Trombones
Larry Seaver spent decades designing, engineering and producing parts, instruments and tools for band and orchestras. The key to his success was simple, Larry was an engineer’s engineer! He was always thinking about ways to better a process or improve an instrument. Over his career in the music...
Mike Olsen has worked in the very shop his grandfather established right after World War II to make parts for band instrument makers in and around his hometown of Elkhorn, Wisconsin. At one point, after Mike joined the company full time after high school, three generations were working together. ...
Ira Nepus is the type of musician who is always looking to expand his knowledge in order to be as useful a player as possible for each of his gigs. The philosophy has become a trade mark for his TV and film work as well as in the recording studios for products ranging from rock to jazz. At the...
Lou Witt grew up on a small farm in Iowa and one day asked his band director in school for an instrument. He was given a trombone and has played the instrument ever since. He enjoyed playing music and soon developed an interest in working within the music industry. Lou worked for Schmitt Music in...
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. ...
Cassie Brueckner is the president of Pete’s Music store and the daughter of the founder. She grew up in the Anaheim, California store, where she learned to repair musical instruments and developed her skills as the store manager to take charge when Pete had a professional gig. As a brass player,...
Dave Surber’s father was a United States Navy musician who worked for the Leblanc Company after he retired from the navy. When Dave was looking for a job his father found one for him in the buffing room at Leblanc. Dave moved into polishing clarinet keys while his father worked with artist...
Brad Milliken began working in the music industry with the Vincent Bach Company and stayed with the company when it merged with Selmer and again with Conn. Brad’s positions within the factory has always been based on handcraftsmanship. While he was working in the industry during the early days of...
Willie Smith was trained on instrument repairs on the plant floor of the Conn-Selmer factory in Elkhart over 30 years ago. He began working in the music industry with the Vincent Bach Company in the 1970s and remained with the company when it was sold to Selmer and again in the early 2000s when it...
John Welch is the president of Sofia Violins, which is an American-made instrument company based in Indianapolis, Indiana. John’s incredible life in music began as a child when he was classically trained on the piano. He played jazz trombone during the Bebop era in New York. In fact, he has a...