ABOUT US

What makes a person open a high end store in a small town in Iowa? 1) First off, it's Fairfield. And Fairfield loves music! Home to Parsons College since 1875, it has long been a center for culture and fine arts. Its educational rebirth in 1973 as Maharishi International University brought students, faculty and new citizens from all over the US and scores of countries across the planet, many of whom have been meditating for decades. Music is a very subtle art. Inner quiet allows for easier appreciation of the refinements of all types of music. In LA, I often couldn't get a client to discern a musical refinement that most Fairfielders notice without my having to mention it. "In music, silence is more important than sound." -Miles Davis "The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between." -Mozart 2) Next reason, it's Fairfield. It just received #3 spot on Matador Network's "25 Coolest Towns in America to Visit in 2121". Many of these lists now feature our little town, from magazines like Smithsonian and Mother Earth News, as a top place to live or to visit over the decades, as a place with a high quality of life, a high level of creativity and a thriving cultural and food scene. Paul Squillo saw its potential in 1983, moved to Fairfield and opened Golden Ears Audio Video, which served the community until 1991. Back to Chicago, then Los Angeles, always as an audio video specialist, he came back to recreate Golden Ears Inc in 2016. Since his return, Paul has gotten back into shape as a trumpet player and performs in classical concerts, musicals, jazz combos like my friends David And Arlene's group My Romance and big bands, municipal bands here and Keosauqua, and in R&B bands. Paul was also music director for the Fairfield Cultural Alliance's World Fair Field events in 2018-19.
our STORY

Signature excellence 47 years and counting

Paul grew up in a small town, a suburb of Chicago named Bensenville, near O'hare airport. He started playing trumpet in 5th grade, which prompted him to learn how to use the family stereo system. His love for music gave him many school and local band opportunities, like playing with his high school big band at the Montreux Jazz Festival in '69. As an adult he played in everything from orchestras, chamber groups, concert bands, rock and R&B bands, jazz ensembles and musicals. In 1973, while enrolled in Environmental Engineering and Music majors, Paul played in the 3rd Jazz Band at U of Illinois. He took a part time job at Diener Stereo in Champaign, and from that point on, found his purpose, designing, selling and installing audio and video systems, ever refining his ear and his craft. From Diener Stereo, Big Sound Co. and Hifi Hutch, in Illinois, he started his own Golden Ears Audio Video in Fairfield in 1984. Here he met his musical wife, Eileen, played lots of trumpet and brought great audio to the town from the store on the square that is now "Cindy's ArtBeat". In 1991 it was back to Chicago, where he worked with Hifi Hutch, Sounds Deluxe, Rosine Audio, Tweeter and Audio Consultants. In 1997, he and his mezzosoprano wife moved to her hometown, LA. There, she reconnected with her favorite accompanist, Frank Basile. Paul worked for Christopher Hansen 2, Audio Den, and Systems Design Group, all top drawer high end salons, before forming Paul Squillo Music and Theatre Systems. After 15 great years of incredible audio, video and music in LA, Paul has returned to Fairfield, IA, and has created Golden Ears Inc to bring all of that experience back to the town he loves the most. And yes, he's back on the trumpet.