In-House Instrument Repair
Instrument making and repair are part of the music education experience at UpBeat NYC. Our Luthier Workshop, led by luthier and UpBeat Program Director Carlos Sanchez, gives young people hands-on experience in the craft of building, maintaining, and repairing string instruments.
Carlos has built high-quality violins and violas from start to finish in the UpBeat workshop, and these instruments are placed directly into the hands of UpBeat students to learn and perform on.
Paid Luthier Internship
UpBeat’s paid luthier internship gives high school and college-age students the opportunity to work alongside Carlos in our dedicated Mott Haven workshop, developing practical skills in instrument maintenance and repair while gaining meaningful work experience. The program helps older UpBeat students develop marketable skills and explore careers within the music field.
The workshop and internship have grown through UpBeat’s longstanding partnership with David Gage String Instruments. Carlos has apprenticed with David Gage, and the partnership has provided professional training and mentorship as well as tools and materials to help build and maintain UpBeat’s workshop.
The Pinkerton Foundation has supported UpBeat’s Musical Careers Internship Program since its inception in 2018, and support from the Hyde and Watson Foundation has equipped the workshop with professional tools that have expanded our capacity to repair, restore, and build instruments.
