Vincent Bach was born Vincent Schrotenbach just outside of Vienna, Austria on March 24th, 1890. While Vincent started his early musical career on violin, he soon developed a love and passion for the cornet. Although he developed into an accomplished cornetist, Vincent’s father insisted he pursue a vocation in mechanical engineering. After gaining his degree in mechanical engineering and at the outbreak of WW1, Vincent shortened his name to Vincent Bach and came to the United States where he played with the Boston Symphony. While on tour with the BSO, he damaged his mouthpiece and decided to design, make, and play his own mouthpiece. Colleagues asked to have mouthpieces for themselves, and in 1918 he started his business of making brass mouthpieces. Musicians frequently referred to his Bach trumpet as the “the ‘Stradivarius’ of a trumpet”, thus inspiring the brand name Bach Stradivarius. Bach sold his company to The H & A Selmer Company, a leading manufacturer and distributor of student, amateur, and professional instruments in 1961. True to Vincent’s vision, Conn-Selmer still follows the Bach tradition of excellence.
