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KarlContact: E-mail |
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Karl was born in Waukegan, IL in 1949, the son of Karl M. and Ann (nee Verner Von Steinbrecher) Beck. From an early age, he suspected that he was not Irish. Former toys recovered from the family sandbox reveal an early (Circa 1952) interest in odd musical instruments (pictured right). The Pink Ocarina was “borrowed” from his Sister after an unsuccessful attempt to add more notes by drilling out the LL finger hole on his Green Ocarina. |
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| In 1958, Karl attended “Musical Instrument Night” at his elementary school. Then, as now, this was mostly a huge marketing campaign by the local music store, trying to convince parents that their kids have talent and they should fork over their life savings in order to provide them with the opportunity to get rich and famous in the world of music. Karl, had shown no aptitude for anything else so he was ripe for the scheme. The only problem was that none of the instruments he had tried as a child (Ocarina and Toy Alphorn) was at the show. The wily music man convinced the family that a French Horn was just a rolled up Alphorn and they walked away with a $300 Olds Single F Horn, rented with the “Option to Buy.” | |
Other credible organizations where you can see Karl play: West Michigan Concert WINDS Holland American Legion Band Kent Philharmonia Orchestra Lafayette Woodwind Quintet Holland Symphony Orchestra Pentwater Civic Band |
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Nearly 40 years later, Karl toured the Stocker
Alphorn factory in Lucerne, Switzerland and discovered that his
childhood toy was a real |
Swiss Carbon Alphorn European Website
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Photo coming soon |
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Alpflyinghorn |
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