Benton County Genealogical Society Program at Philomath Museum

The Benton County Genealogical Society will present “Antique Musical Roadshow,” a free program featuring Brent Bunker, from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 14, on the second floor of the Philomath Museum, 1101 Main St.

Bunker has collected about 100 instruments and taught himself to play many rare and unusual ones, including the lute harp, harpolyre, harp guitar, Marxophone and tremoloa. He’ll also show his collection of unusual harmonicas.

Bunker started on the five-string banjo and was teaching it at a music school by age 15. He has played the Irish pipes in Ireland and the Highland pipes in Scotland, learned the hammered dulcimer in Arkansas and studied with John Doan, considered the modern-day father of the harp guitar.

Before radio and television, people entertained one another with musical instruments, and many of those instruments faded away as people stopped playing them. Bunker’s program offers a chance to hear some of them again.

A retired anesthetist, Bunker practiced for about 40 years. He and his wife, Pamela, have eight children and 30 grandchildren.

A wheelchair ramp is located at the northeast corner of the building. Food and drinks are not allowed inside the museum.