Atlantic Music Center holds a gallery of fine pianos, suited for anyone with a cultivated taste for art and music. These beautiful, hand-crafted pianos range from Yamaha and Kawai to Steingraeber & Sohne and Bosendorfer, pianos that are considered to be the best performance pianos in the world.

Brian and Ginny Gatchell have a passion for music. Brian opened Atlantic Music Center in 1990, aiming to share his love of music and pianos with everyone. It isn’t just about selling a piano.

The prices range from $59 a month to in the hundred-thousands. Atlantic Music Center has a rent-to-own policy on many of their pianos, and customers also have a rare opportunity to trade up their piano for a 100 percent trade value and upgrade to a better piano. The center has something for everyone, and this is perfect for learning to play and for growing musicians.

“Pianos are not a one size fits all, and Brian knows pianos better than anyone,” said Ginny. “Brian can match just the right piano to the customer.”

Screen-shot-2014-08-25-at-5.48.23-PMTo Ginny, there’s no reason for trying to “sell” a piano. The pianos last for many generations, and the investment one person makes will be enjoyed by their grandchildren years later. Because of the beauty, detail and hand-crafted work put in to making these instruments, it’s just as much fine art as it is an instrument, and they let customers know exactly what each piano is capable of — no sales pitches.

Their passion for music is the secret to their success.

Brian Gatchell went to college for music, but left his doctoral program to become a concert pianist. He has several recordings to his credit. After a career of playing and teaching, he moved to Brevard and soon opened Atlantic Music Center, showcasing Wurlitzer pianos and others at the time. Brian hired Ginny a year after opening and after working together for seven years, they were married.

Now after 16 years of marriage, they showcase a broad-ranged variety of pianos. They even hold the most technologically advanced piano in the world — the only one currently in the U.S. —  Phoenix Piano Systems by Steingraeber & Sohne, a German piano company. The soundboard is made of carbon fiber, and it’s strung in a way that opens the sounds up, making a seven-foot piano sound like a nine-foot piano. For musicians, the pianos are extremely responsive and fun to play.

The center holds a large selection of grand, baby grand, upright, and artcase pianos — but Atlantic Music Center does so much more than just sell pianos.

The center holds an intimate concert hall, and each year Brian and Ginny host a concert series that features up-and-coming musicians, such as Christian Tamburr, Valentina Lisitsa and Daria Rabotkina.

The Gatchells wear many different hats and lend a helping hand in the community. They often help with fundraising for local music programs, like at Melbourne High School. In the 80’s, Brian performed benefit concerts for the renovation of the Henegar Center.

They helped the Brevard Zoo with their first-ever Jazzoo concert, which now draws in many people each year. The event consists of different musicians in different parts of the zoo, food, beverages and a night of fun.

This year, Brian and Ginny have teamed up with Florida Institute of Technology to create the first American Jazz Pianist Competition, which will be hosted in November. The top prize is worth $10,000, including a $5,000 cash prize, a trip to Germany, paid performance dates, a portable digital practice piano, and a recording session. To sign up for the jazz competition, go to AmericanJazzPianistCompetition.org.

Their passion drives Brian and Ginny to do more than just run a company; they actively participate in the community to raise exposure to beautiful music and rising musicians.

“We would be nothing without music,” said Ginny. “Life is stressful, and music just… it just helps the soul.”

 

Atlantic Music Center, 25 S. Wickham Road, Melbourne
AtlanticMusicCenter.com | (321) 725-5690