By Barbara Day, M.S., R.D., C.N.
I had finished running in Cherokee Park around the Scenic Loop on Monday and was walking on the path to cool down. Samatha True was getting ready to play her small harp. I stopped to talk and to be entertained. Actually I’ve been secretly thinking about learn how to play an instrument at the ripe old age of 61. I didn’t have the opportunity to learn to play an instrument as a youngster, so I have been thinking about it since I shutdown my magazines and have more time.
It turns out that Samatha works at a shop called Hewn from the Mountain which is at located at 5801 Veterans Memorial Parkway (www.hewnfromthemountain.com). She’s been learning how to play the harp. She said she used to play the piano. Samatha invited me to a concert at the Hewn from the Mountain. The Four Shillings Short who play 30 instruments, will be presenting a concert on Thursday, March 22 at 7:00 pm but unfortunately I already had plans. For someone who doesn’t even play one instrument, I am totally impressed!
I decided to take a trip out to the Hewn from the Mountain to see what this music shop was all about. It turns out that Tom McShane, the proprietor of the Hewn from the Mountain, started playing violin when he was a 9-year old at Goshen’s St. Francis. He attended Manuel’s School of Youth Performing Arts School in old Louisville. After years of lessons, he attended the Aspen Music Festival and School. He re-located to the East Coast after his education teaching music and learning the art of building and creating stringed instruments. He moved back to Louisville when his wife was pregnant with twins. They have nine children with 5 living currently living with them.
Hewn from the Mountain: The Store
The retail store sells new and vintage string instruments like guitars, anything from the violin family, harps, door harps, mandolins, dulcimers and ukuleles. Instruments can also be rented. The store includes accessories, books and sheet music, a repair service, lessons, workshops and concerts.
In 1985, Tom started designing and building dulcimers and small harps branded under the name Kentucky Sound Line Folk Instruments. His specialty is restoring old violins.
I have to admit, I have my eye on a custom-made dulcimer! Tom builds the dulcimers in the store and you can even watch him as he works. I spied one that I like but it is already spoken for. I am a big fan of Celtic music but when I was in Scotland a couple years ago, I became an even bigger fan. The artists played dulcimers but at the time, I didn’t realize that was what the instrument was called.
Since I am clueless on how to play a dulcimer, I am planning on taking lessons. If you buy lessons online, you can get a discount. Who knows, maybe this 61-year-old grandmother may be offering a concert at Hewn from the Mountain – well, I can dream can’t I?
Barbara Day, M.S., R.D., C.N, is a registered dietitian who has been teaching healthy lifestyles strategies to consumers for over 35+ years. Barbara has a new health and wellness online magazine as well.
