Flutes
Wally Evans grew up in Wales with music all around him. He played piano and sang in church. He later learned to play the guitar and worked in several bands at night and worked in a power plant by day. For two years he studied electronic musical instrument technology in London before being hired by...
Mary Luehrsen is a music advocate dedicated to music education and promoting support for music education. As Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations for NAMM and a former music teacher and professional musician, Mary has helped NAMM and its partners with policy issues and legislation...
Steven Wasser grew up in a very musical family and played reed instruments as a child but really dreamed of owning his own business. After graduating from Harvard Business School, Steven worked in several industries before having the chance to combine his interests of business and his passion for...
Holly Hofmann is one of the only female jazz flute players who does not double on other instruments but in fact prefers to focus her time and talents as a flutist. With little in the way of jazz flute history, Holly has been a pioneer in the field for the last several decades. She has also been a...
DeDe Guth joined the customer service team at Yamaha’s band instrument factory in Michigan in 1980. There she learned first hand the company’s philosophy and attention to customer satisfaction. Ten years later she was offered a job in Elkhart, Indiana to work at the Gemeinhardt Flute Company, where...
James Glanville was part of the team that relocated the Conn instrument manufacturing operations from Elkhart, IN to Nogales, Mexico, back in 1972. The result was a heavy blow to Elkhart, which had once been the Band Instrument Capital of the World. However, it was a needed move in order to keep...
Liane Rockley gained a degree in flute performance in New York before moving to Denver, where she taught music at a local music store. The storeowner, Bob Rockley, who would become her father-in-law, suggested that she work in the band department of the store to better understand the music business...
Haruhiko Ikebe developed a novel way of approaching music retailing, creating Super Pro Shops that stock vintage and new instruments along with accessories and knowledgeable sales staff for a very specific item. In other words, Mr. Ikebe created a saxophone store, a guitar store, a flute store and...
Masashi Miyazawa formed the Miyazawa Flutes Company in 1969. Mr. Miyazawa founded the company with a dream to create a better instrument. With his background in the design and manufacture of professional flutes, Miyazawa successfully brought together traditional craftsmanship with advanced...
Emerson DeFord was a master craftsman who as a builder designed a number of flutes ranging from student models to professional instruments. As a businessman, he formed a number of well-branded companies including E. L. DeFord Flutes, the Picolo Company, Custom Woodwinds and Emerson Musical...