In 2022, Mike Rowntree and Joshua Vonderheide were just neighbors in Missouri City, Texas.

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On the surface, Mike was a furniture maker and Josh was a percussionist. Simple as that.​​

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One day while sipping a coffee and chatting about how to save the world, Josh mentioned to Mike that there was a problem with rental marimbas in Houston: they were beaten, battered, out of tune, and expensive. Josh grew up here in Lake Jackson, Texas (just south of Houston) and as a previous 6th - 12th grade percussion student of legendary percussion pedagogue Eric Harper, he really felt like students and parents were getting a raw deal.

The solution? Space City Percussion partnered with Rowntree Marimbas.

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Josh and Mike worked together to create a world-class marimba that would prepare a student to make the transition from smaller practice marimbas to full size marimbas as they become more advanced into high school and beyond. Mike's tuning, craftsmanship, and design on these instruments is world-class.

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Mike makes Rowntree Marimbas using only the highest quality materials with a dedication to detail that exceeds other marimbas on the market. They feature professional-level upgrades like four graduated bar sizes and heavy duty posts. These features are usually only found on marimbas that cost twice the price!
 

But we didn't want to just stop at making marimbas, we wanted to teach you how to play too... for free! That's why every student gets free access to Marimba 101 with Josh. You can start the course with absolutely no knowledge of marimba or music and follow it step by step. By the end, you'll have completed 10 marimba solos!

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We can't wait to meet you and help you on your percussion journey!