Mr Banfield has a life-long love of the violin – his grandfather was a fiddler and he inherited his very old violin, a family heirloom. 

Mr Banfield was in the air force during World War II and took up the violin as rehabilitation after he served. 

“My grandfather’s violin has a drone on it, an extra string. I played that for years and years,” Mr Banfield said. 

The musical therapy made an indelible mark – Mr Banfield got to a grade six level on the fine instrument and was often called upon to play at parties and debutante balls.

“I thoroughly enjoyed it,” he said. 

But to his dismay crippling arthritis, “the violin’s enemy”, has stopped him from playing the beloved instrument. 

Mr Banfield now enjoys classical music vicariously and said he was moved by the MSO quartet’s impromptu performance. 

The string group set up shop inside Telstra store on the corner of Hargreaves and Mitchell Streets – a pleasant surprise for morning shoppers. 

The performers – violinists Andrew Hall and Clare Miller, with violist Isabel Morse and cellist Sarah Morse – provided the musical interlude as part of their visit to work with the Bendigo Symphony Orchestra. 

As part of fostering a promising musical partnership between the city and the MSO, they will be performing a fundraising dinner ahead of their October 15 concert at Ulumbarra Theatre. 

The day after, the MSO will give two performances for schools to give regional children a world-class show. 

Telstra Stores Bendigo’s Nick Papaz said the company had recently given a boost to funding the MSO’s regional touring costs and said he was thrilled to be supporting the cultural coup for the region. 

Capital Venues and Events are fostering a relationship with the MSO to bring them to Bendigo every year. 

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performs at Ulumbarra Threate on Thursday October 15. 

Tickets at gotix.com.au or call the Box Office on 5434 6100.