Brand Focus - Pearl Flutes
Brand Focus - Pearl Flutes
Pearl Musical Instruments was founded in 1946 in post-World War II Japan by Katsumi Yanagisawa. With just two employees his company began making music stands and accessories in Tokyo. With the global emergence of musical instrument markets, the company enjoyed rapid growth in manufacturing capability and size. Just over 10 years later Katsumi's eldest son, Mitsuo, formed an export division to send Pearl products around the world.
In 1968, to respond to the growing demand for fine flutes, Pearl established its first flute factory in Chiba, Japan, to produce handmade flutes. Although the mechanical design of the modern flute has been established for many years, the craftsmen at Pearl believed that the mechanism could become more elegant and innovative. In 1972, Pearl Flutes introduced the first ground breaking “One-Piece Core-Bar”, and soon after, Pearl’s unique “Pin less mechanism”- the first significant refinement of the Boehm flute mechanism in more than 100 years.
Pearl became the model many other companies followed. In 1985, Pearl opened a second flute factory in Taiwan with the mission to deliver the finest quality flutes at more affordable prices and to expand the product line-up to include student and step up model flutes.
Pearl Flutes has grown from a very humble beginning that included countless hours dedicated to the perfection of flute making. Today Pearl Flutes is a global brand and the choice of many of the world’s finest artists. As well as producing a remarkable gold flutes, the range has also extended over the years to include piccolos and other harmony flutes.
Offices for Pearl can be found in Holland and Nashville, America, and the 3rd generation of the Yanagisawa family is now CEO.