by Sadie Shields

The music shop on campus has been repairing instruments for music majors since 1913.  Nowadays, the music shop manages an encyclopedic collection of over 500 instruments. This includes all standard modern orchestral strings, woodwinds and brass, as well as baroque and rarer specialty instruments. The music department supports a large program and offers opportunities for those pursuing careers in music education or for students interested in music for personal enrichment.

While the shop is open on campus, they prioritize the needs of music majors and students enrolled in music courses. To rent out an instrument, students need the permission of a teacher or faculty.

  “Some instruments, such as 88-note keyboards, require an appointment,” Adrian Carcione, the piano technician at the shop, said. “The instrument technician is available in the shop for approximately four hours each day.”

Carcione performs a wide range of services, including comprehensive repairs, reconditioning and rebuilding, depending on the available budget. With a collection of 62 pianos, ongoing tuning and mechanical adjustments are a regular part of maintenance. While the shop is not authorized to repair privately owned instruments for-profit or use university resources for that purpose, staff are happy to help with small tasks such as string changes if students provide their own supplies. These informal services are offered freely and with enthusiasm.

Sophomore music major Andrew Shaver has utilized the shop in the past.

“I’ve gone in there to get a bass. I needed one, so I asked Adrian, and he gave me the code. I’ve never fixed an instrument there, though,” Shaver said.

While Shaver did not get his instruments fixed there, Gladys Arechiga, a designer and former student, talked about her past as a music major and how the rental system worked when she was a student.

“I was a music performance major, and my instrument of choice was saxophone. My experience was pretty good,” Arechiga said. “I pretty much had an instrument for like, three years. If there was something wrong with the instrument, I would take it in and [they] would fix it for me.”

Although there are currently no official student positions or work-study opportunities available at the instrument shop, students are welcome to observe technicians at work. Those interested in expanding their involvement in music are encouraged to consider a double major or minor, or to join any ensemble of their choosing. Piano classes are open to all students and are beginner, intermediate and advanced. 

“See you at Music B room 145,” Carcione said.

Sadie is a junior communications major, journalism minor at Cal Poly Humboldt who has an interest in covering and taking photos for sports and wildlife journalism, and a slight interest in breaking news. She can be reached at sls331@humboldt.edu.