Mouthpieces
Bernard Van Doren is the grandson of the founder of Vandoren Paris, the world famous reed maker. His grandfather, Eugene, formed the company in 1905 based on his technique of making high quality reeds. His father, Robert, expanded the company to include other products and introduced the renowned...
Greg Grieme was a banker when he met Bill Gray who asked for some support. Bill explained his idea to create a company that would invest in and support music companies. Together they formed BGE Financial Corp, which over time helped several music industry companies. Along with Michael Skinner, Bill...
Jim Green has been a fixture in the Elkhart band instrument industry since the 1960s. He first worked for Armstrong Flute Company before joining jj Babbitt in 1974. After a short absence from the mouthpiece maker, Jim returned in 1983 and has been a key part of the company ever since. As the...
Christan Griego grew up surrounded by music. In fact, he did not have a television in his home as a child, but did have a piano! While in the school band during the sixth grade, Christan began playing the trombone, where his love of band and orchestra instruments began. As a child Christan visited...
Theodore Johnson was playing in the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra when he began to think of ideas that would improve his clarinet's mouthpiece. Over time, he designed his own mouthpiece and established his own company, while still performing full-time. His product line grew over time as did the...
Jody Espina had a long history as both a musician and educator before deciding to launch his own line of saxophone and clarinet mouthpieces. Jody honed his playing at a young age before moving on to study at Berklee. Following college, Jody went on to teach music including serving as Director of...
Gary Winder has been active in music sales for over 30 years. Gary worked with G. Leblanc and Coda Music Technologies before he moved on in 1997 to join Yamaha, finally serving as Director for National Sales. While with Yamaha, Gary created strong working processes with his team that not only...
Wally Pikal may have been the only music retailers who played on the Johnny Carson Show! Wally opened his store, Wally Pikal Music, in Hutchinson, Minnesota in 1964. Up to that time he had been a sought-after bandleader and trumpeter in and around the Midwest. One of his tricks, that got the...
Stephen Wick, whose father is a well-regarded classical musician, grew up in a very musical home. What he discovered as a child that remains to this very day is that his father’s passion for music, transferred nicely over to him. Together they work in the company his father, Denis, established to...
Fred Rast is the founder of Fred Rast Mouthpieces and a music lesson instructor for Music Village. The store is located in San Jose, California and is his musical haven with students and employees he enjoys being surrounded by. In addition to his long teaching career, Fred began designing his own...