Woodwinds

Nobunari Yanagisawa is the president of the company his father established just before World War II.  The company began as a repair shop, which focused on the saxophone.  The factory was used for military projects during the war but closed after the war.  His father had a difficult time finding raw...
Hirokazu Kato took part in the innovative engineering team at Yamaha in Japan who utilized FM Synthesis to create an electronic musical instrument, first the TRX prototype and then the revolutionary DX7.  Kato-san began his career with Yamaha in 1965 when he helped design the company's first...
Gary Chen is the owner of Stein On Vine, the historic horn and string shop in Hollywood, California whose customer list reads like a who's who of jazz and film music.  Gary was hired by the founder, Maury Stein, the brother of famed songwriter Julie Stein.  Maury had developed a wonderful...
William Cordier remembered piling in the family car for a road trip to their favorite lake northwest of their home in Ohio.  Each and every trip included a detour into Elkhart, Indiana where his father would pull over and show off the large sign announcing the "World's Biggest Musical Instrument...
Alex Hsieh is the CEO of P.Mauriat Paris, a brass instrument maker in Taiwan that specializes in saxophones, trumpets and accessories.  Their saxophone line of instruments are inspired by the late French orchestra leader Paul Mauriat (1925-2006) who was known in America for a series of pop...
Vincent Marinelli is the founder of Expert Woodwind Service, a music store specializing in hand-selected and expertly fine-tuned professional clarinets and saxophones. A musician himself, Vincent mainly plays the clarinet, flute and saxophone, the latter of which he played in a rock and roll band...
Paul Laubin followed in his father's footsteps both as a symphonic oboist and as an instrument maker.  Alfred Laubin made his first oboe in 1931.  He steadily improved his design, and went on to make hundreds of instruments and grow A. Laubin, Inc. into a full-time business.  Paul grew up in the...
Bill Price was active in the band instrument business after being involved with other industries and as a result has a very unique and positive perspective on the music industry.  Bill was hired to join CG Conn by his longtime friend Bill Cordier.    Together they had an interest in purchasing the...
Giorgio Clerici is the son-in-law of Cosimo Pomarico, the classically trained clarinetist who in 1960 began making his own unique mouthpieces.  Mr. Pomarico developed a crystal mouthpiece, which became the signature product of his company.  In addition to the designs, he also built the facing...
Riccardo Clerici is the grandson of Cosimo Pomarico, the classically trained clarinetist who in 1960 began making his own unique mouthpieces.  Mr. Pomarico developed a crystal mouthpiece, which became the signature product of his company.  In addition to the designs, he also built the facing...

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