Violin has been at the center of John Gerson’s life for so long that he remembers sometimes having to skip little league games in favor of violin lessons and ensemble rehearsals… In fact, he was born into a musical family and began playing violin when he was just a toddler. He received his Bachelor of Music and Diploma in Violin Performance from Indiana University where he studied with Henryk Kowalski. He then furthered his studies with Drew Lecher and David Taylor. John is also an experienced private instructor and previously held the position of adjunct professor of violin at Olivet Nazarene University. He began working for Bein & Fushi in 2010 under the guidance of Gabriel Ben-Dashan and though he works full time at the shop, he continues to perform and is currently the Concertmaster of The Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest, an ensemble for which he has also been featured as a soloist.
One of our greatest joys at Bein & Fushi is finding the perfect instrument or bow for a musician, which is sometimes the culmination of an exhaustive search. John reminds us that finding just the right instrument or bow is really just the beginning. What is most rewarding for him is helping musicians get to where they are going—no matter the level where they began. To witness what a string player can accomplish with the right instrument and bow is one of John’s greatest joys, whether the musician is a beginner or an international soloist.
“It is always a pleasure to work with John Gerson! His knowledge of instruments (as well as respect and ability to understand the taste of a musician) make him a wonderful partner on the road to finding a perfect instrument or a bow!”
– Vadim Gluzman
We feel so lucky to have John’s expertise, talents, and warm presence in our shop every day. It becomes instantly clear to his customers that his life-long love of the violin, musician’s ear, and vast experience give him an almost magical ability to match musician and instrument, but, of course, magic has nothing to do with it. He listens to what his customers have to say and pays close attention to their style of playing. He takes care in noting how the customer reacts to each instrument and bow and uses his depth of knowledge to hone in on what works best.