Tools of the Trade

The modern pointe shoe has kept ballerinas on their toes since the early 20th Century.

Each delicate, custom-made satin and leather shoe endures a punishing routine that begins even before a dancer places a shoe on her foot.

As part of an occasional series called Tools of the Trade about performers and their relationship to the tools that make their work possible, I talked to members of the Kansas City Ballet about shoes.

Touring for any professional musician can be challenging. But for concert pianists, it’s also about adapting to a new instrument at every stop.

American pianist Garrick Ohlsson is a frequent soloist in Kansas City. The Friends of Chamber Music presented Ohlsson in concert in January.

In the first of a series called Tools of the Trade, we take a look inside KC Strings. It’s a workshop owned by Anton Krutz in downtown Merriam, Kan., where luthiers hand-build 50 concert-level instruments each year.  A cellist and a violinist discuss the “Krutz” sound.