The Mana Quartet (RooPad endorsers!) are giving another summer workshop! Past workshops have been very well received and past attendees we've talked to have been thrilled with the two weeks of music and merriment! Don't miss your chance to spend time with the Mana Quartet from June 2-16 in Chestertown, MD!



The participants in the program will get the chance to perform in saxophone orchestras, small ensembles & master classes, and will receive private instruction and attend seminars and concerts.

Don't miss a great workshop by this fabulous saxophone quartet!


http://manaquartet.com/national.html

Check out the above link for more information and how to apply.

Day two of the Messe was somehow even busier than day one! For those of you that go to trade shows, you can appreciate the fun and excitement of a busy day on the trade show floor. In Frankfurt at the Messe, the excitement can be even more for us. One never knows what will happen. For instance, as I'm writing this blog, I'm sitting in a station wagon on the Autobahn traveling at about 180kph, headed to a Rascher Saxophone Quartet concert with an advisor to a musical instrument maker and the tuba player with the Beijing Phil.

I'm sure Rich had no idea coming to the show that he would be giving demonstrations in the morning to 10 Japanese repair students, none of which spoke English! What a day!



I said goodbye today to my good friends from Holland and talked repair to so many technicians I can't count. Getting ideas from other repairers is total geek joy for me, and even more so, talking with repairers from other countries who have dealt with odd problems and found completely unique solutions. It was really something. I was approached by a couple manufacturers to help improve their instruments and I believe I might get on board.

Speaking of great improvements, I was really happy to see that many of the ideas that Theo and I talked about had been implemented on his saxophone, the Mantra. Gone are the days when only a large volume manufacturer can make a difference. Theo is really trying to do something great with these horns and I'm really anxious to help him do it. It's great when things fall in place: the assembly line style Sax ProShop is a perfect place to set up and perfect a horn from a factory. Better, in fact, than the factory.

So I'm really looking forward to this concert! We're running late and the speeds are getting high. Luckily I'm not the one driving! I didn't take too many pictures today, it was just too busy at the booth. Ok, we're here. I will try and check out some new products tomorrow and let you guys know who's making the finest widgets.

-Curt

Wow, what a day! It was nonstop from morning to night. We had a great day hanging out with old friends. It's cool for me to be here with Rich and introduce him to folks that are now my old friends in Europe. This is officially my extended family! The coolest part is that Rich knows most of them by email already. What a truly awesome family we have in the repair world.



After the first day, we went out on the town with Paul and Jan from De Saxofoonwinkle for Great Turkish food and drinks and, as usual, a great time with my friends from Holland.



Here you can see, we're not the only ones occupying Frankfurt!


This morning, I'm headed in early to meet with Theo Wanne about his new Mantra saxophone. We're setting these up for him at the Sax ProShop and we are all working very hard to make that saxophone a success! What an honor to work with such great people on such a cool project!

Additionally, we were invited by Ken Coon to travel out to see a concert that the Rascher Saxophone Quartet will play tonight. What an honor it is to be friends with Ken Coon of the RSQ and membership definitely has its privileges!

We got to the Messe early this year. We were able to set up and get everything done before almost anyone else! Set up so early, in fact, that now Rich, Ken, and I are going out to get a nice German dinner in downtown Frankfurt.

We were ready, but the rest of the Messe was still a mess!



We were all rested up and ready for a great show. Looks like there are some new exhibits this year a few new things to see and we'll let you know what we see tomorrow when the show starts.



If you're at the Messe, come visit us at booth D 37 Hall 1.1. If you can't make it to the Messe, of course you know you can stop by the site! Or call the shop and let us know what you need.



Although Rich and I are at the Messe, there're plenty of people back in Wilmington, North Carolina holding down the fort at MusicMedic.com.

-Curt

We've been really busy here at MusicMedic.com lately. Even too busy to write a blog! So here is a last-minute update on the upcoming MusikMesse in Frankfurt, Germany.

For the first time, Rich will be going to the Messe with me and he couldn't be more excited. We're ready to catch up with some old friends and hopefully meet a lot of new friends too! The booth is located at Hall 1.1, booth D37 (if you went to last year's Messe, we're located at the same spot).

I can't wait to get some delicious German coffee and baked goods! See you at the Messe!

-Curt