Shar Music: sharmusic.com

Our first 'class' of Apprentices have helped Shar Customers in so many ways. Get to know our Class of 2006 Apprentices, read what products they like to use, and find out Where They Are Now!

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Bringing Their Expertise to Different Departments

	Rebecca Appert, Violinist Email Rebecca: rebeccaa@sharmusic.com After completing her Apprenticeship, Rebecca accepted a full-time position in The Shar Violin Shop helping customers select instruments and bows. She is also Shar's Suzuki and ASTA outreach representative for teachers on the local and national levels.
Rebecca Appert, professional violinist, maintains an active career as a teacher, recitalist, and orchestral musician. She recently finished her Masters Degree in Violin Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ms. Appert has been teaching for almost ten years, both the Suzuki and traditional methods. She has taught varying age levels from age three up to adult. She received Suzuki training with Pat D’Ercole in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and with Martha Shackford in Columbus, Ohio. Her most recent teaching experience was with the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Preparatory Department and the Wyoming Fine Arts Center for Suzuki private lessons, group classes, theory, and traditional teaching for the past four years. Ms. Appert has played with the Huntington Symphony, the Richmond (IN) Symphony, Clermont Philharmonic, Ohio Valley Symphony, Kentucky Symphony, and most recently will be playing with the Ann Arbor Symphony. She has studied with Kathryn Gray and Piotr Milewski. In her spare time she likes to play recitals with her sister, Laura, viola, and read chamber music. Originally from Vancouver, Washington, Ms. Appert also enjoys venturing outdoors to hike, run or go kayaking.

Rebecca's Favorite Shar Products The products I like to use for my instrument are: The Comford Cradle Shoulder Rest: it sets up my posture right away, although a bit heavier than the Kun, it doesn’t scratch my instrument’s varnish and has never fallen off! Evah Pirazzi set of strings- it wasn’t until I came to SHAR that I tried this brand, but my instrument is much louder, brighter and warmer (no more harsh sound) and more resonant than before. Shar Treated Cleaning Cloth- I use this to clean and wipe my instrument after practicing every day to keep it looking new and polished. BAM cases- I love these cases because they are lightweight and more portable than the cases I grew up with. It’s easier to walk around and carry them for long periods of time without hurting my shoulders.

Products I’ve Used in the Past When I began playing violin, I was eight years old. I had a rental from the shop, which I can’t remember now what it was. By the time I had grown into full size, we began looking at buying. I was thirteen, and we ended up buying an old beautifully made French instrument from 1890 from the local shop which had many fine instruments available from all over the place. I traded that in when I was starting my senior year of high school and bought a handmade instrument from the local maker. That violin was very well made and a higher end instrument, which I bought for college auditions and into my professional development as a violinist. I still play on that instrument now. It was exciting to listen to the violin expand and open up soundwise, since it was brand new and had hardly been played on. As far as products I used growing up, I used Thomastik Dominant Strings for years, because they were the standard and the best quality for the price we could afford back then as a family. I also used the Kaplan E string because it makes a clear cut bright sound that resonates. These I usually changed once a month however, because they don’t last long after many hours of playing. Through high school and college I would vary trying the Aluminum Dominant and the Silver Dominant for the D string, and the Medium versus the Stark Dominant for the G string. This also varies for your instrument’s own personal sound. I found the heavier gages helped my instrument sound more dark and gave it more personality. As far as shoulder rests go- I started with the Kun, as most beginners do, or a sponge that is shaped for easier posture set up, and moved to a Mach One in late high school and early college because it was lighter, and fell off my instrument less. It felt less awkward and bulky than the Kun, which I was always replacing every year from practicing and rehearsing so often, it would just get worn out. I had a Weber case, which came with my instrument, and I have a German bow. I also used a Mooradian case over mine with the cushy backpack straps (equivalent to the Cushy cases we carry) and that thing is in desperate need of replacing, long overdue!

Testimonial
I decided to apply for an opening in the Shar Violin Shop after my apprenticeship, and now work there helping to select instruments and bows for teachers and anyone needing help with that process. As a violinist, teacher, and musician Shar has helped create connections and opportunities that I may not have had elsewhere.

Qin Li , Violinist Email Qin: qinl@sharmusic.com After beginning her Apprenticeship, Qin's interests and talents led her to a full-time position at Shar as a Merchandising Assistant dealing with Chinese suppliers. Her work takes her to China several times a year.
Qin Li, native of China, began violin studies at age of eight. She received her basic violin discipline at the Wuhan Conservatory through her middle school. Qin toured and continued her violin study at the Belarus Conservatory later. She received her BM in string performance from the University of Central Florida, where she studied with Ayako Yonetani. Qin has held the concertmaster chair of both Symphony Orchestra and String Ensemble at UCF. She has also been teaching for a number of years. During her college years, she was interested in many other fields such as recording, computer, and business, etc. In her spare time, Qin enjoys movies and traveling. She is also a big fan of roller coaster.

Products from Shar Qin would like to recommend: Etude violin outfit This outfit is perfect for setup, sound and quality at this price. It’s a great fiddle to start with! Wolf Forte Primo shoulder rest After trying so many different shoulder rests, I ended up buying this one. The plate is larger; it is easier to adjust the height and the feet; it gives me so much freedom to move around while fully supporting my shoulder at the same time. Presto Audition carbon-fiber bow I keep two bows in my case. One is for solo pieces, another is prepared for orchestra. I found this bow is very bouncy and is ideal for playing spiccatos. Hamilton Orchestra Stand It’s made of metal and plastic combination. Heavy weight and yet foldable. Dominant Strings I found this ordinary and popular string set works great for me. I chose my G and E string in stark tension. It would give me deeper and darker G string sound and more aggressive and bright E string sound. I use A and D string in medium tension for easier sounding, and most important, not hurting my fingers too much. Fun Gifts There are so many fun stuff on last two pages! Earrings, case tags, stickers, key chains…girls would love it!

Testimonial
I am a full time employee at Shar as a merchandising assistant dealing with Chinese suppliers. Working at Shar is a great experience!

Susan Kirtz , Violinist After completing her Apprenticeship, Susan continued at Shar as an assistant in the Shar Showroom and then, moved on to a new venture with a local gallery as an Art Show Coordinator. Susan Kirtz graduated from Ithaca College in 2005 with a bachelor of music with an outside field in integrated marketing communications. She is a violinist who enjoys sunshine, travel, playing the guitar and singing, and squeezing out regrettable noises on her accordion. As a Shar apprentice, Susan enjoys working with and learning from Shar’s talented musicians – both staff and customers.

Products I like to use: BAM cases They’re sleek, stylish, and a little out of the ordinary! Manhasset stands They would survive nuclear war. Bernardel rosin It’s just sticky enough with not too much dust. Works well in all climates. Maestro shoulder rest It’s short enough to allow lots of movement, but stable enough for full support. Thomastik Infeld Red G, D and A They make my violin (that’s already dark) sound rich and intense. Hill or Jargar E string Both are sparkly and colorful, but a good match for the Infeld Reds. Sorinuri Skillbox metronome/tuner/recorder The metronome is plenty loud and it has a four-minute recorder on it! How cool is that??

As a beginner, I played a violin manufactured for the Salmon Violin Schools around 1940. I started out with Thomastik Dominant strings. My teacher recommended them as moderately priced strings with a good sound. I used a Kun shoulder rest. After many years of practice and much searching, I purchased an early 19th century French violin. Dick Mattson, our Repair Coordinator here at Shar, helped me select Infeld Red strings and the Hill E string.

Senior Shar Apprentices

	Catherine Portis , Violinist Email Catherine: catherinep@sharmusic.com After completing her Apprenticeship, Catherine accepted a new position as one of our first Senior Apprentices and is a key member of our recruiting team for the 2008 apprentice class.
Native of Texas where my parents still live, I attended the University of North Texas earning an undergraduate degree in music history. Was active in the UNT baroque ensemble, and UNT symphony orchestra. At UNT, I studied violin under Philip Lewis, and baroque violin with Cynthia Roberts. Have been a Shar customer since my teacher recommended them to me in middle school. I was interested in the violin at a young age, and started playing and taking lessons at age seven. My first violin method books were Suzuki books, a collection of pieces that many beginning students use. First violin was quarter size my mom borrowed from a friend. I’m sure my first bow was fiberglass, but I don’t really remember. I do remember having trouble holding it. My parents bought me my current full size violin when I was fourteen, a mid nineteenth century German violin with a rather dark tone. I remember in the seventh grade being very excited and so thrilled to have it. Still feel that way. Orchestra class was always my favorite. I was lucky to be in a school district with a great program. I always had great support from my parents who came to all of my concerts. Most of my friends were in orchestra too.

What I've Used in the Past As a young student, I used Dominant strings recommended by my teacher. They are very durable, but I broke a few trying to tune them myself. In high school and college I used either Pirastro Eudoxa or Wondertone strings and found both to be compatible with my violin. Since moving to Michigan for the Shar Apprentice program, I’ve switched to Obligato violin strings. It’s fun to experiment with strings as much as possible and find the one that fits your violin the best. Adapting my instrument to cold weather will be a new thing for me. I expect my preferences to change. Currently, I like Bernadel rosin and the Kun shoulder rest for accessories. My favorite pieces for violin are Samuel Barber’s violin concerto and unaccompanied Bach G minor sonata. I also like fiddle music, although I’ve never played that style.

Testimonial
I gained valuable sales and communication experience and was still able to play my violin daily. I was proud to be a part of the program and enjoy my continued role at Shar as a senior apprentice.

	Dan Plonka , Violist Email Dan: danp@sharmusic.com After completing his Apprenticeship, Dan accepted a new position as one of our first Senior Apprentices and currently plays an active role in managing our contact center.
Violist Dan Plonka received two degrees in Music Performance from Bowling Green State University before joining the apprentice team. Originally from Utica, Michigan, he is excited to be back in his home state working with all the great people at Shar. In addition to his university orchestra, Dan has played with the symphony orchestras of Lima, Jackson, Rochester and Adrian, as well as the Detroit Symphony Civic Orchestra. In his spare time, Dan enjoys playing golf, camping and hiking with his wife Megan.

Products I am currently trying out Vision strings on my 2003 Stanley Kiernoziak viola and so far am impressed with the depth and complexity of tone colors they provide. My normal set is a Larsen A string with Obligato D, G, and C. For beginning and intermediate level students, and for dark or slow-responding violas, I highly recommend Helicore strings because they’re easy and comfortable to play as well as less expensive and longer lasting than most synthetic core strings. I like Kolstein Ultra viola rosin because it helps me get strong, clear articulation, but keeps a smooth sound (as long as I don’t use too much!). Finally, a Kun Super shoulder rest and a Stuber chinrest help keep my viola in proper playing position.

Testimonial
I'm a more versatile, complete person now than I was when I graduated college, and it's great to know I have more than one career path available to me in the field of music.

Former Shar Apprentices

	Casey Mullin, Violist After completing his Apprenticeship, Casey received a Graduate Assistantship position at Indiana University to pursue a Masters Degree in Library Science. He continues to also pursue his viola and piano studies. Casey Mullin, a native of Wisconsin, attended Lawrence University and later Western Washington University , where he received his Bachelor of Music in Viola Performance in 2006. He has enjoyed an active performing career, including solo appearances with the Eastside Symphony and Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra. His musical passions include orchestral and chamber music, as well as musical scholarship, particularly in the music of British composers. He is planning a varied
career in music performance, instruction and librarianship. Outside of music, Casey enjoys contemporary literature, vegetarian cooking and independent films.

Products…in my own words Taming my burly German (Gottfried Lutz of Erlangen) viola has been an amusing challenge. Currently, I use d’Addario Helicore strings, with a Larsen A. In the past I have used Evah Pirazzi, Dominant and d’Addario Zyex with mixed success. For a shoulder rest, I use the luxurious (and well worth the price) Mach One. I have found the height and curve to provide the best support for my sizable neck and broad shoulders; comparable to the Kun in contour, with the added height I need. My chinrest of choice is the center-mounted Flesch (with hump), allowing for the most comfortable setup.

Leslie Lyons , Cellist After completing her Apprenticeship, Leslie received a graduate scholarship to finish her Master's Degree in Cello Performance from the University of Maryland. Leslie began playing the cello at age 11 after being inspired by a professional string quartet performance. During high school, she participated in her school orchestra and attended summer programs at Western Michigan University and Interlochen Arts Camp. Leslie graduated Summa Cum Laude from Ithaca College in 2005 with a BM in cello performance and was a finalist in IC’s annual concerto competition in both 2003 and 2004.
From there, she continued her studies at the University of Wisconsin. Leslie was a participant at the Rocky Mountain Summer Conservatory in 2002 and a teaching assistant at Brevard Music Center in 2005. As a member of the Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra, she performed at Lincoln Center in 2002 and 2005, and toured Ireland with the IC Chamber Orchestra in 2003. Her teachers at the collegiate level have been Nicola Heinrich, Elizabeth Simkin, Heidi Hoffman and Uri Vardi.

Products I like to use (and why!) Kolstein rosin is a great sticky rosin, and Larsen rosin is good because it has very little dust. My Korg tuner and metronome have each been durable enough to accompany me to various festivals and schools with almost no signs of wear. It’s a good idea to keep a Xeros endpin stopper handy in case you haven’t sharpened my endpin, and a great folding stand like the Gig’n’Go is perfect for taking to any performance venue.

Strings As a beginner, I used Red Label strings because they were very affordable. Once I was in high school and it became obvious that I was serious about the cello, I started using Pirastro Permanents and Helicores. I eventually settled on using Larsen for the A and D and Helicore for the G and C, per recommendation of a luthier. In college, I switched to Spirocore Tungsten G and C strings, and I am now using a complete set of Larsens with tungsten would G and C strings. Permanents and Helicores are great for the intermediate player because they have a smooth, even sound and good response but won’t break the bank. For a more serious player, Larsen A and D strings warm up a bright upper register beautifully, and Spirocore and Larsen tungsten G and C strings give tremendous power and clarity on the bottom.

Testimonial
The Shar Apprentice program was a wonderful opportunity for me. With only a performance background, I felt that I needed to become more well-rounded before embarking on a music career. I gained valuable business experience, and I learned a great deal about working with people on a professional level. Upon my return to graduate school, I felt that my time at Shar helped clarify my long-term goals as a performer. I have since been able to approach every aspect of my work with the energy, direction, and communication skills necessary for any professional situation.

	David Funderburk , Double Bassist After completing his Apprenticeship, David accepted a job in Virginia teaching strings and orchestra in the public school system. David has been playing the double bass since 6th grade and graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a Music Education Degree. His other interests include bowling, hockey, and origami. He is looking forward to bringing his knowledge as a bassist to SHAR and its customers.

Products Used - Carlsson Rosin # CSR - Helicore Double Bass Strings (Med) - Dr. Beat M90 - KT30 Korg Tuner - “Bass cane tip” we are caring it, but there’s no Item number or Name yet - Fishman pick-up B100

Music I studied/teach with - (4301,4302,4303 005) George Vance Progressive Repertoire V. 1-3 - 7175 019 Winning Rhythms - 4392 108 Petracchi Simplified Higher Techique - 4339 111 Sturm Vol 1 I started on Pops rosin and Flexcore strings, then in high school I switched to Carlsson rosin and Helicore strings and haven’t changed since.