Canadian Music Industry
Dick Papalia witnessed a need for organ and piano owners in his neighborhood to have their instruments serviced in the early years of the home organ boom of the 1960s. As a result, in 1968, with the help of the Baldwin Piano Company, Dick established his music store. The store was originally called...
Howard Kalisky is the president of Efkay Music Group in Lachine, Quebec, Canada. Howard's father Fred founded the company in 1957, and Howard is following in his footsteps. Howard has also followed his father’s commitment to customer service and distributing such famous brands as Ibanez Guitars,...
Dale Wentworth put himself through college by teaching music lessons in the back of his father’s lighting store Kelowna, British Columbia. After finishing college, Dale realized that his lessons along with some instrument sales were surpassing the income of his father’s business. He sat down with...
Alan Macpherson began his career working for the retailer, The Music Shoppe II in Toronto Canada. As a musician, Alan fell in love with the music industry, getting to talk gear with fellow players and working to provide the services they needed to obtain the instruments of their dreams. When Alan...
Alan Merriam grew up in a home filled with music. His mother was a piano teacher and his father was a fan of the big bands. Alan took piano lessons and studied music in college before becoming a professional musician. Although he loved music, as a child he did not feel his lessons were very...
Michael Remenyi has been the proud third generation of the company his grandfather founded in Hungary in 1890 to build and repair violins and other string instruments. After World War II, the company was closed by the government and it was relocated to Canada. In Canada, Michael’s father and his...
Mike Remenyi represents the fourth generation of family members running the Remenyi House of Music located in Toronto, Canada. It was his great-grandfather Mihály who opened a small violin shop located in Budapest, Hungary in 1890. Sadly, the family lost the shop after World War II, but soon...
Lenny Lanteigne has been a passionate musician as long as he can remember. When he had a chance to work in the music industry, he was thrilled. Beginning in the early 1980s, Lenny worked at Steve's Music in Canada and has enjoyed being part of the growing company. Part of that fulfillment comes...
Sheldon Sazant began working for Steve's Music in Canada in 1978. What he recalls as his first impression of the store was the very tall, big, red-bearded owner, Steve. Steve was bigger than life and when Sheldon got to know him, he discovered Steve was a teddy bear. Sheldon, like so many...
Peter Janis played in school orchestra and rock bands growing up as his mother played piano in the home and encouraged him to pursue music. His first job in the industry was working at Steve's Music store in Canada and he was hooked. Peter enjoyed the people in the industry and was fascinated by...