Heights Guitars' new owners expand offerings

by KELLI FONTENOT
Published February 1 in The Heights Observer.

A variety of instruments at Heights Guitars

Heights Guitars, the instrument shop at 2128 Lee Road, is now operating under new ownership, but it still exudes a welcoming atmosphere to accommodate regulars and newcomers. Customers amble in to chat and try out the new merchandise at the store, which offers a wide range of instruments and accessories, and specializes in hard-to-find vintage items and instrument repair.

Former Heights Guitars owner Gregory Stiles died last February. John Carden and Jim Ross, who operate the Vintage City shop in Toledo, took ownership of the Heights store in October, which employs salespeople and repair techs.

Varying musical tastes help the store’s sales staff cater to local buyers, according to Samantha Wandtke, district manager for Heights Guitars and Vintage City. Wandtke, who is also a vocalist and drummer for the local rock band Fangs Out, notes her style differs from that of the new store manager, local resident Darrell Branch. His genre of choice, she says, is bluegrass, a perfect fit for the shop’s roots.

“When we took over, it was more of a bluegrass boutique-style shop,” Wandtke said, explaining that the store now carries drums, keyboards, wind and brass instruments, and an expanded assortment of accessories. “We’re now a full-on instrument store.”

With guitars ranging in price from $40 to $5,000, recognizable Fender and Gibson electrics line the showroom walls. But the store also aims to maintain its local, little-guy style, seeking vintage and locally handcrafted items, as well as products from suppliers in Akron and other nearby cities.

Unique products at the shop include a Burgundy Mist Gibson ES 335 12-string, an 1890 Harp parlor guitar, a 1920s Ditson banjo-mando and a Gibson GA-5 Les Paul Jr. amplifier from 1956. The shop also offers vintage pedals from manufacturers Boss, Electro-Harmonix and Morley. 

'Assassins' trust no one

by KELLI FONTENOT

Published March 11, 2009 in The Current Sauce

The parking lot adjacent to the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) building was left sparsely populated Monday morning, when it is normally difficult to find a space.

This curious change was due in part to the strategies of several students who are taking part in the second annual "CAPA Assassins" game.

"This is a really great way to meet people because you're trying to find somebody you don't know, or you're looking for someone who doesn't know you," senior liberal arts major Joshua Nuss said.

Nuss, the treasurer of Phi Mu Alpha fraternity, is monitoring the game this year.

Rock concert benefits pageant's philanthropy

by KELLI FONTENOT

Published Jan. 28, 2009 in The Current Sauce

Dead By Morning, a local band that includes several student members, is making its long-awaited return to Natchitoches at a Push America benefit concert in the Friedman Student Union this Friday at 7 p.m.

The band's last performance at NSU took place more than a year ago.

Bass player and senior music education major Mitch Moehring said that after touring in Louisiana and Texas, the band is excited to perform for all of their friends in Natchitoches again.

In an interview, band members described their sound as "hardcore," "metal," and "inspirational." Among the bands' favorite fellow performers are The Devil Wears Prada, A Day To Remember, Marilyn Manson and August Burns Red.

Violin professor takes center stage

By KELLI FONTENOT
Published Oct. 29, 2008 by The Current Sauce

Light filters in through the windows of Andrej Kurti's studio in the afternoon, splaying across the blue plush lining of his open violin case.

A small icon decorated with an Orthodox Christian image rests against the neck of the exquisitely carved wooden instrument. The low, clear sound of a nearby euphonium rehearsal seeps through the walls.

Kurti leans back in his chair at his computer, catching a breath after his hectic day of back-to-back violin and viola lessons and long rehearsals with the orchestra.

It's 5 p.m. and his day is nowhere near over. Each night, he practices violin for about four hours to keep his bow steady and his fingers in shape, building up strength for his next solo performance.

His concert, scheduled for Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall, will feature music by Bach and composer Eugene Ysaye, on whom Kurti wrote his dissertation for his doctorate. The classical pieces certainly reflect Kurti's skill, but his vast repertoire includes more than just sonatas. Kurti, a professor of violin at NSU, has been featured as a recording artist for more than 45 albums on electric and acoustic violin. Dozens of posters and photographs are taped against a wall in his studio, displaying his past performances and future plans.

Orchestra off to dynamic start

By KELLI FONTENOT
Published Oct. 1, 2008 by The Current Sauce

Audience members settled into their chairs in Magale Recital Hall Thursday night as Douglas Bakenhus, the Northwestern Symphony Orchestra conductor, prepared backstage for the first concert of the semester.

Onstage, his hands floated over the detailed score on his music stand, keeping time for the students with a precise inner metronome.

Behind the energetic conductor is a man who takes the historic significance of his song selections into consideration, making every movement meaningful.

The concert included several classical pieces, including Gioacchino Rossini's "Overture: The Barber of Seville," Giovanni Bottesini's "Duo Concertant on themes from 'The Puritans,'" and Ludwig van Beethoven's 7th symphony.