In 2009, John J. Gallace passed away. The owner and operator of Gallace Music Shop, John was in the musical instrument repair business for 56 years. He was a 1945 graduate of Altoona High School and completed the service technicians’ program for musical instruments at the Conn Repair School. Mr. Gallace served in the U.S. Army and played the French horn in the 389th Army Band at Fort Monmouth, N.J.

When John passed, his family inherited over 200 musical instruments. Knowing that they had no use for such a collection, a sale made the most sense. With the proceeds of the instrument sale, the Gallace family created a scholarship through the Central Pennsylvania Community Foundation that would honor John’s dedication to music and the place where he first discovered it.

Since 2011, one Altoona Area High School senior has received the John J. Gallace Memorial Scholarship annually. Each recipient must be a member of the Altoona Area High School band. The Gallace family is proud to honor their father with this annual award and feel that his legacy of helping young musicians continues.