Hello Wheeling. My name is Thomas Reinhardt. I have been away from Wheeling for years, traveling while residing in various eco-villages, intentional communities, and ashrams. During this time I have performed at venues in Montreal, Quebec; Cleveland, Ohio; St. Louis and Springfield, Missouri; Southern Mississippi; New Orleans, Louisiana, and recently Centre Market, Wheeling.
My 30 years’ experience began with the Ohio County Strings program at the Kruger Street Elementary School through attending Wheeling Park High School. Afterwards I was mainly a guitarist who would tinker with viola and violin. I enjoyed bowing the strings but could not find that style and sound that I was passionate about. Frustrated, I would get when missing for the thousandth time, the F sharp on Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. Also, I was growing very bored of the western music keys.
A whole new world of music was opened to me about five years ago. I met, and lived with, a most colorful group of people. Many of these people come from Jewish, Romani, Spanish, and Hungarian gypsy roots. We held a festival in the Ozark Mountains and their music spoke to my soul. Yes! This was the sound I have been searching for! It was time for me to really learn Brahms’ Hungarian Dance Number 5.
I would play a couple hours a day, teaching the gypsies classical techniques, and they taught me how to “play with music” not just play music but sing through the violin. I am very grateful to them and also very much to my first instructors Laura Gregg, David Belchik, and Ben Prodolski of Ohio County.
My next adventure will be to Melbourne, Australia, to join my wonderfully beautiful fiancé, Nicolisa. While waiting for legal paper work and a marriage visa, I will be performing klezmer style and gypsy fusion at the entrance of the Artworks Gallery at Centre Market, Monday through Saturday 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. unless outside temperatures go below 40 degrees.
