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Junkyard instruments and a Stradivarius violin: this week on The Green Room

What most of us would see as useless junk, Tom Kaufmann sees potential for making instruments. 

“I love junk,” Kaufmann says, laughing. 

From a giant 25-foot tall music box made out of a rusty water tank, to glockenspiels created out of hand tools, he has spent much of his life making music out of unexpected materials.

“I’m certainly not getting rich doing it, but it’s work that I enjoy,” explains Kaufmann.

He says one of his goals with creating the weird instruments, is to get kids more excited about playing music. 

James Ehnes and his violin
Credit Benjamin Ealovega
James Ehnes and his violin.

Also, concert violinist James Ehnes is coming to Interlochen Center for the Arts for a concert on Sunday. 

Ehnes performs on the “Marsick” Stradivarius violin which was made in 1715. He has developed a unique relationship with the renowned instrument.

“It’s like an appendage,” he says. “It’s a nice feeling to have that kind of rapport with your instrument.”

Kate Botello is a host and producer at Classical IPR.