April, 2016 - Business Partner Spotlight

This month, we spotlight our MusicLink Business Partner, Schmitt Music Co., a staunch supporter of the MusicLink Foundation for over two decades. Through its partnership with MusicLink, Schmitt Music has discounted music, donated pianos and piano moves, waived MusicLink teacher studio fees for in-store lessons and provided a baby grand piano for the annual Minnesota MusicLink Playathon. Our thanks to Doug and Tom Schmitt, as well as Sue Freeman Dopp for their constant interest in our MusicLink students and teachers.

Schmitt Music began over 120 years ago, when the Century Piano Company of Minneapolis brought Paul A. Schmitt from New York to manage its sheet music business. Six years later, in 1896, Paul A. Schmitt resigned from the Century Piano Company to open his own business at 606 Nicollet in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In 2015 Schmitt Music welcomed the fifth generation into the family-run business! Peter T. Schmitt, great-great-grandson of founder, Paul A. Schmitt, joined the company and currently leads the development of Schmitt Music's orchestral strings offerings as Orchestra Division Manager. Doug Schmitt is currently Vice President of Music/Education Community Relations. These days Schmitt Music specializes in pianos, keyboards, band and orchestra instruments, musical accessories, sheet music, and instrument service and repair. They also provide space in their stores for music teachers to give over 185,000 music lessons each year. Additionally, Schmitt Music has been a Steinway & Sons piano dealer for nearly 55 years. Schmitt stores are located in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas.

July, 2016 - Business Partner Spotlight

This month we are spotlighting one of our newer Business Partners — Carol Matz. Carol is a business partner and a strong supporter of the MusicLink Foundation. Over the last 2 years, she has offered free materials to MusicLink students, held an exclusive drawing for MusicLink teachers, spread the word about MusicLink on her Facebook page and is now offering her new Interactive Piano Method free to MusicLink students for as long as they are studying with a MusicLink teacher.

Carol has composed, authored, and arranged over 300 published titles for piano students. An experienced piano teacher herself, Carol has presented numerous piano-teaching workshops and is well known for her Famous & Fun series (published by Alfred Music.).

Visit Carol’s website at www.carolmatzpiano.com to check out her new method and join us in thanking her for her generous support of our MusicLink teachers and students.

November, 2016 - Legacy Partner Spotlight

The Louise P. Zanar Fund has been a MusicLink Legacy Partner since 2010, currently supporting the DC MusicLink program at the Bravo level, with annual donations of $10,000. The fund was established in memory of Louise P. Zanar, a gifted writer, musician, local philanthropist and labor lawyer. The fund provides grants to organizations in the Washington DC metropolitan area to provide underserved students with guidance and instruction in music, theater, writing, culinary arts, and other forms of creative expression.

Students receive lessons in keyboard, percussion, and voice in our DC MusicLink Shining Stars and enjoy performing every summer for the fund. We personally thank Elizabeth McGrail, Molly Daniels and the board of the Louise P. Zanar Fund for their ongoing support of DC youth in the arts.