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Harmony Hall more than a music center
By TOM GERMOND
| Article published on Wednesday, June 24, 2009 |
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![[Image]](/content_images/062409_lle-03.jpg) |
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| Ken Zenor, manager of Fletcher Music Center on East Bay Drive, shares a laugh over a organ song with Nancy Morin. |
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LARGO – If Nancy Morin had her way, she’d be playing the organ at midnight at the Fletcher Music Center on East Bay Drive.
“I would indeed,” said Morin, who goes to the music center, called Harmony Hall, every chance she can get.
Morin, a senior citizen, has been playing the organ for three years, even though she has arthritis in her hands.
“I can play as hard as I want and pound. I’m a very emotional player,” said Morin of Clearwater. “I tell you, it doesn’t hurt my hands at all. I’m so thankful, very thankful I can do this.”
Playing music is a stress reliever for the 100 or so customers who come to the Fletcher Music Center weekly, said Ken Zenor, manager.
“It’s a very healthy thing mentally,” he said.
Other patrons have similar stories to share about playing the organ at Fletcher Music Centers, which is celebrating its 104th anniversary. The location at 3639 E. Bay Drive, serves all of Pinellas County.
Edgar Fletcher opened his first music store about 104 years ago in New York. His grandson, Robert K. Fletcher, moved his family piano and organ business to Florida in 1975 to take advantage of mall retailing, such as opening a music center in the Tyrone Mall. The company has 14 music centers in Florida and six in Arizona.
Zenor attributes the company’s success to the fact that it specializes in one area.
“The one thing we do best is we teach older adults who have no prior experience how to enjoy music as a hobby,” he said.
Even with all the changing technology and introduction of new instruments, love of the organ endures.
“It has evolved as well,” Zenor said, appealing to people in their mid-60s to their mid-80s who have the leisure time to enjoy playing the organ.
A person could get the same sound of a modern organ from a keyboard that would sit on top of a desk that “you could put under your arm and carry.”
“Our clientele would not be interested in that whatsoever,” Zenor said. “Admittedly, they have the means to enjoy some of the nicer things in life.”
Such as an organ with readable lettering, larger controls and elegant wood cabinetry.
Customers come into Harmony Hall to take classes – 45 people were expected for a class that morning.
“Some will come an hour before the class starts to drink coffee with their friends,” Zenor said, “or stay afterwards. It is a very social activity because these are a group of people who have several things in common ... they share the adventure of learning to play music.”
The music center supports their customers’ hobby through lessons, social activities and regular concerts that are open to the public. They also have an outreach program, working with clubs, and are active in the community, Zenor said.
The Fletcher Foundation, a nonprofit organization, was established to encourage and provide financial backing for music programs.
It’s very seldom that a customer will make a purchase without participating in the benefit of the purchase, Zenor said.
“Almost no one comes in and buys something with black and white keys and says, ‘See ya.’ In this kind of business, it’s all relationship. We know all of our clients; they know us,” Zenor said.
Through special programs that give them a six-week experience about what organ playing is all about, new customers see if they are going to enjoy it as a hobby. They usually begin on a portable organ, a one-key instrument with not many buttons.
Unintimidating, is how Zenor describes it.
“That’s basically how we introduce the hobby to nonplayers,” he said. “That’s really what we specialize in.”
A changing industry? Zenor doesn’t mince words.
“We (Fletcher) are the industry,” he said. “The economy the way it is, smaller dealerships, I suppose, up north are having a difficult time. We have had an occasion over the last year to purchase the inventory from smaller dealers who needed to liquidate ...”
He said Fletcher’s business in Florida is “pretty much recession proof” because of its focus of hobby making for seniors. Fletcher has had a spectacular first half of the year, Zenor said.
“Our customers are not afraid of losing their jobs,” he said, and about the only thing they worry about is their children falling on hard times.
Ken Young, who lives in the East Lake area, has been taking lessons at Fletcher for four years.
“I’ve always enjoyed music,” he said. “That’s the main thing.”
His wife has a background in music, he said, so the hobby is a “nice combination” for the couple.
Bob Frost of Largo has been taking lessons at Fletcher since 1994, starting out at the previous store location in the Tyrone Mall. His wife also plays. They like jazz songs.
“It’s the greatest thing that ever happened,” he said. “It gave us something to do in our older age and we met a lot of nice people.”
Frost feels his skills are improving, and he joked about it.
“Every organ that we buy makes us play better,” Frost said.
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Article published on Wednesday, June 24, 2009
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