This zither photo of the Louisville Zither Club, taken in 1907, was sent to us by The Filson Historical Society. Oscar Below is standing in the back row, second from the right. He was a machinist who worked for the L & N Railroad and lived in the neighborhood in which the German American Club of Louisville was first established. Although not yet confirmed, it is believed the man sitting front row and center is Joseph Hugh, former director of this club.

A discovery in the family's attic sparked the curiosity of a young musician. Gina Gerbasio is pursuing the concert zither, an instrument once played by her great-grandmother, Elizabeth Grob. Now, with hard work and weekly lessons, she is making great progress. In this article, Dr. William F. Kolb provides an update on his aspiring student and details how the zither has found expression in a new generation.

Originally published in the newsletter The Zither, circa 1920, "A Brief History of the American Zither Verband and the United Zither Players Association of America" details the birth of the American Zither Verband and the productive congresses that followed. Permission for the republication of this article has been kindly extended by the Western Historical Manuscript Collection-Columbia, Missouri.

Welcome Summer! This zither photo was sent to us by Rudolph Mueller. His father, Rudolph Mueller Sr. (seated left), is shown enjoying the zither, Schlitz and the company of his friend, Paul Ederegger, on a sunny day in Carl Schurz Park, ca. 1950.

Originally from Prussia, Philip Louis Brachet immigrated to the United States in 1860 and settled in Philadelphia, PA. From his home, he gave music lessons, sold musical instruments and composed numerous pieces for the piano and zither. In this article we present what is known of Philip Louis Brachet, former music teacher, composer and zitherist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Zither players from Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey convened once again for the 33rd Sterling Zither Seminar. Jane Curtis, whose report follows, served as host for the event and led the zither enthusiasts through a well-structured seminar program, which spanned two days. The seminar was held at the Greenspring retirement community in Springfield, VA.

This zither photo was shared by Dick Boak of the Martin Guitar Company. The concert zither, shown below, was made by C.F. Martin, Jr., circa 1882 and is currently on display in the Martin Museum.

Photo Courtesy of C. F. Martin Archives ©

Since picking up the zither at the age of 14 in Munich, Germany, it would not be long before Arthur Schatz's musical talents would gain him notoriety. Trained as a model carpenter, he would later immigrate to Canada to practice his profession. Throughout life, he continued to promote friendship and the cultural traditions of his homeland. In this article we remember Arthur K. Schatz Sr., Munich native and long time resident of Oshawa, Canada.

In Nikolaus Weigel's time, zither tunings abounded and to a certain degree were a matter of personal preference. Recognizing this discrepancy, he set out to standardize and expand its capabilities. In this article, author Fritz Stang examines the life of this musical innovator, whose contributions for the zither have become a recognized standard. Discovered in an old issue of Saitenspiel, this article has been translated from the original German and edited by Jane Curtis.

This zither photo was sent to us by Trish Kellen. The Apollo Zither Club was led by Henry Schaber, pictured front and center with the conductor's baton, and was just one of several zither clubs that existed in Nebraska. This zither club image is circa 1898. For more information on Henry Schaber see "Remembering Henry Schaber."