Violins
Rob Juzek and his brother Adam are the owners of Metropolitan Music in Stowe, Vermont. The family business dates back to the very early 1900’s when his great uncle, John Juzek, began making violins. His brother, Rob’s grandfather, began selling the instruments and by 1920 their distribution company...
Bogdan Tesla is related to the physicist Nikola Tesla, who was born in the village of Smiljan, Austrian Empire (today that area is part of Croatia). Bogdan was in the military, but found that during the civil war he was being asked to fight against his own family. He left the service and...
Marinko Tesla expressed a deep sense of pride in the fact that he works alongside his father, Bogdan, who established Tesla Tonewood Serbia in 1991. The father-son team work long and hard to produce the highest level of quality as well as strong customer support to the luthiers and instrument...
Lois Bach proudly worked beside her husband, Greg, to expand his music business into a strong retail and repair service. Lois joined Greg in the business after a successful career in television. She could see that Greg needed help and brought her business and social media skills to the store. Their...
Greg Gohde's love for violins and bow making began in college and soon became his life's work. He moved to San Diego from Chicago, where he opened a repair shop and crafted handmade bows. His store expanded over time into Classic Bows, a world-renowned location for violin goods and services. The...
Buddy Spicher started playing the fiddle for $10 a night at local square dances, but also played some rhythm guitar to accompany his brother at performances. During his NAMM Oral History interview, Buddy tells of how he acquired his first violin, by trading his brother a Coca Cola for his brother’s...
Jeff Saltzman has been involved with the violin since being introduced to the Suzuki Method when he was a child. His grandfather and father both worked as wholesalers in musical instruments. His grandfather, Joseph, worked with Paul Sorkin to form Sorkin Music back in 1938. His father, Mark...
Michael Doucet has become an important link to the roots of Cajun music, not only because he has written and performed the musical style since he was 6 years old, but because of the months he spent conducting a geological survey in and around his hometown of Scott, Louisiana. He discovered how the...
Robert Gillespie was teaching at Ohio State University in the music department when he developed and hosted a summer workshop for violin teachers. In addition to his regular teaching, playing, and the yearly workshop, Dr. Gillespie co-wrote one of the most popular and regarded method books for the...
Yale Strom started on the violin when he was eight years old. He took lessons at school, and played in the school orchestra first in his hometown of Detroit, MI, but later on in San Diego, CA as well. He went on to be an acclaimed violinist, composer, filmmaker, writer, photographer, and playwright...