Hidden Gems: Meet Chris Roush of Roush Musical Instrument Repair

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Roush.

Chris, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
After high school graduation, I got a job in the shop of the local music store in Valdosta, GA. I planned to go to college at Tennessee Tech to become a band director and study tuba. My thought was that learning some repair techniques would help with the emergency repairs that band directors face on a daily basis. Once I was in practicums teaching in a public school, I learned quickly that teaching in the classroom was not what I wanted to do for a career.

I finished my degree in Music Education as a backup if the repair career didn’t pan out. I had been an apprentice for 4 years, honing the trade. I got my first full-time repair position in Ypsilanti, MI. I finished my student teaching and worked full-time at the music store. My wife had just started graduate school at the University of Michigan, which prompted the move from Tennessee. I worked at that music store for a little over a year while maintaining a private student studio teaching tuba, euphonium, trombone, and oboe.

A position in Lansing, MI with a very large music store working in the main store became available and I was hired. I worked mainly on brass instruments but was able to work on woodwinds and percussion instruments as well. After 5 years, I was promoted to repair division manager being responsible for all 7 location repair shops with 32 technicians. As a whole, the repair shops completed around 42,000 repairs a year, 22,000 in my shop alone (there were 15 techs). It was a full-service shop as well. We could do complete overhauls of brass and woodwind instruments, making them look brand new.

After 14 years with that company, I took a position with Pearl Flutes in Nashville. My job there entails Quality Control for Pearl Flutes and Adams Marching Brass for all of North America. I make sure that when the instruments arrive from the factories they are working properly before being shipped to our network of dealers. It’s a very different type of repair job.

When my family moved to Nashville, I also opened up Roush Musical Instrument Repair. This allows me to maintain my repair skills from routine to very difficult repairs, for a wide variety of clients in the Nashville/Murfreesboro area. I also have a growing client base that ships their instruments to me for maintenance.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I have been very blessed and lucky to have the career path I’ve had.

From my family being so supportive through my journey, to the opportunities I’ve had with jobs and educational outreach… I’ve just been so blessed. Have there been struggles? Of course! But, I wouldn’t trade what I do for anything else!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I specialize in the repair and maintenance of woodwind and brass musical instruments.

I’ve been repairing instruments since 1995 for a wide variety of clients, from beginning students to seasoned professionals. I enjoy working on everything from piccolos to tubas!

Contact Info:

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