Project Overview
The Crane School of Music has historically offered classes in Band Instrument Repair and now has developed a microcredential in the field. This project is designed to see if the same format of a semester long course can be used to implement an Orchestral Strings repair course. During the first semester of this project I will work to see how much knowledge and skill is actually attainable in the period of a semester with two students with no string repair background. I will then readjust the schedule and information for the second semester to fine tune the course so that we might be able to better accomplish the goal of a complete basic strings repair course.
Topics that will be covered:
- Sound post carving and placement
- Bridge carving
- Tuning peg shaping and carving
- Crack repair
- Stringing and setup procedures
- Fingerboard repair
- Seam closing
"Every cut of the knife and pull of the plane carries the quiet fulfillment of shaping not just wood, but the very sound of the music yet to be played."
Musical Instrument Technician, Crane School of Music
Faculty Bio
Samson Flancbaum has been involved with musical instrument repair since 2011 when he first took the class offered at Crane. Since then he has studies the different families if repair becoming experienced in all aspects of the field. Prior to his appointment at the Crane School of Music he was the woodwind specialist and shop foreman of N-Tune Music and Sound. Holding certifications in Muramatsu and Straubinger as well as experience with restoring vintage instruments, Samson brings a wealth of knowledge that he hopes to share with the students working with him.
Students
- Amara Leitner
- Ryan Murtagh
- Brandon Phelps
- Allie Shoen
Questions?
Students interested in participating in this project can contact Samson Flancbaum at flancbsm@potsdam.edu or (315) 267-2467.