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Native American Violinists

Native American Violinists

November is Native American Heritage month, a time to reflect upon the rich culture and traditions of Native Americans. To help celebrate Native American Heritage month we decided to highlight some violinists of Native American and mixed Native American ancestry.
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Thank You Letter From Long Island Cares

Thank You Letter From Long Island Cares

We at the LIVS wanted to find a way to help those most in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. That's why in May of this year we started the LIVS Cares campaign to raise money for Long Island Cares: The...

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Charle's Rufino's Tips for Cleaning and Sterilizing Instruments

A member of the NYSSMA Task Force for Ensemble Safety recently contacted LIVS Director Charles Rufino asking about strategies for cleaning and disinfecting school instruments. Mr Rufino gave the following advice and answers to the question that had been asked:...

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An Interview With a Music Teacher

An Interview With a Music Teacher

We though it would be fun to interview a music teacher to see what teaching has been like since the shift to remote learning. The following is an interview with Ms. Bonnie Foti who teaches music in the Commack School...

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Boved 2-Way Humidity Control Kit for Violin

Winter is Coming.......... And So Are Dryness Cracks!

It’s that time of year again, when string instruments are most vulnerable to dryness-related damage. Wood expands and contracts with the fluctuation between humid and dry conditions. This is why string players will notice their pegs starting to slip as the...

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Strings and Conservation - The International Alliance of Violin and Bow Makers For Endangered Species

We're living in a time when conservation of endangered species is of paramount importance, but it has presented some interesting challenges for luthiers. The traditional art of violin and bow making has not changed much for centuries, but some of the materials used by luthiers are now on the endangered species list, with more soon to be added. These are materials such as ivory, mother of pearl, tortoise shell and pernambuco. Violin making has evolved to avoid the use of some of these species but the main types of wood used in violin making (ebony, maple and spruce) may soon be added to this list. It has been clear to luthiers for some time now that in order for the art of violin making to remain sustainable, they must be involved in efforts to conserve and regrow these species.
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Why is My Violin Making That Sound?

Why is My Violin Making That Sound?

“Why is my instrument making that sound?” is one of the most common questions we get here in the shop. Sound is produced by vibration and there are many different parts of an instrument that vibrate when it is being playing. If something is slightly off on the instrument, or not properly engaged, it can produce an irregular vibration against another part of the instrument, producing an unpleasant or annoying sound. This sound may often come in the form of a buzzing, ringing or rattling noise.
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Gearing Up for Rental Season

Gearing Up for Rental Season

Gearing Up for Rental Season  It's that time of year again! "Rental Season" is upon us, which means that the workshop is about to get really busy! Rental Season is when our luthiers start going through each and every rental instrument to make...

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