A piece of CL history returns with Kopecky donation

(Above) H Milton Duesenberg, from the Clear Lake Public Library’s History Room, and Millie Thomsen are pictured with the French violin, Konvalinka violin, flute and piccolo which Thomsen recently donated to the History Room. The instruments belonged to her father, John  Kopecky, who was a Clear Lake musician and longtime band director.-Reporter photo.

The return of a small piece of Clear Lake history has sparked a donation to the Clear Lake History Room at the Clear Lake Public Library.

Millie Thomsen, whose father, John Kopecky, was among the professional musicians who came to Clear Lake to play summer concerts starting in 1904 and went on to share his musical talents as a local band director, recently donated two of her father’s violins, along with a flute and piccolo to the History Room.   

Thomsen explained that as band director at Clear Lake High School and founder of the Clear Lake Drum & Bugle Corps, her father would often lend instruments to students wanting to give music a try.  As she found out a few years ago, at least one borrowed instrument - in this case a piccolo, was not returned.

Call it fate - or maybe a guilty conscience, but the instrument has made its way back to Clear Lake.  Some 80 years after it was borrowed, the student felt the need to return it.

Thomsen declined to name the CLHS graduate who turned the instrument back in, but said he first sent the piccolo to a classmate.  Unfortunately, he was unaware that the recipient had passed away.  Thankfully, the spouse of the late CLHS graduate did some research and came upon Thomsen’s name and learned she was band director John Kopecky’s daughter.  He sent the instrument to her.

Thomsen cherishes the musical history her father cultivated in Clear Lake and throughout North Iowa.  He is credited with starting the North Iowa Band Festival in 1932, as well as serving as director of the Clear Lake Municipal Band for 28 years.  That is why she decided to donate not only the piccolo, but other instruments belonging to her father.

One of the violins now on dis

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play at the library History Room was made by Joseph Konvalinka, from Mason City.  Konvalinka took up violin making after he became famous as a gunsmith.  He was considered to be one of three of the country’s best in making gunstocks for hunters, taking their arm and shoulder measurements.  He used that knowledge to make violins as a hobby.  Although he was not a musician, Konvalinka became well known for the violins he crafted.

The violin on display had been loaned to Joe Power, who was the leader at the Wilson & Cecil Theatres.  Kopecky wrote in his memoirs that Konvalinka was mad at Powers for laying the instrument on a hot radiator while playing at the hotel, so he wanted Kopecky to have it for use at the Bijou and Cecil Theaters, where he played until 1927.  He sold it to Kopecky for 50-cents or $1 per week.

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