Aaron Copland (1900-1990) was an American composer, teacher, writer, and later conductor of his own and other American music. Copland has been referred to as “the Dean of American Composers,” because...
When we think of bowed instruments we often only think of the obvious ones, the violin, viola, cello and bass. I believe it’s time to shine some light upon one...
Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) was a Frenchcomposer of the Romantic era. He wrote many of his most popular works during 1830 and 1847. He was most famous for his compositions Symphonie fantastique and Grande...
Our violin of the month is by maker David Polstein who is a contemporary and personal friend of LIVS Director, Charles Rufino. This instrument is an elegant copy of an early del...
Violin/Bow Technician in Huntington: This position requires experience in using tools, we are willing to train candidates, but some experience in using and sharpening hand tools is necessary. The position...
This violin made by Robert Dolling, circa 1920s, is a prime example of a classic Markneukirchen violin.
Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840) was an Italian violinist, violist, guitarist, and composer. He has been celebrated as the best violin virtuoso of his time, and heavily influenced modern violin technique. He is...
One of the most common questions we get at the shop is “How do I know when it’s time to rehair my bow?” There are a couple of different indications...
It is my sad duty to report the passing of our good friend John Connolly Jr. this past weekend. Although the average string player may not have known his name,...
It's possible you have encountered bow bugs before without knowing it. The most obvious sign of a bow bug infestation is if you have a bow that seems to have...
Claude Debussy was born in France in 1862. He began piano lessons at the age of seven. His talents were evident early on, and began studies at the Paris Conservatoire when...
Rental season is upon us and the crew is busy working on a large shipment of rental instruments that just arrived today. There are many steps involved in getting each instrument...
We had a visit the other day from NY musician Drew Bordeaux. Drew was in town opening up for the Gin Blossoms at The Paramount. He saw one of our...
When we think of our national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, the first person who comes to mind is usually Francis Scott Key. The lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner...
One of the newest hires at the LIVS, Josh Corwin, headed out to Colorado two weeks ago for the Rocky Ridge Music Center in Estes Park. He's been playing viola...
Last week Director of the LIVS, Charles Rufino, attended a memorial service for musician and friend Olga Zilboorg. Ms. Zilboorg passed away at age 83. She was a cellist primarily...