded Potter the annual Taugott Rohner Leadership in the Music Industry Award this month, given annually to a strong professional who demonstrates exceptional leadership.

"We look for industry partners who have shown a commitment in advancing string music," said ASTA Executive Director Donna Hale. "Dalton really is the pioneer in thinking about helping kids in this way, saying, ‘What can I do to help more kids play string instruments?'"

Potter's shop, on Highland Avenue in Bethesda, is a quaint 1920s-era house, with a separate storefront along Wisconsin Avenue.

He employs 20 full-time employees, making and selling 2,000 violins a year, and renting another 3,000.

But, business aside, he's a man who deep down just wants to help.

"I have a very firm belief that you need to reward efforts," the 52-year-old Rockville resident said. "But the donations I make come with strings attached, and the students need to work hard to earn the instruments."

Potter works with the association to find suitable violin recipients who first and foremost express a commitment to the instrument, and secondly have a financial need. Potter has donated instruments to students all over the country, and around the world, sending violins to Idaho and Indian reservations, and helping equip children's orchestras in Colombia and Haiti.

And the instruments don't come cheap: each is handcrafted and costs more than $2,000 retail.

In addition to his violin donations, Potter also started a Back-to-School Music Giveaway, which this past year donated $4,500 in sheet music to Montgomery and Frederick county elementary schools.

"It really helps with budgets being tight these days, and it really helps to be able to get some new and fresh music to play," said Charles Bowling, a music teacher at Chevy Chase Elementary School, one of the recipients of the sheet music. "This is something we may not have had without Mr. Potter."

In the future Potter – who has owned the shop since 1996 – would like to start a nonprofit to coordinate all of his charitable efforts. For now, though, he's happy just giving back.

"The fact is the students we help are poor, most live in the country, and have no support system, so these problems are insurmountable," he said. "It's like an athlete needing a new tennis racket or hockey stick; they just can't get any further with the instrument they have. You can't play with a flat soccer ball."