Barge Music
PS8 kids had a first-hand and up-close treat from Barge Music February 10 when violinist Mark Peskanov visited with a luthier, someone who makes not only violins, but specialty instruments as well. The pair spent several hours visiting classes from Kindergarten through 5th grade, playing the instruments, explaining how they make music, and energizing the kids in the process.
In Mrs. Merriam's Kindergarten class, Peskanov played a lightning-fast Bach Partita, which brought the kids to their feet , all bouncing, smiles and laughter. Then he and his partner, luthier Lukas Wronski, showed them some of the exceptional instruments Wronski has made, some for David Segal violins in Manhattan, some "just for fun."
One violin had a carved head of the Statue of Liberty in the place of the scroll, while another had a Native American Indian , which he designed for the bicentennial celebration of Oklahoma. The violins take two months of full-time work, Wronski said, and cost tens of thousands of dollars.
After demonstrating the difference between his 250-year old Stradivarius and the 2-year-old violins by Wronski, Peskanov allowed all of the children to try one of the newer instruments. Some held the bow and played twinkle star, while others went so far as to try holding the violin itself.
Wronski also brought raw pieces of a violin he is currently working on, the front being made of spruce, the neck and back of maple. The kids examined the pieces and passed them around the classes, while Wronski explained that the F-holes are where the sound comes out, and that the strings are made of metal and "gut." (He left it at that, since no one asked "whose gut?").
Barge Music is brought to PS8 with funds raised by the PTA. They perform concerts at their location at the foot of Fulton Ferry year round, including periodic free concerts for PS8 families. For more information on Barge Music, go to www.bargemusic.com .
Posted on: February 26, 2009
