Page 22 - North Haven Magazine Special Edition Issue 13 2020

Keep The
Keep The
Keep The
Keep The
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Playinglaying
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Music
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s business owners for the last 34 years, Mark &
AMary Minotti have seen their share of ups and
downs, trials and tribulations in their business. “It’s
been quite a ride!” said Mark Minotti. “But this time,
this is different.” When the state forced all nonessential
businesses to shut down, it caused new creative ways of
doing business in this new “normal”. Mark said that he
started hearing talk of possible closing of businesses in
the first week of March from students’ parents who were
in the medical field and knew what was coming. Even
though they have been teaching online for the past few
years, Mark immediately began searching out platforms
to be used on a bigger scale to continue Lessons on Line.
By March 14th, The Music Center of North Haven had Mark & Mary Minotti
their students taking their lessons online. “We at the
Music Center are so grateful to the medical personnel
and first responders for their dedication and care. We infectants before every lesson, and we will continue to
knew firsthand what they were up against and wish do. We have been wiping down all door knobs, count-
them all to stay safe & stay healthy.” ers, instrument cases that come back as well as go out.
There still may be students who prefer online lessons
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t for every student. We lost and we will continue on that platform also.”
about 1/3 of our students who wanted to wait until we
were physically opened again.” Said Mary Minotti. “But We at The Music Center of North Haven would like to
the students who did continue their lessons, have ex- take this opportunity to thank North Haven and sur-
celled by leaps & bounds, and have pushed their bound- rounding towns for your love & support to Keep the
aries to play & sing songs that they enjoy. It has been Music Playing.
the most gratifying experience!”

On the sales end, Mark began posting on Facebook and
YouTube. Mark said, “By offering more services such
as free delivery & taking payments over the phone for
accessories such as guitar strings & reeds, which were
becoming more scarce ordering online, people were still
able to enjoy playing their instruments.”

We started a campaign to Keep the Music Playing,
which was so very important on a number of levels.
First and foremost is mental health. Music is such a
powerful positive vibration and it fills every home with
happiness and joy. And second, while we had to adjust
to new ways of learning at home, going shopping, doing
banking, not frequenting restaurants & social distanc-
ing, the one constant we still had was playing an in-
strument or singing songs and also learning new songs.
Such a precious gift!

What does the future hold? “Eventually we will be able
to open again, but with changes in place. We have al-
ways wiped down pianos & mics with germicide & dis-

22 North Haven Magazine - Special Edition 2020