Artist of the Week: Derek Foster

Derek Foster is a French horn player, a long-time piano technician and a maker of art created from old, worn and forgotten piano parts.

He also has lately taken to decorating a few discarded stringed instruments.

A long-time resident of Upper Bucks County, Foster graduated from Central Bucks schools and majored in French horn at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

His work history includes making concrete burial vaults, 10 years as an auctioneer and the last 30 years as a piano technician, all the while playing the horn professionally.

Currently a resident of Upper Black Eddy, Foster said he has been making musical themed creations for about two years.

“It all starts with the frame,” he said in his bio. “Usually from the 19th century and the rest flows from there. Old, worn, forgotten and discarded piano and organ parts, also from the 1800s, fill the frames, rescuing them from the ravages of time. Lately, I’ve taken to decorating stringed instruments.

“I like to think that I’m giving just a bit of new life to these long abandoned, beautiful instruments, hopefully to be enjoyed for decades to come.”

For information, visit Derek Foster Piano online.

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