Music is a refrain that runs through families. Psychologists who study the developing psyche know the effect of music on human values, identity and culture.

Take the case of two brothers, Timothy and Peter Shaindlin. One is a professional musician and teacher, the other a hotel executive who dabbled in music as a young man. But their career tracks aren't as divergent as you might think. You might say they're in harmony.

Father Jack Shaindlin, a Russian emigre, parlayed a talent for atmospheric piano into a career focused on film music. “;He had a 50-year-plus career, spanning from nickelodeon piano player in silent-movie halls to a musical directorship at 20th Century Fox, films documentary, cartoons, commercials, all sorts of things for decades, based out of New York,”; Peter said.

The elder Shaindlin started out in vaudeville and accompanying silent films with Lillian Gish and W.C. Fields, and later became musical director of the Carnegie Pops Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. He also composed scores for shows as elegant as Warren Beatty's “;Mickey One”; and as unassuming as “;Rocky & Bullwinkle”; and “;The Jetsons.”;

“;We were always around music even before we got to any instruments, because he had an office studio at home,”; said Timothy. “;Out of six boys—no sisters!—everyone wound up playing an instrument, and pretty good, too. I started piano lessons when I was about 5 or 6, and he gave me my first few lessons. We were always around music, as well as going to concerts and opera.”;

The opera part stuck with Timothy, who has played piano and conducted for many of the world's top opera houses, including Washington Opera, New York City Opera, Virginia Opera, Pittsburgh Opera and the Wolf Trap Opera Festival. He coaches regularly for Hawaii Opera Theatre and was here in August to conduct “;A Little Night Music.”;

“;Me, I played trumpet, and when I went to state competitions, Tim would come and accompany me on piano, but no one wants a trumpet to accompany a piano to reciprocate!”; laughed Peter.

“;We actually roomed together in 1979 in Manhattan when we were fledgling musicians.”;

Peter's career track eventually veered away from music, but not far.

“;Looking back on it, it seemed to come more easily to us than maybe some of the other kids,”; Peter said. “;It was all around us at home. Tim went into it on the academic side, and while I was in college I sort of splintered into a program called Business and Arts and, by happenstance, would up in the hospitality industry.”;

As chief operating officer of the Halekulani Corp., Peter is a wheel in the Waikiki hotel industry. Second vice chairman of the Honolulu Symphony, his other passion is photography. As a young musician, however, he played with the Stylistics, Al Martino and the Douglas White Quintet, and was principal trumpet of the Aspen Festival Orchestra.

“;It's pretty funny that we've come full circle here, winding up in Hawaii and music,”; Peter said. “;Tim called me up one day and said he had a contract with Hawaii Opera Theatre. Same town, and very active in the arts, but each contributing from a totally different perspective.”;