Michael Schimmel is a well-known face in Emmen. With his three cafeterias spread throughout the city, he has become the largest cafeteria owner in Emmen. But this Christmas he will take off the apron and put on the three-piece suit: he will travel to China with a symphony orchestra to perform for thousands of people.
In his cafeteria in Emmerhout, Schimmel (49) takes his shiny trombone out of the case and plays a cheerful melody. “Pretty good acoustics here in the cafeteria!” he laughs. Many people in Emmen know that Schimmel is among the frying fat every day, but not everyone knows that he can also regularly be found on stage.
Schimmel has been playing the trombone since he was 12. “The whole family played brass instruments in the Salvation Army brass band, I wanted to distinguish myself and therefore chose this instrument.” Schimmel played weekly at the Salvation Army church, of which the family was part. “At that time I wanted to go to the conservatory and become a professional musician, but many orchestras were being cut back at that time and I did not want to teach with such a diploma.”
Life had a different path in store for him. Schimmel started at the age of 15 at snack bar De Brink in Emmen Bargeres. When Schimmel was only 19 years old, he took over the business. This was later followed by the takeover of the adjacent café De Boemel. In the years that followed, his company grew to three quality arias in Emmen, he now employs around seventy people. “I’m trying to take it a bit easier, but I’m usually still in the business about six days a week.”
But music always remained an important part of his life. For example, he founded the North Netherlands Youth Orchestra in 2008 and still plays in the wind orchestra.
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