This month, one of our flute finishers will be headed out of the office but not out of the Powell family. Ed Kwityn has been at Powell since 2007 and will be moving to Elkhart, Indiana to begin working on the new Powell Silver Eagle Saxophone. He came to Powell after spending several years working in instrument repair at a music store in his home state of New Jersey. Although it has been five years, Ed clearly remembers the day he came to interview at Powell. He recalled, “I had a fractured hip, but I wanted the job so badly. So, I came in, on crutches, wearing a suit and tie—in the middle of July. And, my dad had to drive me.” As I spoke with Ed, I began picturing this and am so glad the interview was successful.

Ed is a saxophonist, so his new assignment is one that is truly a perfect fit. I was curious as to how a saxophonist would become interested in flute making, so I asked him, “What brought you to the flute making world?” He said, “I always wanted to be a flute maker…probably because flute is one of the hardest instruments to make. Everything has to be perfect, and I wanted to test myself.” He also wanted to be the best and attributes that to his college saxophone professor. As a student at New Jersey City University, he studied with saxophonist Ed Joffe, who taught him to always strive for the best. Inspired by his teacher, he was determined to be the best. He recalled that he “wanted to work for the best company, with the highest standards of quality, and the sharpest eye for detail. That’s Powell, and Powell is known all over the world.” With clear conviction, he stated, “to be the best, you have to work for the best, and work with the best.” His determination led him to five years of flute making at Powell, and he is eager to begin the next part of the journey.