PHOENIX — From Johnny Cash’s guitar to Elvis Presley’s jacket and beyond, the Musical Instrument Museum has become a must-see in the Valley. This weekend, the museum is celebrating its 15-year anniversary with special performances of instruments on display.
“This is our conservation lab, where I do a lot of restoration," Rodrigo Correa-Salas said. "About 200-300 instruments a year."
Correa-Salas has worked in instrument restoration for over a decade. He's now the Musical Instrument Museum’s conservator, working on everything from string instruments and drums to bugles.
"I'm a music educator and a violin maker," said Correa-Salas. "I graduated over 20-something years ago and have been working like this since."
At the museum, his conservation lab is on display to visitors, just like the instruments.
“Showing we take them into our care, are maintaining them, preserving them for future generations, is a very important part of our mission," Sydney Rich, with the museum, said. “He’s imperative to our operations and what makes us special.”
There are over 10,000 instruments on display at any time inside the museum. All of them pass through the lab before they are shown to the public.
Correa-Salas's project now is to prepare their famous Octobasse for a live performance this weekend.
The Octobasse on display is just one of seven known in the world. It is nearly 12 feet tall and has a range so deep, the human ear can’t hear its lowest note.
“As you can see, it’s a large instrument," Correa-Salas said.
For a full list of times and performances at the museum this weekend, click here.
