MICHAEL LOMAX: Started his study of the clarinet at the age of nine. When he was fifteen he started working after school as a woodwind repair apprentice for a local music store. After college where he received a degree in clarinet performance, he was accepted as a member of the clarinet section of the United States Navy Band, Washington, D.C. While studying with Anthony Gigliotti, principal clarinet of the Philadelphia Orchestra,
Mike had the opportunity to also study clarinet repair with woodwind repair icon Hans Moennig , also of Philadelphia. Following his Master Degree work Mike played in several different professional orchestras in Arkansas and Missouri. In 1987 he was selected as principal clarinet of the Springfield Missouri Symphony Orchestra. A position he held for twenty-one years. In 2008 he asked to be allowed to move to the second clarinet position due to the increased demands of his mouthpiece business. Michael is proud of the fact that as of January 2010 he has personally made over 5,000 professional clarinet and saxophone mouthpieces. Each mouthpiece he has made has a serial number and its measurements carefully recorded in his record book. The satisfaction of being able to put a smile on another musician’s face by making a mouthpiece that really pleases him is the best part of his job! Mike lives in Springfield, Missouri with his lovely wife Suzanne, his youngest son Joel, and his two long haired Dachshunds Siggi and Hershey. His hobbies are eating lunch with friends, riding his Vespa motor scooters, and playing with his ten grandchildren.
JOEL LOMAX: Apprenticed with his father studying woodwind repair for seven years. During this time he worked with Mike at their shop, THE WOODWIND CORNER. When his father closed the store to turn his attention full time to the mouthpiece business, Joel went to work as the head woodwind repair technician for one of the local music stores in Springfield. Joel is now in charge of the student mouthpiece production at LOMAX CLASSIC and continues to work with his father learning the finer points of the professional mouthpiece operation. As a student Joel was very involved in amateur boxing, having almost one hundred matches. He then turned professional for several years . He still enjoys the sport and would like to be able to coach and work with youngsters sometime in the future. Joel sings in a blues band and also plays guitar as well as oboe and clarinet. His hobbies include taking float trips down the beautiful rivers of the Ozarks with his friends, and riding his motorcycle. He is also a rabid Oakland Raiders NFL fan.
LEVI TRACY: Although Levi is not involved in the day to day operations of our shop here in Springfield, we still consider him a part of our LOMAX CLASSIC FAMILY.
Levi grew up in Springfield and studied clarinet with Michael Lomax until his sophomore year of high school. He then attended the Interlochen Academy of Fine Arts and the University of Southern California where he studied clarinet with Yehuda Gilad and Michelle Zukovsky. Levi now resides in Los Angeles, California, where he is a freelance clarinetist with several orchestras, and works as a clarinet specialist for RDG Woodwinds. Levi tries to make as many of the exhibits and festivals as possible to help with the LOMAX CLASSIC display booth.
He also serves as our unofficial West Coast point person for customers throughout the area. He is the proud owner of a BMW M3 convertible and does enjoy “spirited driving”!
ABOUT OUR LOGO
Our very dear friend Joseph Schellhardt was the inspiration behind our logo.
He was a very multitalented individual, with multiple degrees in music and English Literature. Joseph was a great lover of flowers, and in particular, roses. Thus it seemed only fitting to him that with a name like LOMAX CLASSIC a rose should be at the very center of our logo. So, our rose is in honor of Joseph! He is with us in our hearts and minds every day.
