Carlin Budreau (center) of Fruit Cove watches as Cecilia Brauer plays the Armonica Downtown at the Jacksonville Public Library. Brauer of Merrick, N.Y., performed at the library Wednesday as part of the “Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World” program. In 1761 Franklin invented the instrument that uses a series of glass bowls aligned on a pipe. Musical tones are produced by rubbing moistened fingers around the outside rim of the bowls, which are organized in descending order by size. Similar sounds can be created by running a finger around the rim of a filled wine glass. Brauer’s performances can also be heard during the movies “Frida” and “Interview with a Vampire.” She is one of about 14 active armonica players in the world.
photo by Joe Wilhelm Jr.