feature story / 19 together wouldn’t produce a scroll strong enough to withstand drilling and tapering for the peg holes. He had to glue strips of wood on the outside of the scroll to reinforce the damaged wood. Finally, after two months of cutting, carving and sanding, the parts were ready to be assembled. On a recent cold winter afternoon, a friend of the family, Alessandra Hill, a senior at Columbia High School and a member of the Virtuosi Ensemble, Alessandra Hill, a senior at Columbia High School and member of the Virtuosi Ensem- ble, coaxes music from the washtub cello. tried out the washtub cello. She man- aged to adapt her traditional hand po- sitions to get the deeper, warmer tones this cello produces. Click here to listen to Alessandra playing it. “It was great to hear it played by a skillful musician,” Osner says, proudly displaying his instrument. Will the total immersion of building an instru- ment make learning how to play it any easier? He has just started taking cello lessons, so only time will tell. Mean- while, Osner has started a to-do list for future luthier projects: a four-stringed viola da gamba with a bronze wok soundboard, an erhu with a coffee can resonator, and a soprano violin with a cookie-tin resonator. Anyone want to start a metal ensemble? Ellen Kahaner coaches Elizabeth pub- lic school teachers in the art of teaching reading and teaches adult literacy for the SEIU Education Fund by day, and reads and writes to the beat of a different drum by night. Flute Lessons JILL SOKOL, FLUTIST, D.M.A. CALL OR TEXT 516-459-1089. • ages 5 to adult • all levels of expertise – beginner to advanced I have 20 years experience teaching in my private studio and for the past 8 years have been a university faculty member. Active freelancer appearing with many regional orchestras. Doctorate in Flute Performance Lessons are in South Orange EXPERIENCED FLUTIST AVAILABLE TO TEACH