This spring, visitors wandering through the West Concord Cultural District may have stumbled upon something unexpected: the sound of jazz drifting from a pop-up gallery, a master luthier explaining the mysteries of guitar bracing to a packed audience, a Celtic harp performance in an intimate exhibit space, or families gathering around an artist-painted piano outside a future museum still years away from opening.

Over the course of April, May, and June, the Guitar Museum of New England transformed a modest storefront at 129 Commonwealth Avenue into one of the season’s most distinctive cultural destinations—offering residents and visitors an evolving series of exhibitions, performances, conversations, and community events centered around the artistry and storytelling of the guitar.

Wilson Schünemann walks tourism leaders through the pop-up exhibit

| Courtesy of the Guitar Museum of New England

The spring series, presented under the banner “Hidden Gems,” gave the public an early glimpse into the vision behind the future museum planned for a new building at 74 Commonwealth Avenue in the heart of West Concord. Rather than functioning simply as a preview exhibit, the pop-up quickly evolved into something larger: a lively gathering place that connected musicians, instrument makers, artists, cultural organizations, and curious visitors from across New England.

The museum project itself grew out of Co-Founder and Curator Wilson Schünemann’s longstanding passion for rare and innovative instruments and the stories behind them—not only the musicians who play them, but also the builders, materials, engineering innovations, and artistry that shape their sound and design. 

Inside the gallery, visitors encountered a carefully curated selection of handcrafted guitars and related instruments that reflected the museum’s broader philosophy: Guitars are more than musical tools—they are objects where craftsmanship, industrial design, engineering, visual art, and cultural history intersect. The displays highlighted everything from experimental bracing systems and ergonomic design innovations to exquisite inlay work and unusual modern materials.

Jaimee Leigh Joroff’s presentation on the Celtic harp

| Courtesy of the Guitar Museum of New England

Throughout the season, Schünemann regularly welcomed visitors during “Meet the Curator” open houses held Wednesdays through Fridays, offering informal tours and conversations about the instruments and the remarkable luthiers who created them. After the open houses were featured by Yankee magazine’s NewEngland.com as one of its “Things to Do in May,” the gallery attracted hundreds of visitors from across the Northeast.

The programming surrounding the exhibition became equally important to the experience. The season began in April with “Meet the Master Luthier,” an intimate master class featuring legendary guitar builder Steven Kauffman. Demand quickly exceeded expectations, prompting organizers to relocate the event to a larger venue at the Concord Conservatory of Music (CCM). More than 80 guitar enthusiasts, collectors, builders, and musicians attended the evening, where Kauffman discussed how subtle variations in wood selection, bracing techniques, and sound-hole placement dramatically influence the voice and resonance of an instrument. Several of his guitars were later demonstrated in a live mini-concert by local guitarist Seth Connelly, filmed by Minuteman Media.

In May, the gallery’s official opening reception drew another sold-out crowd. Guests moved through the intimate exhibit space while the Goodwin String Thing trio performed original songs alongside musical interpretations of classic poetry, reinforcing the museum’s larger vision of the guitar as a bridge across artistic disciplines.

Master Luthier Steven Kauffman shares the secrets of the flying brace

| Courtesy of the Guitar Museum of New England

Other programs explored an even broader musical landscape. Performer Jaimee Leigh Joroff captivated audiences during an evening devoted to the history and mythology of the Celtic harp, tracing the instrument’s journey through folklore and musical tradition and tying it to the advent of the modern-day harp guitar. Rounding out the month, jazz ensemble Pocket Square filled the gallery with standards and improvisation, transforming the pop-up into a small neighborhood music club for the evening. The performance featured one of the archtop jazz guitars from the museum’s collection—bringing this beautiful instrument to life for the audience.

The museum also became woven into a broader network of cultural collaborations unfolding throughout Concord this spring.

In June, the museum partnered with Concord Conservatory of Music during the community-wide “Pianos on the Town” public art initiative, sponsoring and hosting an artist-decorated piano at the future museum site at 74 Commonwealth Avenue. The installation became both a visual landmark and a gathering point for impromptu performances and community interaction, culminating in a June concert featuring CCM faculty member William Kim.

Another CCM/Guitar Museum collaboration brought nationally respected luthier William Cumpiano to Concord. Cumpiano, co-author of the influential book Guitarmaking: Tradition and Technology and co-founder of the Cuatro Project, participated in programming connected to a performance by acclaimed Puerto Rican cuatro player and composer Fabiola Méndez at the conservatory.

Meanwhile, the museum’s future home at 74 Commonwealth Avenue emerged as an active participant in the neighborhood’s spring cultural life even before construction had begun. During Spring into West Concord Day in May, the museum partnered with Barefoot Books to host an outdoor performance featuring Grammy-winning children’s musician and author Joanie Leeds, followed by performances from the Inishfree Dancers. In June, the site again became part of the community celebration during West Concord Porchfest, hosting music and activities at both Commonwealth Avenue sites.

The pop-up series also served as one of Concord’s featured contributions to the annual Hidden Treasures Festival of Nature, Culture & History organized by Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area, a region-wide celebration highlighting the landscapes, stories, arts, and traditions that define the heritage of the region.

For many visitors, the experience offered something unusual: not simply a museum exhibition, but a glimpse into a cultural institution actively taking shape in real time.

That sense of experimentation and accessibility has become central to the museum’s identity. Organizers envision the future Guitar Museum of New England as an “experiential” museum where instruments are not hidden permanently behind glass, but brought to life through performances, artist talks, temporary exhibitions, educational programs, and intimate concerts. 

The spring pop-up may have been temporary, but it offered a vivid indication of the role the museum hopes to play in Concord’s cultural ecosystem for years to come: not only as a destination for guitar enthusiasts and collectors, but as an active community gathering place where music, craftsmanship, design, and storytelling intersect.

And this is only the beginning.

Organizers are already planning more ambitious exhibitions and public programming later this year, including a major celebration of Master Luthier Steven Kauffman at The Umbrella Arts Center, as well as expanded initiatives designed to bring instruments and performances into community spaces throughout the region.

For information about upcoming events, visit GuitarMuseum.org. Your generous tax-deductible donation can help the Guitar Museum of New England open its doors sooner—please give at GuitarMuseum.org/donate.