In about eight months, John Weisberg will have carefully pressed and glued together 300 pounds of wood. Alone in his garage workshop, the Boca native will have finished constructing a version of an already unique musical instrument—a harpsichord.
“I’ve made guitars, violins, ukuleles, mandolins,” Weisberg says. “This is what I do.”
Well, that’s not all he does. At 27, Weisberg is continuing his undergrad studies in oboe performance at Lynn University’s Conservatory of Music. His burgeoning talent will be recognized by the Florida East Coast Chapter of the National Society of Arts & Letters, which will award Weisberg (and several other students) with a scholarship on April 1 at the annual Red Rose Gala.
That Weisberg would take to classical music is no surprise given his bloodline. His late father, Arthur Weisberg, was a famous oboist and conductor; his mother, Diane, is an accomplished violinist and teacher at Florida Atlantic University.
The urge to build instruments, however, is all Weisberg’s. So why build instead of buy? John cites the expense and quality of today’s instruments—but also the education of creating instruments from another era.
“It’s been a great experience learning about these instruments, modern and ancient, and being able to craft them and make them sound like what they would have sounded like all those years ago,” he says.
Weisberg finished constructing his first piece in 2009. He had been teaching himself how to play guitar and was drawn to the ever-progressing style and sounds of the instrument.
“I was surprised by some of the enormous stretches of change in style that 18th to 19th century guitar music had,” he says. “I started researching. Then I started to see how much or little I could spend if I just built my own. Many years, and over 100 instruments later, I know what I’m doing. I wouldn’t trade that time investment for anything.”
When asked what instruments he eventually could play, he pauses and says, “Given time? I think I could play anything. I’m a professional oboist, but I do play guitar and piano. I played the sitar for a while. Violin was also tested out at one point.”
Weisberg, who has performed with ensembles large and small at events throughout South Florida, credits Lynn’s conservatory and its professors for bringing out the best in him.
“I think it’s a great program,” he says. “The department is doing everything right. They help a lot of [aspiring] musicians. They offer opportunities that just don’t exist at other schools.”
34th Annual Red Rose Gala
When: April 1
Where: Mar-a-Lago Club, Palm Beach
What: The local chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters will once again raise the bar at its annual gala, bringing together students, mentors and music lovers from all backgrounds. In addition to recognizing deserving students with scholarships, the 2016 gala will honor noted American conductor Gerard Schwarz, Emmy- and Grammy-winning musician and conductor laureate of the Seattle Symphony. Boca residents Marilyn and Mark Swillinger are gala chairs; Brian Edwards and Alyce Erickson are co-chairs; and Patrick Park is honorary gala chair.
Tickets: $500 per person; call 561/391-6380 for details
