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0
to 100 students in 6 months
Kingston
Plays to Matt’s Music
By Dan Sapir
Shane Bunting of Plymouth who plays
with Ivory Tower, test drives a guitar. Dennis Randall Photo |
Kingston Store Manager Tod Duarte. Dennis
Randall Photo. |
Teacher Mike Visconti of Plymouth puts
guitar student Richard Allen of Kingston through his paces. Dennis
Randall Photo |
 (May
2002) Matt Leff is a 36 year old
music entrepreneur who viewed Kingston as a terrific location for the
expansion of his already established Matt’s Music. Matt, an accomplished
musician himself, opened his first shop in Hanover over five years ago.
When the building was sold his faithful patrons followed him to a new
location in Weymouth. Six months ago he opened on Main Street at Exit 9 in
Kingston.
Matt is a local product from Halifax. He graduated from Silver Lake
Regional High School. Matt’s grandmother played piano in theatres during
the silent movie era and his mother provided the encouragement with the
piano. Additional training with trumpet occurred at Halifax Elementary
inspired by teacher John Smith. Matt graduated from Dean College and the
Guitar Institute of Technology in Hollywood, CA. Factory Music in Rockland
was his first job.
Matt’s own career in music
included stints with both Wicked Witch and Trigger Effect, each group
having opened for Iron Maiden, Queenrych and Rob Halford who performed
with Judas Priest. His group performed all over the Northeast for several
years and was named in the Top 16 Unsigned Groups in the US by Sam Goody.
After years of touring, Matt was ready to settle into the world of
business.
Each of the two locations sell and repair all types of instruments which
includes a brisk business on the world-wide web via www.mattsmusic.com.
Additionally, over 200 students are enrolled in music instruction. Tod
Duarte, Manager of the Kingston location told the Observer that "we
went from 0 to 100 students in 6 months".
Both Matt and Tod agree that the Kingston reception has been
"huge" and are appreciative of that. "Watching kids learn
is exciting" said Matt who expressed the blessing of earning a living
doing something which ranks among life’s greatest pleasures, music. |
