Fred Jacobowitz received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in clarinet performance from the Julliard School, where he studied with the late Leon Russianoff. He made his New York Debut at Carnegie Recital Hall (now Weill Hall) as winner of the Artists International competition. He was a featured soloist on radio stations WBAI and WQXR in New York City, with the Goldman Band, and in recital throughout the Metropolitan New York area. As a chamber musician, he has participated in the Marlboro Music Festival and played in the Verrazano Winds Woodwind Quintet in Brooklyn, New York. Fred was Principal Clarinetist in the Annapolis (Maryland) Symphony Orchestra from 1989-2002. He is equally at home in the worlds of Classical, Jazz, and Folk; he performs, and has recorded with, his Kol Haruach Klezmer Band and his duo, Ebony and Ivory. He has performed as recitalist and soloist throughout the US and Canada and in Panama. Fred now resides in Raleigh, NC, where he teaches and freelances, and he can often be heard playing concerts with his wife, North Carolina Symphony Principal 'Cellist Bonnie Thron.

During his almost 2 years at Capital Band Instrument Service, Fred repaired woodwind and brass instruments, as well as the occasional case. When Bonnie's cello case (and those of her colleagues) started having the inevitable broken handles and latches, he saw a need. Neither luthiers nor repair shops tend to fix cases. And luggage repair shops never seem to get the right parts (Bonnie once waited almost 3 months for a local shop to fix her case - and they never did!). Fred can often replace the broken part with its exact match - and in just a few days. So spread the word: There is finally somebody who specializes in fixing musical instrument cases!