This Henry Werro viola was purchased in 1950 by "Karl", currently of St George, Utah.  At that time, Karl (age 20) was serving a 2 ½ year mission for his church in Switzerland.  He visited Henry Werro’s 2nd story violin shop weekly while he was serving in Berne.  He got to know Henry (around age 35) quite well on those visits and came to appreciate his skill.  Henry had won various prizes for the instruments he made.  Karl found this viola he loved, and was able to talk his father into financing the purchase at $750. 

When Karl (an only child) was 5 years old, he heard someone play the violin in church in North Ogden, Utah.  He was entranced and would often entertain himself by using two sticks, one as a violin and one as the bow, as he “played” and sang along.  His dad, who loved baseball, had other ideas for his young son, and took him to his games and practices where Karl would be required to chase after the balls.  Karl liked baseball okay, but when a traveling salesman came around recruiting students for the Institute of Music and Art in Ogden, he begged his parents for violin lessons.  At first his dad said, “I won’t have one of those squeaky things in the house,” but later relented (as was usually the case when it came to their only son). 

Karl loved playing the violin and was always first chair in his school orchestras. He attended Brigham Young University in Utah for a year before going on his mission.  It was there that he decided to learn to play the viola.  He played in community and university orchestras in Provo, Utah.  In fact, it was in the community orchestra there that he met the young woman who would later become his wife.

After serving his mission in Switzerland, Karl returned, got married, became a father, completed his music education degree, played the viola in the Utah Symphony for a year and got drafted.  In 1954, while at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri learning to be a clerk typist, he sent an audition tape to the 7^th Army Symphony and received orders to report to Germany.  The rest of his unit went to Korea. 

Karl and his little family spent a year and a half in Stuttgart, Germany, during which time Karl played the Werro viola in the 7^th Army Symphony.  Back in the states, Karl taught music (and history) in Salt Lake City and played the viola in the Utah Symphony for 17 years.  His wife was a pianist and they often performed together for church meetings, funerals, and other occasions.

After a move to Springville, Utah, in 1966, Karl started up the orchestra program at Spanish Fork High School. In 1980 he became interested in fiddling and became a Utah state champion fiddler and longtime member of the Utah Old-Time Fiddlers.  He taught many private students, even after losing his eyesight. His life revolved around music and he never turned down an opportunity to use his abilities to bless the lives of others.  At 94, now having also lost most of his hearing, playing the viola or fiddle has become too difficult. He hopes that whoever gets this instrument will enjoy it as much as he did for over 70 years.