Anthony Plog on Music

Conversations with performers, composers, and entrepreneurs

Karl Schagerl and Jack Burt: An Austrian instrument-making legacy in conversation with a leading trumpet educator on innovation, mentorship, and musical community

Anthony Plog, host
Eddie Ludema, producer
Date posted: Nov 24, 2025

Karl Schagerl is a leading figure in the world of instrument making since he joined his family's business in 1976. Based in Mank, Austria, Karl has worked and collaborated with a long list of world-class artists, a few of which include Hans and Thomas Gansch, James Morrison, Gabor Tarkovi, and Selina Ott.

Dr. Jack Burt, is a distinguished professor of trumpet and performing artist who has contributed extensively to the trumpet community, both as an educator and a performer. Jack's connection to Karl began with a chance introduction through mutual musical interests, leading to a lasting collaboration.

Part 1

In this conversation, we'll explore the fascinating story of how Karl and Jack first connected, sparked by a shared love for Austrian folk flugelhorn duets and a chance recommendation from jazz legend Peter Erskine. Jack talks about how he first reached out to Karl for some music and CDs, which eventually led to their meeting at a brass concert years later. Karl shares how this initial interaction grew into a professional friendship with plenty of stories and impactful insights along the way.

Become a Contributing Listener to enjoy more from Tony's interview with Karl and Jack!

[Subscriber Content] In the remainder of the discussion, Karl reveals more about the business side of Schagerl Instruments, discussing their global outreach and how they've continued to innovate in response to evolving musical demands.



The podcast theme music, Four Sierra Scenes, written by Anthony Plog, is taken from Crystal Records S205, copyright ©1980 Crystal Records Inc., and is used by permission. Unauthorized duplication is not permitted.