William Scarlett

William Scarlett has dedicated his career to band instrument repair and the history of the many instrument makers in and around the mid-west.  He studied the York Band Instrument Company and the many well-known products the company produced over the decades.  Music is in his blood.  His grandfather played cornet as did his father.  So, when it was time for little William to play an instrument, he was given a cornet.  He studied music in college.  In fact, one of his professors was Renold Schilke.  After school he began teaching but was drafted just about a year into his band director’s job.  When he returned from the war, he freelanced in and around Chicago and played in the Chicago Symphony before running into Mr. Schilke.  William was offered a job with his old teacher, who by this time had begun making his own brand of musical instruments.  William agreed and thus began his long career as an instrument craftsman!