New dates to be announced Sponsored by The University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Continuing Studies and School of Music in cooperation with The American String Teachers Assocation Clinicians: Wil Bremer Christopher Germain Christopher Moore David Orlin Jennifer Ruggieri Chelcy Bowles, Program Director These intensive clinics provide hands-on experiences for those interested in learning to repair string instruments.  And – new in 2011 – Harp Maintenance Workshops for lever and pedal harps!  Participants work on their own projects under the guidance of skilled specialists. Clinics include: Basic/Beginning Repair, Intermediate Repair (both for violin, viola, cello), Fretted Instrument Repair, Bow Repair, Lever Harp Maintenance, Pedal Harp Maintenance. Download the 2011 brochure. Join our mailing list and automatically receive a brochure regarding the National String Instrument Repair Clinics and Harp Maintenance Workshops. Tell a friendabout the National String Instrument Repair Clinics and Harp Maintenance Workshops. How to register for a String Instrument Repair Clinic or Harp Maintenance Workshop.

Description

Sponsored by the National String Workshop, the String Repair Clinics have provided hands-on experiences for those interested in learning more about string instrument repair for over thirty years. The Clinics offer excellent instruction in the repair of violins, violas, and cellos, as well bow repair and fretted instruments.  And – new in 2011 – Harp Maintenance Workshops for lever and pedal harps!

The beautiful new Smith Hall on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus is the setting for all classes.  Smith Hall is just a few blocks away from Madison’s famous State Street, Downtown Madison, and the central UW-Madison campus.

Registration in each track of the String Instrument Repair Clinics and the Harp Maintenance Workshops is limited to fifteen.  Participants will be accepted in the order of registrations received.

The National String Instrument Repair Clinics and Harp Maintenance Workshops are sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Continuing Studies and the School of Music in cooperation with the American String Teachers Association. 

 

String Instrument Repair Clinics
July 31 - August 4

During these intensive 5-day clinics, participants bring their own instruments needing repair to work on under the guidance of skilled repair specialists. Although all participants are not necessarily expected to do all of the repair procedures, they will be able to work on their own repair project with our skilled clinicians, and will observe multiple repair projects over the five-day period. The clinicians are extremely flexible and proceed at the pace of the majority, and are happy to discuss appropriate class placement prior to registration.

Instruction is offered in four different clinics: Basic/Beginning Repair, Intermediate/Advanced Repair (both for violin, viola, and cello), Fretted Instrument Repair, and Bow Repair. All sessions are based on hands-on instruction, and participants are expected to bring their own projects and tools. Specific equipment lists will be sent upon registration.

Basic/Beginning Repair presumes minimal or no background - just a desire to learn when a repair is needed and to recognize if a repair is properly done. The class will cover topics from simple instrument adjustments, seam and crack repair, fitting of pegs, bridge, and soundpost. Instructor: Christopher Moore

Intermediate/Advanced Repair provides a thorough overview and more advanced techniques for the most common violin family repair techniques, including proper tool handling and maintenance, gluing, and sound adjustment, as well as instrument set-up techniques, including bridge and soundpost and peg fitting. This track presumes beginning to intermediate background in instrument repair. Instructor: Christopher Germain

Bow Repair is designed to introduce and encourage participants to use professional techniques. Fundamental procedures like rehairing, grips, straightening and cambering, and screw/eyelet/frog fitting will be covered. Additional topics from cracks and broken heads to tip, pearl, and metal replacement and ebony repairs – may be addressed on an individual basis, depending on the participants’ needs, interest and experience. All experience levels are welcome; beginners should plan to concentrate on rehairing, while those with more experience can work individually with the instructor. Participants should bring several bows to work on, and materials and tools suitable to their projects. A suggested tool supply list will be mailed to all who register. Instructor: David Orlin

Fretted Instrument Repair presumes no background beyond a basic knowledge of fretted instruments and an interest in their adjustment and repair. However, participants with some prior experience will be accommodated. The class focuses first on evaluation and set up for best playability, then proceeds to basic and intermediate structural repairs. Exact topics covered will depend to some extent on the instruments brought to class, but will include fundamental techniques common to most typical repairs, such as action adjustment, leveling and recrowning frets, replacement of nuts and saddles, bridge resets, and fabrication of replacement bridges. Additional topics will be covered as time and circumstances permit. Instructor: Wil Bremer

 

Harp Maintenance Workshops
Lever Harp: August 1
Pedal Harp: August 2 - 3

The harp maintenance workshops focus on maintenance and simple repair procedures for lever harps and for pedal harps. Although observers are welcome to register in the workshops, participants are encouraged to bring their own instruments for hands-on experience under the guidance of a skilled technician. It is not expected that participants will complete all of the maintenance procedures on their own harps, but all procedures will be demonstrated by the clinician, and there will be ample opportunity to observe the various maintenance projects of other participants.

Instruction is offered in two separate workshops: a one-day workshop for lever harp maintenance and two-day a pedal harp workshop, with an optional half-day extension for those needing additional time to complete projects on their pedal harps. A tool and supply list will be sent upon registration.
 
Lever Harp Maintenance Workshop addresses issues of general lever harp care and maintenance, and will cover replacing strings and wires, adjusting levers, and finding and fixing buzzes. Additional topics may be addressed on an individual basis, depending on participant needs, interest, and experience. All participants will be asked to purchase a maintenance manual, and a tool/supply list will be provided in advance for those bringing instruments to work on; the manual and all items may be purchased online. Instructor: Jennifer Ruggieri.

Pedal Harp Maintenance Workshop address issues of general pedal harp care and maintenance, and will cover replacing strings and wires, replacing pedal and slot felts, general base work, replacing discs, and replacing pedal rods. Topics may vary depending on individual projects and participant experience.  All participants will be asked to purchase a maintenance manual, and a tool/supply list will be provided in advance for those bringing instruments to work on; the manual and all items may be purchased online. Instructor: Jennifer Ruggieri.

 

Clinicians and staff

 

	Christopher Germain (Intermediate/Advanced Repair) makes award-winning violins, violas and cellos from his studio in center city Philadelphia.  He is the President of The American Federation of Violin and Bowmakers, Inc., and also directs the Stringed Instrument Maker’s Workshop at Oberlin College. He has lectured and demonstrated his craft at venues around the world.
	Christopher Moore (Basic/Beginning Repair) established his workshop in 2001 after several years' work repairing and restoring fine stringed instruments in Chicago violin shops. He is a graduate of the Chicago School of Violin Making, which is known for its emphasis on teaching quality craftsmanship in the tradition of the 17th and 18th century classical masters. While Moore's focus is handcrafting new cellos, he continues to repair and restore stringed instruments at his workshop in Madison, Wisconsin.
	Wil Bremer (Fretted Instrument Repair) has repaired and restored instruments professionally for almost 40 years.  He is founder and co-owner of Spruce Tree Music and Repair in Madison, Wisconsin, where he has specialized in repair and restoration of both new and vintage stringed instruments since 1980. Mr. Bremer’s style and philosophy of repair and restoration stem from an interest in and respect for the original intentions of the builders on whose instruments he works.
	David Orlin (Bow Repair) trained originally with bowmaker William Salchow and vioinmakers David Burgess and Mark Norfleet. After several years working in Minneapolis, Madison, and Seattle, he returned to Ann Arbor in 1989, where he has a bow making and restoration studio. He was elected to the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers in 1996. Orlin taught bow repair at the National String Instrument Repair Clinics in the 1990's, and since 2003 has taught bow restoration at the Violin Society of America's Stringed Instrument Maker's Workshop at Oberlin College.
	Jennifer Ruggieri (Harp Maintenance) is a member of the Lyon & Healy/Salvi Technicians Guild and has been regulating harps since 2007. She has performed regulations for Chicago College of the Performing Arts, Indiana University in Bloomington, DePauw University, Purdue University, and Carnival Cruises, in addition to many privately owned instruments around the country. She is also a freelance harpist and teacher serving the Chicago area and surrounding suburbs.

Chelcy Bowles (Program Director) is Professor of Music and Director of Continuing Education in Music at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Bowles directs professional development opportunities for music teachers and performers, the adult continuing education in music program, and the Madison Early Music Festival.

Jodi Roberts is the Program Associate for Continuing Studies in Music at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Hannah Benton is the Student Assistant for Continuing Studies in Music at University of Wisconsin-Madison.  She is a music education major (strings) in the UW-Madison School of Music.

 

Academic options

All participants in the National String Instrument Repair Clinics and the Harp Maintenance Workshops earn Continuing Education Units (CEU).  Academic credit may be earned by Repair Clinic participants (not available for harp workshops).  Those desiring UW-Madison credit may earn one undergraduate or graduate level credit through full participation in one of the clinic tracks.  Please see “General Information – Optional Credit Fees” for credit fees.

General information

Schedule

The String Instrument Repair Clinics begin at 1:00 pm on Sunday, July 31, and end at noon on Thursday, August 4. Classes meet Sunday 1:00-6:00 pm, Monday through Wednesday 8:30-noon and 1:30-6:00, and Thursday 8:30-noon. Registration begins at 10:00 am on July 31, and participants may begin moving equipment into class spaces after registration.
The Lever Harp Maintenance Workshop will be held on Monday, August 1, 8:30-noon and 1:30-6:00 pm.  Registration begins at 7:45 am, and participants may move instruments into the class space after registration.
The Pedal Harp Maintenance Workshop will be held on Tuesday, August 2, and Wednesday, August 3, 8:30-noon and 1:30-6:00 pm.  Registration begins at 7:45 am on August 2, and participants may move instruments into the class space after registration.  An optional half-day extension on Thursday, August 4, is available for those with projects requiring additional time and guidance.

Location

All classes are held on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Smith Hall, 35 N. Park Street, Madison, WI.  Detailed maps will be mailed to all who register.

Transportation

Madison is served by the Dane County Regional Airport and most major airlines.  By car, Madison is approximately 70 minutes from Milwaukee's Mitchell International Airport (http://www.badgerbusonline.com/BasicSchedule.aspx) and three hours from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (http://www.coachusa.com/vangalder/ss.ohareairport.asp).  Frequent, reliable, safe, clean, air-conditioned bus service is provided from both airports directly to the UW-Madison campus. 

Housing and meals

Campus housing is available in the new Smith Hall, 35 N. Park Street, Madison, WI, which is also the site for all classes. Housing packages including room, breakfast, and lunch are offered on a per-night basis starting with Sunday night accommodation through Thursday lunch. Single packages are $70.35 per person per night and double rooms are $49.90 per person per night. Amenity and online reservation information is available at http://www.housing.wisc.edu/confserv/index.php.  Housing package reservations should be made by June 30 to assure availability. Payment for housing is separate from Clinic registration and is paid upon arrival.

Breakfast and lunch are included in the housing packages for those housed in Smith Hall, and are served in the Smith Hall dining facility, Newell’s. Commuters may purchase individual meal tickets for Smith Hall dining for breakfast ($5.45 each) and lunch ($8.15 each). Dinners are on your own.  Madison is known for its excellent restaurant scene, and a detailed list of nearby restaurants in all price ranges will be provided on arrival.

For those preferring off-campus housing: There are several hotels available near the workshop site. A detailed list will be supplied upon request.

Parking

A campus parking permit may be purchased directly through the UW-Madison Transportation Department. A reservation form will be supplied upon registration; parking must be reserved by July 15, 2011. Hourly parking is also available near the workshop site, but not for overnight parking.

Fees

String Instrument Repair Clinics:  The registration fee is $450 (early-bird fee of $435 is available until April 1, 2010).  Because registration is limited, a $75 non-refundable deposit is required to secure registration, with the balance due upon arrival.  Please note that housing fees and optional academic credit fees are not to be paid at the time of registration. 

Harp Maintenance Workshops: The registration fee for the one-day Lever Harp Maintenance Workshop is $125; the two-day Pedal Harp Maintenance Workshop is $250.  For all three days, the registration fee is $350. There is no fee for the optional half-day extension. Because registration is limited, a $50 non-refundable deposit is required to secure registration, with the balance due upon arrival.  Please note that housing fees are not to be paid at the time of registration. 

Optional Credit Fees (String Instrument Repair Clinics only):  Participants in the String Instrument Repair Clinics desiring credit must attend all four days of the program and pay the UW-Madison credit fees of approximately $377 per credit in addition to the Clinic registration fee.  Credit registration and fee payment are separate procedures from Clinic registration.  Those desiring credit must complete the UW-Madison Guest Student application process as soon as possible.  If you are interested in earning credit, mark the appropriate space on the Enrollment Form, and detailed credit information, requirements, and registration materials will be mailed to you. (Participants enrolled in a University of Wisconsin degree program pay the credit fees required by the program.)

 

How to register

To register for a string instrument repair clinic or a harp maintenance workshop, please download the registration form and mail or fax with payment to the address printed on the form.  If you would like to receive a brochure including a registration form by mail, please contact Jodi Roberts.  Phone: 608-263-6670   Email: music@dcs.wisc.edu

For more information

Program Associate Jodi Roberts at 608-263-6670 or jroberts@dcs.wisc.edu
Program Director Chelcy Bowles at 608-265-5629 or cbowles@dcs.wisc.edu

 

Master's Degree in String Development and UW-Madison Graduate String Offerings

The University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music offers multiple options in string pedagogy. The String Development degree is an intensive master's degree in string pedagogy and performance, and pedagogy minors and emphases are available at the bachelors, master's and doctoral levels.

For more information on graduate coursework or on the String Development degree, contact:
Dr. Janet Jensen, UW-Madison School of Music, 3561 Humanities Building, 455 N. Park Street, Madison, WI 53706; 608/263-3144; jljense2@facstaff.wisc.edu

UW–Madison School of Music www.music.wisc.edu

Also of interest

Other UW-Madison summer 2011 music credit offerings

Madison Early Music Festival and Workshop: July 9-16, 2011

School of the Arts at Rhinelander: July 24-29, 2011

Year-round opportunities

Educational Video Series
The University of Wisconsin-Madison has developed the video series Clinics on Cassettes as a resource for music specialists, classroom teachers, studio teachers, teacher education programs and for self-instruction. String education videotapes in the series include: Rabin on Strings, Guide to Orchestral Bowings Through Musical Styles (with Marvin Rabin), BASSically Karr, Karr Tunes, KARRdiology (with Gary Karr), Developing String Ensembles (with the Pro Arte Quartet), The Inner Game of Music (with Barry Green), and The Joy of Shifting and Double Stops.  Some selections are available on DVD.  www.dcs.wisc.edu/lsa/music/ev.htm  

Music Classes for Adults
The UW-Madison Division of Continuing Studies offers year-round music learning opportunities for adults through evening and weekend classes.  CEUs are available for all classes.  See current semester offerings at www.uwmusicclasses.org

Distance Learning
The UW-Madison Division of Continuing Studies also offers year-round music learning opportunities online (www.dcs.wisc.edu/lsa/online/music/index.html) and by print correspondence (www.dcs.wisc.edu/lsa/indlearn/music.htm).  Credit and CEU options are available.

To receive more information on these and other offerings, contact:

Chelcy Bowles
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Continuing Education in Music
21 N Park St. - 7th Floor
Madison, WI 53715

Phone: 608-265-5629
Fax: 608-265-4555
E-mail: cbowles@dcs.wisc.edu
Web site: www.dcs.wisc.edu/lsa/music