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Pictures at an Exhibit Floor: ASTA/SAA 2026 Conference

March 3, 2026, 11:48 PM · One of the most interesting things about last week's ASTA/SAA Conference (for the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) and the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA)) is the exhibit floor, which this year featured almost 100 exhibitors.

It was a little like a violinist's dream mall, where every store has accessories, books, new inventions and generally cool stuff just for musicians - and particularly for violinists, violists, cellists and bassists and their teachers.

And with some some 4,000 educators, performers, and exhibitors attending the conference, it was a busy mall! Here are some of the highlights:

KorfkerSpring Chin Rest

The German-based Pirastro company - which we know for Evah Pirazzi Strings (the new Neos!) - had brought its newest innovation: the KorfkerSpring chin rest. Pirastro's Ed Mingo helped me put this on a violin (borrowed from Southwest Strings booth - many thanks!). I think it's safe to say that it is completely unlike any other chin rest ever invented!

Suzuki Recordings - Available for Streaming?

Alfred Publishing, which holds the rights on all the Suzuki music and recordings, offered some news at the conference. Responding to Suzuki teachers who have been frustrated that the Suzuki recordings are difficult to obtain and unavailable on basic streaming platforms, they will now be available for streaming on a platform called Fons, a paid studio management online portal. The selling points: access to the music and recordings, adjustable playback tempos, and the portal as a means of managing one's studio. But it's primarily a studio management platform. Suzuki teachers can get a deal that allows a six-month trial, after which there is a monthly payment of $20 (if I understood correctly). Another option: go old school like me and just buy the CDs of the latest recordings by Hilary Hahn (Books 1-3) and Augustin Hadelich (Books 4-6)) - I found those links here.

Walking the Floor

I did not make it to everyone's booth - but I made it to a good number of them! Here are just a few highlights from several of my trips across the exhibit floor:

Here's one of the first things I saw - what is it? A Blooming Bass? What a wonderful creation, by Marguerite Salajko of Southwest Strings! (Don't worry, no basses were hurt!)

The Larsen Strings booth had strings such as the Auroras (great choice for students) as well as a Glasser NY-Volta Strings electric violin with built-in speakers and reverb - and it lights up!

Thomas Yee of Bay Fine Strings had some especially fine violins on hand, including a beautiful Gagliano violin that was so light to the touch (old wood, well-kept!) He also had some bows with adjustable weight at the frog.

The Southwest Strings booth included not only every size of fractional violins, but also a variety of mariachi instruments, in keeping with the musical styles that thrive in their Tucson, Ariz. home base community.

Luis Negri of Negri Cases, based in Italy, showed me a number of violin cases, including the "Vulcano," and I enjoyed that the colors of the sleek carbon exteriors were all named after cars: Lamborghini Orange, Mercedes Matte Gray, Fire Red McLaren, and Pearl Silver Bentley!

Always great to see Shar Music, which has been involved for many years with the ASTA Conference. Shar's Jordan Nichols also gave a useful talk about how to educate parents and newcomers about the importance instrument quality and how to gently helps them move to better instruments without breaking the bank - something helpful in the era of VSOs from Amazon!

The LA Violin Shop had some great news: they are just about to open their new location, right next to The Colburn School and around the corner from Disney Hall in downtown Los Angeles. I can't wait to see it!

So good to see Metzler Violin Shop at the conference - next week they have their Contemporary American Violin and Bow Maker Exhibition and Sale - looking forward to that!

It's always a pleasure to see violinist and rock musician Mark Wood, the man behind the Viper Violin and the creative force behind Mark Wood Orchestra Camp and Electrify Your Symphony.

Party at the Strings Magazine booth!

The Strad was handing out free magazines and tote bags!

Here is an educator who has written a book: Cherry Hill, N.J.-based Mimi Butler, with copies of her book Your Next-Gen Private Studio - a book about new teaching tech, global internet instruction, digital cash management, the millennial parent, and social media marketing.

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Is your head spinning yet? Mine was! More to come about the ASTA/SAA Conference!

You might also like:

• Gateways' Alex Laing at ASTA/SAA 2026: Inviting a Better Future Through Practice
• Stories from Past and Present ASTA & SAA Conferences

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