Broadcaster Press 05 May 22, 2012 www.broadcasteronline.com Instrument research strikes chord with Sheets By Travis Gulbrandson travis.gulbrandson@plaintalk.net For more than 10 years, Arian Sheets has been doing a job she loves. As curator of stringed instruments at the National Music Museum, her primary responsibility is to research and catalogue the various pieces in the collection. “I also assist outside researchers, and do my own research so that I understand the collection well, suggest potential acquisitions, recruit potential donors to the museum both for instruments and funding that can help us sustain our mission,” she said. Much of Sheets’ research pertains to the instrument industry, particular instruments or makers of instruments. “For example, for the Peabody (banjo) collection that we just got, I’ve been taking some of the electric instruments apart to try to find inscriptions and possible date codes on the inside, looking at the Spotlight On electronics, things like that,” she said. “And I have succeeded in finding significantly more information. “You may find serial numbers, which sometimes can be traced back, actual dates, names or other markings from construction. Also details about how the instrument was made and what materials were used,” she said. “So, we often have small lamps that are otherwise used for car repair … and we’re sticking those inside instruments along with mirrors to try to see what’s in them.” It’s a continuation of an interest that began two decades ago when Sheets began playing the violin at school. “I said, ‘I spend all this time with this violin stuck under my chin, and I don’t really know a lot about how it originated, and I don’t like that. I want to know more, I want to change that.’ So, I got really, really serious about the study of historical instruments, and I did my first internship 17 years ago now. I’ve been involved in the field for quite a while,” she said. Sheets said she is unsure as to the number of stringed instruments the museum has, but it’s at least several thousand. “Acquisitions are basically governed by the following principles,” she said. “Do they add something new to the collection, in terms of the information? Is it something that we don’t have? Is it historically interesting or important? Is it in sufficiently good condition that we can get good information from it or exhibit it?” Most of the instruments the museum acquires now are donated, Sheets said. “Very rarely do we ever purchase an instrument,” she said. “Very rarely we will, but we have to find a donor to provide the funding in order to do that.” Out of the many holdings, Sheets said she has favorites for different reasons. “If you’re going to talk about the sound of an instrument, my absolute favorite is the 18th century double harpsichord by Germain that’s in our galleries,” she said. “It’s just the most exquisite-sounding instrument in the museum. It sounds like sunshine coming down on you on a beautiful spring day. It’s just a magical sound.” Sheets said she is unsure as to why she finds FOR THE RECORD Cases Disposed 05/0410/2012 Felicia Marie Kimball, 205 Stanford St., Vermillion; Domestic violence simple assault, dismissed Jonalyn Chavez, 833 E. Duke #121, Vermillion; Petty theft 2nd degree$400 or less, dismissed Douglas Roy Kleinschmit, 2024 W. Orwin Pl., Sioux Falls; County speeding, $25.00 plus costs Justin Lowell Johnson, 43545 304th St., Utica; County speeding, $25.00 plus costs Lucas Iverson, 1119 Hawthorn Street, Vermillion; Seat belt violation, $25.00 Chaltu Belayneh Ayano, 813 S. Highland Ave., Sioux Falls; Speed on fourlane in rural areas, $99.00 plus costs Baylee Bree Smith, 211 E. Washington St., Marion; Open container, $54.00 plus costs Melissa M. Lilly, 1017 Summit St., Yankton; Seat belt violation, $25.00 Thomas Weidemann, 928 Eastgate Driver, Vermillion; Speeding on state highway, $79.00 plus costs Glenn B. 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