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Extreme Makeover Home Edition - the Hughes Family / Kanstul!

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:13 pm
by kanstulbrass
We hope you all watched Extreme Makeover Home Edition last Sunday night on ABC. This episode featured a young man named Patrick Henry Hughes, who is a student at the University of Louisville, and his family. Patrick is disabled but that doesn't stop him from getting top grades and participating in the marching band. He also plays piano, trumpet, and sings. The entire Hughes Family is an inspiration for their love and support.

Here at Kanstul Musical Instruments, we first became aware of Patrick from features we saw on ESPN and on Oprah (say what you will...but I watch Oprah)

So when the producers of Extreme Makeover Home Edition approached us about participating in the show on behalf of the Hughes family, we were very excited to do so.

In a pre-production interview, the producers asked Patrick Henry about his wishes and dreams. One of the things he mentioned was that he wanted a trumpet like his teacher's, Dr. Mike Tunnell. The producers contacted Dr. Tunnell who informed them that he plays on a Kanstul Signature with the copper bell (better known as the Kanstul Model 1500). They asked us whether we would provide such a trumpet, and we agreed.

Near the end (before they revealed the renovated home) the producers presented a trumpet to Patrick as the newly-renovated practice field at the Univ of Louisville was revealed.

On the broadcast, host Ty Pennington presented Patrick with the Kanstul trumpet during the "reveal" of the marching band's newly-renovated practice field. Patrick played the school fight song on camera. On many levels, it was very inspiring, very emotionally uplifting.

Patrick said of his new Kanstul Model 1500: "The valves are wonderful" and added that "it produces a better tone" than his old trumpet. Ty Pennington described it as "an incredible trumpet".

The Kanstul name was not mentioned, unfortunately. Sears, CVS - and in this episode Gibson - all donated products valued at tens of thousands of dollars. Their names and / or products that received mention is all part of their agreement with the producers of the show (known as "promotional consideration"). However, we at Kanstul are pleased that the name was visible on the case and that a distinctive-looking trumpet such as our Model 1500 - with the copper bell and nickel highlights - got so much camera time!

Patrick Henry Hughes is, and should be, an inspiration to us all!