Technics Audio

Michael Aguilar played instruments both in and out of his school music programs growing up, which proved to be a wonderful background later in his career. After nearly five years in the retail end of consumer electronics, Michael became National Sales Manager for the tape recorder division at Panasonic in 1972. The company, wanting to branch into the musical instrument business, formed Technics in 1979. Three years later Michael was hired to lead the company, which took off during the early days of digital instruments.

O’Lyn Callahan has played the piano since she was eight years old and started on organ at age twelve after receiving a Hammond B3 from her father. She came in third place at a Yamaha organ competition in 1973 (which took place at a NAMM Show) which resulted in her getting a job as a touring organ artist for Yamaha. After her long career playing organ, O’Lyn and her husband opened O’Lyn Callahan’s Piano & Organ Center in Sarasota, Florida. After a fifteen-year run with her own store and experience serving on the NAMM Board of Directors, O’Lyn started working as a touring artist

Bob Carbone is the co-founder of the Piano & Organ Center in Syracuse, New York. The store has a reputation for their quality products as well as creative lesson programs, which are offered to all of their customers. Bob entered the music industry with a letter he wrote while in the US Army to music retailer Bob Popyk, who not only hired the soon to be discharged soldier but met him at the airport upon his return to New York. The two worked together for 11 years before Bob Popyk sold his store to take his own musical career in a new direction.

Rick DePiro fell in love with music when he first decided to play the organ at the young age of 10, getting his first official gig just a few years later playing the electric piano in his community church and started to tour at the age of 20 as a keyboard player, pianist, organist and singer-songwriter. Playing in venues like the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl and the White House top some of Rick’s favorite memories as his time as a gigging musician.

Jim Hallwyler is a music retailer in Eugene, Oregon whose introduction to the industry was thanks to his father's friend Lyle Heater. The LD Heater Company, formed by Lyle's father in 1918, became an important distributor of musical instruments and one of the first in the industry to provide "talking machines" otherwise known as record players. Jim worked for the wholesaler for a time before serving in the US Army and earning his master's in music education thanks to the GI Bill. He would work for Kimball Pianos and Lowrey Organs before opening his own retail business in 1989. Jim

Roy Larrick was a distinguished sales representative for Hammond Organs and Panasonic's Technics products before launching his own retail business. After gaining invaluable experience at Colton Piano stores in Northern California, Roy founded Larrick Piano & Organ. His extensive knowledge of the Hammond Organ Company earned him a position with the company in 1974, making him the youngest salesman on staff at just 25 years old. Roy's enduring pride and passion for Hammond Organs were evident throughout his life, driving his success and solidifying his reputation in the industry

Yoko Leader learned to play as a student of the Yamaha Electone school but later graduated from university with a major in Mathematics. When Yoko was picked up from graduation by Matsushita Electric, her interest in music steered her towards joining the Electronic Musical Instruments Division, which manufactured the Technics brand.

Philip Leader is a freelance content programmer for electronic musical instruments, with a background in piano, organ and keyboard sales, following in the footsteps of his dad Alec Leader, who was a Concert Artist for Lowrey, Thomas, Hammond, Kimball and Roland, through the 70s and 80s. Alec had been in the Music Trade since the 1950s, and through him, Phil got to know many of the corner stones of the business in the UK at that time, including NAMM’s own Dennis Houlihan, who was then President of Lowrey Europe.

Rob Meads recalls his father purchasing a Lowrey Organ and how he could think of nothing he would rather do than have a career making music! As a teenager, Rob was hired by legendary music retailer Swanny Swanson in Minnesota to play an organ in a grocery store, which was a big hit. Rob was trained by one of his mentors, Dennis Awe, before working his first job on the wholesale side of the industry with Conn Organs. Thanks to the help of another mentor, Nick Orlando, Rob was hired by Technics in the early 1980s and spent some memorable state fairs with Schmitt Music before selling

Linda Oberg grew up in a very musical family and was always surrounded by music at a young age. She took piano lessons and studied music in school, which ultimately prepared her to be a piano teacher herself. Linda taught organ with the Yamaha Electone System  and developed an interest in the sales side of the music business. In 1984 she opened her own business, Keyboard Gallery, and continued her work with the Yamaha method and joined the NAMM Board of Directors. While serving on the board and serving as the chair for the Educational Committee, Linda helped establish the William 

Dan Slick grew up in Johnstown, PA playing the family’s upright piano but soon switched his focus to the organ. He began his career in the music industry working at Fulton Piano and Organ and has since worked with several other companies over the years including Baldwin and Technics. In 1984 he and his wife briefly owned their own store, Good News Piano and Organ in Colorado Springs, CO. Dan believes that both the personal and professional relationships he has developed over the years is just as important as the business itself.

Lynda Smith started on the piano early in her life and was always fascinated by the instruments at her local record shop. Her love for classical music led her down the path of studying music education and music therapy. While teaching K-8 music classes and working at the same music store she grew up visiting, Lynda became one of the first Yamaha Music School teachers. After working music retail for 10 years, Lynda was offered a rep position at Technics. She regards this job being one of her favorites because of the great relationships that can be forged in the music industry betwe

Ryoichi Totsuka began his notable career in the music industry right after college as a salesman for Kawai Pianos in Japan. The experience inspired Ryoichi-san as he sought other opportunities to contribute to the piano side of the industry. In 1980 he helped establish the European office for Kawai and worked with several brands over the years including Panasonic and Technics as well as Fazioli and Estonia, the latter two which he imported to Japan for the first time. His long association with Bechstein Pianos began in the mid 1980s thanks to his friendship with Karl Schulze.