Three representatives from Paul Effman Music, Justin Varuzzo, Wes Stier and Desmond Teague, shared expert advice when they presented an instrument repair workshop on July 23 as part of Dutchess BOCES Educational Resources summer professional development program and the new Instructional Musical Instrument Service CoSer. The focus of this workshop, specifically designed for music educators, was repairs for brass and woodwind instruments.
Music teachers from the Arlington Central School District and Poughkeepsie City School District attended the session, learning how to identify issues, make quick adjustments and do minor repairs. After watching Stier, a professional repair tech, demonstrate techniques, each participant in the workshop had an opportunity to get hands-on experience. Throughout the program, Teague, another one of Paul Effman Music’s repair technicians, drew helpful diagrams to make the steps easy to follow.
One of the key takeaways from the workshop was spotting problems before they become serious or make the instrument inoperable. For music teachers, being able to make on-the-spot repairs comes in handy, especially leading up to a performance.
“I especially appreciated learning both the “quick fix” solutions that can be invaluable in an emergency, such as the night of a concert, and how to recognize when an instrument requires professional repair,” said Gina Garabedian, a Union Vale Middle School band teacher.
The workshop highlighted essential instrument repair dos and don'ts for teachers, students, and families: avoid tapes or glues, and leave tools like screwdrivers and pliers put away. Another suggested practice was using safe temporary fixes that will not damage the instrument when it will still require professional repair.
“The goal was to equip teachers with the skills to handle more in-house repairs, which will improve the longevity of their musical instruments and minimize the time students wait to get their instruments back, explained Kathleen Schneck, coordinator of Educational Resources. “We will definitely be partnering again and look forward to expanding our music professional development offerings in the region.”
By fine-tuning their repair skills on a variety of instruments, music teachers reduce the need to send instruments out for work. Repairing rather than replacing can help families afford to keep their children involved in the great music programs area school districts offer.
The new CoSer allows schools to purchase various musical instruments and receive state aid while also providing opportunities for music-focused professional development. For more information, please contact Kathleen Schneck at Kathleen.Schneck@dcboces.org.
