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Mark MacLeod (1962-2010)
Mark MacLeod (1962-2010)
Date Posted: January 06 2011
Written By: Chicago Jazz Magazine
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Mark MacLeod (1962-2010)
Mark MacLeod, 48, co-owner of Family Piano Co. and Joplin’s Java Café, in Waukegan, passed away suddenly on November 23. For many years, MacLeod and his partner Alice Alviani worked tirelessly to advance music and the arts in Waukegan and the surrounding suburbs. MacLeod was a piano technician for several different retailers until he opened his own piano rebuilding shop called Spectrum Piano on the premises of Roselle music in the late 1990s.
From there MacLeod worked with many musicians and music schools tuning and restoring pianos throughout the Chicagoland area. His passion was always evident, whether he spoke about the pianos he worked on or the musicians knew. He loved music and loved sharing his passion with others.
In 2006, he and his friend and fellow piano technician, Alice Alviani, opened their own piano store. Immediately upon walking into Family Piano Co., you could feel the positive energy coming from MacLeod, as he would speak about the new pianos that had just arrived, the students that were taking classes at the shop or the upcoming live performances to be held in the Joplin’s Java Café area of the store.
Weekly Friday night performances at Joplin’s Java Café introduced Chicago musicians of all stripes to an entirely new audience in Waukegan, a town that Mark and Alice felt was bursting with musical and artistic potential.
MacLeod was living his dream. His sudden passing on November 23 left his family, friends, students and many musicians stunned and heartbroken. MacLeod is survived by his wife of twenty-three years, Karen; his parents, Ed and Jane McCarron; and his sister Karen and her family. The MacLeod Music Access Foundation is being formed to offer lesson scholarships (call (847) 775-1988 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (847) 775-1988 end_of_the_skype_highlighting for info).
MacLeod’s passionate mission will live on thanks to his friend and business partner Alviani, who continues to grow Family Piano Co. and Joplin’s Java Café. Mark MacLeod’s enthusiastic presence will be sorely missed in the Chicagoland music scene.
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