(Written by daughter and fellow musician, Rosl E. Mallinger)

My father was, and to a considerable degree today, still is the first music teacher that influenced myself, and my brother, and the many hundreds of students he taught on various instruments during his lifetime.  He gave his students ranging in age from 4 to 64, a great love of music through his teaching techniques of practice and patience.  Many students have continued to share this special gift of music with others in some way or another. 

To all those musicians who have had the opportunity to perform or rehearse with him in his many band ensembles during his almost 76 years, I wish you a lifetime of musical enrichment that I know he held so deeply in his heart. 

Having been born into a privileged family of music on April 26, 1930 in Altenberg, Austria, it was soon apparent as to what direction his life would take.  His music education began at the tender age of 3 on the recorder in Kindergarten.  The violin would follow at the age of 6 and become one of his primary instruments (also his father’s instrument).  Piano lessons were started at the age of 10 and finally the saxophone and clarinet were started at age 12.  These wind instruments would also become the other primary instruments that he would play in various ensembles allowing him to earn a diversified living in the music profession. 

In June of 1955, he immigrated into Canada and began working in the insurance business in Toronto, Ontario; however, in 1956, having joined the Military Band of the 48th Highlanders of Canada, he realized once again it was to be music that would be his lifetime business venture.  He then formed a 4-piece band playing regularly at the Austrian Club in Toronto and various other ethnic clubs.

In May of 1962, he married Patricia “the love of his life” and in 1963 began their long business partnership opening Vienna House Of Music in Toronto’s High Park area.  A second location was opened on Church St. in the downtown area, but having two small children, two music stores and gigging three and four nights a week proved to be a monumental undertaking so the second location was sold within the second year.  Allegro Music on Toronto’s Avenue Rd. was acquired in 1983, operating both locations until 1991.  In May of 1984, he joined the Harmonie Brass Showband and in his words, “I enjoyed every minute of it – the trips to Europe and other road trips were educational in every aspect”.  After 33 years of operation, he sold Allegro Music in September of 1997 to “retire”, but that never came to be.  He continued to play, teach and write volumes of arrangements for himself and various other musicians (his arrangements were all written by hand and he took such pride in his writing). 

I miss him tremendously and am truly blessed to have had him as my father!