Civil service retiree now pulling, playing the strings
From his homestead on the icy southern banks of the Mohawk River in Latham, Stephen Iachetta is building his second career running Shaker Violin Repair. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that Iachetta, 63, is finally and fully devoting himself to his first love — music and stringed instruments. Long before earning advanced degrees in regional planning from Cornell and achieving a 41-year civil service tenure with the Albany County Airport Authority that ended this month, he was a violinist and a luthier (a French term for one who builds stringed instruments).
“In third grade at North Colonie Schools, we were approached by a string teacher who sent around a list for those interested in being in an orchestra. I signed up like I was meant to,” Iachetta said. “Today I’m grateful for the opportunity to play it forward.”
Soon after that voluntary enrollment, Iachetta became a private student of William Cridge, a cellist, schoolteacher and longtime member of the Albany, Schenectady and Glens Falls symphonies. Cridge was also a seasoned luthier. By sixth grade, Iachetta had become an apprentice in Cridge’s workshop. “He did basses and had me on violins,” Iachetta said. Another mentor was Herb George, who closed his repair business in Delmar nine years ago.
Looking back on his path in music, Iachetta can’t help but attribute his talents and affinities to ancestors of long ago. Musicians in the Iachetta family have been traced to the year 1536 in Naples, Italy. On his mother’s side, there’s a long line of Scottish church organists and choirmasters. It makes sense that history and traditions would be honored and respected by luthiers, considering that it was during the Renaissance when the violin and its siblings (violas, cellos and basses) got their start.
Speaking of history, in summer 2021 when the producers, cast and crew of the HBO drama “The Gilded Age” were filming in Troy and striving for historical accuracy in every regard, Iachetta came to their rescue for the fourth episode and the concert in the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. From his vast collection, he supplied most of the stringed instruments that the musicians/ actors held to mime an 1882 orchestra. Iachetta had plenty of instruments old enough to be authentic to the period but for complete accuracy he had to remove the fine tuners (a modern metallic attachment) and also replace strings that were anything other than black or white (colored strings being another
newish innovation). The luthier also appeared in the scene as a member of the violin section.
The famed acoustics of the Troy Music Hall got Iachetta talking about what makes good sound. “In engineering school, we studied structural resonance. Everything has structural resonance, even the human body. The masters of the 1600s and 1700s knew this and the violin is the instrument closest in range to the human voice,” he said, adding that there are about 70 parts to a violin.
“I love sharing my enthusiasm with the young players,” he said in a warm and gentle voice. “I show them the 200-year-old tools, the very special lathe, the old clamps for every size violin, and the shanks of horse hair hanging on the wall.”
In operation officially since 2014 and now a full-time concern, Shaker Violin Repair not only does servicing and some sales, but also offers very affordable rentals. A six-month lease on a violin is $50 and for a cello $90 plus security deposits. Iachetta has come to know players of all ages and he has instruments in all sizes. During a recent visit, he brought out a 16th size violin, appropriate for 3 or 4 year-olds. The body of it was about as big as the palm of his hand.
Every client leaves with a one-page handout that offers eight recommendations for proper care of a string instrument. “I encourage them to keep playing. Music is a source of making friends and bringing joy and peace to the world and a good tune will get you through anything,” he said.
As an active violinist — “fiddler” might be the more appropriate term here — Iachetta knows plenty of tunes, some of which he’s been carrying around for decades. At the Fox Hollow Festival, held in Petersburg during the 1960s and ‘70s, he was immersed in Celtic dance music, became fluent in its style of improvisation, and learned everything played by The Chieftains, an Irish band that’s been going since 1962.
A musical partner since those days is the guitarist and dulcimer player Rod Driscoll who lives in the Plattsburgh area. They are leaders of The Friends Union Band, which specializes in Scottish and Irish pub songs and fiddle tunes. The band was just featured Saturday evening at Celtic Hall in Albany for the annual Robert Burns Dinner. Two more gigs are coming up in a couple months: Saturday, March 11, also at Celtic Hall, and in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day on Friday, March 17, at Power’s Inn & Pub in Clifton Park.
Another local venue that Iachetta is partial toward is the 1848 Meeting House at the Shaker historical site near Albany International Airport. He is a board member and past president for the Shaker Heritage Society, which administers the facilities. Under his leadership, the organization commissioned a site master plan that serves as a guide for a long-term vision of turning the property into an appealing locale for community and commercial uses.
The spiritual vibe of the property and the excellent acoustics of the worship space caught the attention of vocalist Natalie Merchant, formerly of the 1980s pop band 10,000 Maniacs, who volunteered to perform a benefit concert there in 2009. It was an unplugged performance (all acoustic) that quickly drew a capacity audience of 300. And for that one special night, Iachetta was part of the band.
“The building is an engineering marvel and it’s a renowned performance space where you can play a duet with yourself because of the seven-second echo,” Iachetta said.
Whether it’s in a historic venue, a school auditorium or an Irish pub, Iachetta believes violins make everything better.
“It’s my mission to get all violins into the hands of players. Every violin wants to be heard.”