Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brian Magouirk. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Brian, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?

For most of my life, I’ve tried to be one of the helpers. It is where my joy comes from. I hope I will be remembered as one who tried to improve the lives of those around me. “Did what I’ve done make your life better in some way?”, that is the goal.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Brian – I fix things and know stuff. Throughout my early years, we did not have a lot. Like many boys, my dad was my hero. He was the smartest man I knew. He grew up in a time and place where if you wanted something, you either found a broken one and fixed it, or you built it yourself from parts you found. My values were formed here, watching him go to work in a research lab, then come home and help people by repairing their things. I was able to make a little money too. In high school, I bought my first camera gear by repairing and selling discarded lawn mowers. My first car was purchased broken down on the side of the road for $300, and I had to repair the driveshaft right there in the mud to get it home (a tow was too expensive for Dad). I maintained and drove that car for several years, and I knew that if it broke, I had to fix it myself. That, plus all the normal school things, was my childhood. It was where I learned that you could have nice things on a shoestring if you weren’t concerned with “new”, and if you could help folks, you did.

I started college with the grand plan of becoming an Engineer. It took almost two semesters to realize that I hated it (well, I hated calculus and physics), and my grades reflected that. During the year I was out, I put my junior high school woodshop and art classes to work and built a solid walnut bookcase for my grandfather, which I have since reacquired and have to this day. I didn’t realize then that the commissioned work for my grandfather would provide such a turning point in my world. After I went back to college for my new plan of becoming an Industrial Technologist, where I learned some handy precision machining and woodworking skills, I discovered teaching. During this new education journey, a friend was over and saw the bookcase. He was an instrument repair tech apprentice that recently had been left alone in a shop full of instruments, because the master tech died suddenly. He said, “if you can build that without a plan, you can clean instruments – please come help me!” That summer became the baptism-by-fire to my second career of instrument repair. Having a family full of musicians and marrying a flute player sealed my fate. Since then, I have had parallel careers as a Career and Technical Education teacher, an Instrument Repair Tech, and a woodworking/crafter hobbyist.

At my repair bench, I service all manner of woodwind and brass instruments, but I mainly take on the tedious, precision repairs on professional instruments from the flute and oboe families. I have been honored to work on some of the finest and most expensive flutes in the United States.  In the flute world, there are a number of certifications I could (and probably still should) obtain, but I’ve done fine without them. I am the only technician in Texas listed on the Schmidt pad website (jsengineering.net) as a preferred installer for Schmidt Gold flute Pads. I enjoy a great working relationship with the two other shops in the area, and I have been blessed to help them with the things that they aren’t equipped to handle. I do what I do for the smiles, mainly. In my current work, you often don’t see the customer until their worst day. I love it when I can help them with the “unfixable” things. The thing I think I’m most proud of in this arena, is that people still like coming to me for repairs.  Whether it’s because of the repair quality or the relationships, I guess I’m doing something right!

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Grace. My reputation has always been built strictly by word of mouth. By the grace of God, I know a lot of people in the industry. My early work was for friends that happened to be players that knew players. They would come in for some “gremlin” type issue with their instrument, and I would fix everything I could find, just to make sure I caught the problem. I’ve been blessed to be able to figure out some things that other shops couldn’t. One other huge thing is that “extra mile” people talk about. I’m in it for the smiles. Sometimes I have the opportunity to chase perfection on a professional’s instrument. Seeing a Flute player’s face light up when their magic wand suddenly plays better than it has in years, is worth the extra hours to me.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Of course! Spreading joy. Seeing my former students actually make money with their skills makes me proud and happy.  When I am able to create something that makes someone smile, or watch the excitement on a flute player’s face when they can easily play something that was impossible before, it helps me. Oftentimes the “fixing stuff” part of my life is more internal.  Everyone has problems and things that bring them down, I’m definitely no exception. In my teaching life, I have dealt with young adults finding their way for over 30 years now.  I have had to stop fights, and dry tears, as well as watch great successes on a regular basis. They sometimes see me and other teachers as a stable anchor point or safe harbor in their lives.  Some of my students even call me “Pops”.  Whether it’s because of their turbulent personal life, the gray hair, or just because it’s fun, I’m good with it.  With these guys, the class they walk into is Graphic Design, Computer Animation, or VGA Club (Viking Graphics and Animation), but they call the lab home. The same goes with my instrument repair world.  It’s about helping others find their Happiness.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brian.magouirk/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmhornrepair
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-magouirk-3ab02a71/