Rich Ita’s

Brass Instrument Workshop

Staff

Rich Ita

Rich Ita is a trumpet and cornet player and avid collector. He began his apprenticeship as a brass instrument repair technician in 1971 at ATEC Music Service in the suburbs of Washington, DC, collaborating with military band repairmen Conrad Brown, Ed Simmons and Art Accardo. The shop was involved in an effort by the Smithsonian Institute to put together a Civil War period band for recording purposes. It was then that a fascination with 19th century brass making took root. After a four year stint in the Army as a trumpet player, he accepted a job at the Schilke factory in Chicago, where he worked for several years until Mr. Schilke's death. He then freelanced as a repairman in the Chicago area doing work for Nappe Music House and Evanston Band & Orchestra. Rich gained experience in the recreation of older instruments in the shop of Ron Collier, making reproductions of natural trumpets and Sacbutts and doing other historical restoration work. A move in 1990 to the warmer climate of Atlanta brought him to an area starved for experienced repairmen. After six years at the areas largest retail music store, Ken Stanton Music, he opened his own shop - the Brass Instrument Workshop - and suddenly found himself hanging on for dear life and loving every minute of it! Rich would like to sincerely thank all of the wonderfully talented brass musicians who have placed their trust in his skills and have given him the opportunity to do the work he truly loves - making their prized instruments perform and look their best.

Sue Grant

Sue apprenticed for 9 years with her father, Willard Jones in Knoxville, TN, learning both brass and woodwind repair. She worked for 12 years at Ken Stanton Music in Marietta, GA, where she and Rich were colleagues. After serving as Repair Manager for the last 2 years of her stay at Ken Stanton, Sue then moved to Music and Arts Center in the Metro Atlanta area, where she gained another 8 years of experience. In 2005, Sue teamed up with Rich again when she became the newest repair tech to join the Brass Instrument Workshop.