Pennsylvania
Jim Kaplan and his longtime partner, Jim Botti, were both band directors in Pittsburgh area schools when they saw the need to provide private lessons after school. Together they opened a small studio, with a small glass case for accessories. That case expanded and within a few years the store was...
Richard Schiemer grew up in Brighton, Pennsylvania and often went down to Brighton Music Center for supplies and lessons. Little did he know at the time that one day, after college, he would work for the store and years later he would own the store along with a friend and fellow employee. ...
Brad Wittmer and his friend and co-worker Richard Schiemer were given an opportunity to purchase the store they were working in, and they took it! The two met while working for Brighton Music Center and were approached by the owners to buy the store upon their retirement. Since that time the two...
Rose Karr's father worked for the founder of Cunningham Piano Company as a technician. When Mr. Cunningham passed away, Rose's father approached Mrs. Cunningham about his goals to continue the business. Rose and her sister Doris grew up in the piano business and both worked in the company for...
Calvin Grafton was very interested in the radio business as a youngster. His early jobs included radio repair but he knew he needed more for a solid business, so he opened his own music store in Pennsylvania in 1963. Grafton Music soon gained a respected reputation in and around the state and the...
Al Rinaldi was the first person ever to receive the Steinway Lifetime Achievement Award, which was given to him in 2012. Al never worked for the piano manufacturer nor did he work for any of it's sister companies. Al was a Steinway dealer in Philadelphia, who in fact was turned down from being a...
Carol Sides married into the Robert M. Sides Music Center family in the 1960s and soon became an important part of the company’s educational programs and music therapy activity. She worked long and hard to build up the local community bands and symphony orchestra as well as creating support for...
Peter Sides is the president and third generation of his family to operate the Robert M. Sides Music Center Pennsylvania. His grandfather opened the store out of his home, selling and repairing pianos in 1937, and later his parents ran the store. Today, Peter and his sister, Alysha, run the company...
Alysha Sides-Greevy grew up in the music store that her grandfather established in 1937 and has enjoyed working in music retail along side her parents and brother. The Robert M. Sides Music Center began in Williamsport, Pennsylvania when her grandfather tuned and sold pianos out of his home. Alysha...
Joel Menchey is the president of Menchey Music Service, a Hanover, PA based retail store established by his grandfather in 1936. Joel is also very active within the industry serving on boards and committees for such organizations as NASMD, NAMM and RPMDA. Joel, himself a music maker, can be heard...