Review of Pirastro KorfkerRest LUNA for Viola

By Mick Wetzel: EDITOR'S NOTE: Mick Wetzel is a longtime violist in the Los Angeles Philharmonic and also teaches at the Colburn School. When I read the manual for Pirastro's KorfkerRest LUNA for Viola that there were only two steps for setting up this new shoulder rest, I had some doubts. But then - it was true! Out of the box, the LUNA was a study in clarity. I was very intimidated by my original KorfkerRest and how to adjust it to my body and my instrument. In fact, at a certain point I went to my local luthier Eric Benning and had him adjust it for me. By contrast, the Korfker LUNA was immediately easy to adjust and attach to my instrument.

The instructions were simple: Attach the rest to your instrument, if it's too wide or narrow, adjust with the barrel legs. I had to make only one change - I tried the next larger size up, and then it was exactly how I wanted it. I don't know if that was dumb luck - but I do know this: it took me four months to figure out my original KorfkerRest - and four minutes to figure out the KorfkerRest LUNA. While my original KorfkerRest sat on my shelf for months, I started using the LUNA right away. While using the LUNA for the last month - playing concerts, chamber music, teaching, etc. - I have concluded that this shoulder rest would work well for the advanced student as well as for the busiest professional. For me, the purpose of a shoulder rest is to bridge the gap between your shoulder and chin, without having to unnaturally raise/shrug the left shoulder. The goal is a what I call a "Goldilocks" position for the chin and left shoulder. Not too loose, not too tight - but just right. It is a delicate balance of stability, security and freedom. Here is my litmus test for meeting the above criteria: You want the shoulder rest to stay attached to the instrument. You want the viola to feel secure under your chin but not so tightly under your chin that you are locked in any position. You want comfort. You also want to have freedom of movement. Any locked position or static position leads to static musical expression and possibly injury. With the three criteria of stability, security and freedom being easily met by the LUNA, let's launch into my review of the other features of the LUNA. Fit and Finish I will begin by saying that I love the look of this shoulder rest. Yes, I am old school - arent most of us, as string players? We love our older bows and instruments. However, the high-tech fit and finish of the LUNA is a beautiful complement of modernity to my viola. The LUNA also is possibly the lightest shoulder rest that I have ever experienced using. I have used a number of different shoulder rests over the last 50 years of my career as a professional violist - Playonair, Kun Bravo, etc. The LUNA feels even lighter than my current KorfkerRest (made of tonewood maple). Practicality: Once I started using the LUNA, I realized how all these features worked in real-life. The fact that it was very secure to my instrument was a major plus, since every shoulder rest that I have used previously has dropped to the floor noisily during rehearsals and concerts. I also loved the lightness of the LUNA. We all know that weight of the viola is relative to fatigue, and so if we can minimize weight in the shoulder rest, that is a win. I also loved the stability of it on my instrument and the security that I felt while playing. I was able to make small adjustments by easily switching out the included barrel legs to fit the shoulder rest to me and my viola. These small adjustments allowed for the looseness and freedom that I also need for performing. With the lightness, the security and the freedom of the LUNA, I didnt need to constantly grip with my chin or my left hand. This allowed for less tension in my neck and in my left hand. My shifts and my left-hand fluidity were much better. Comparison: In comparing the KorfkerRest (tone wood maple) and the LUNA, the two are almost identical in terms of functionality. However, I prefer the high-tech look of the LUNA. I think that the most significant selling point for the LUNA is that it is significantly less expensive (as much as $200 less) than the wood KorfkerRest. I wholeheartedly endorse the LUNA and am using it currently! You might also like:

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