introducing my newest toy: Slightly Saxy

I haven't played sax since 1987, this should be intersting:) 

TBT: Ye Olde Madgrigal Feaste circa 1985-1986

 




 

TBT---I apologize for the VERY lengthy post, edition....a trip down my musical memory lane

TBT: shout out to all of my band directors, past and present:
Thinking about all of my wonderful band directors over the years...they wouldn't do what they do if they didn't have a true passion for music and people. I'm so very grateful to each and every one of them who have helped to musically and literally shape me into the musician and person I am today. As a student (and adult), you form a bond with your band director, that is unlike any other. They are there for you both musically and personally....and it becomes one of those life time relationships...even the childhood directors (in my case I was fortunate to be able to play in the adult community bands with a couple of my directors or at least stay in touch;)
It's also interesting to note (for me at least) what their main instruments are (to the non musicians, most band directors can play more than one instrument, sometimes all, fairly proficiently). So here's a shout out to all of my band directors, past and present, in order of my playing years! Also grateful to grow up in an area with SO many incredible playing opportunities!
I want to thank each and every band director for giving so selflessly of themselves and for believing in me (especially when I didn't always believe in me) heart emoticon
Mr. Dan Caballero-(oboe?)-my very first clarinet teacher for fifth grade beginner bands
John Whyte-trumpet: 6th grade Continental Marching Band
Joe Bolyard-baritone, Lincoln Junior High
Louis Covelli-oboe- Tremper High Symphonic Band and Blackwatch
Jim Firchow-clarinet- Tremper High Wind Ensemble (and private clarinet teacher) and Blackwatch
Randy Skowronski (I'm sure I butchered the spelling - trumpet and Paul Taylor - baritone-Band of the Black Watch
John Buenic (clarinet) and Frank Germinaro (clarinet)-Kenosha Pops Concert Band - 1987-2001 (summer band, weekly outdoor concerts on the lake front bandshell, which had not been built yet my first year....this band and Racine gave me some decent sight reading skills...I sight read many a concert if I missed rehearsals;)
Dr. Glenn Hayes (oboe) University of Wisconsin Whitewater (college) and although she wasn't directly my band director, his amazing wife, Christine C. Hayes - clarinet (without these two, I very possibly would have let my clarinet go at the end of college)
Dr. Roger Coppenbarger- my college clarinet professor (from what I heard, he retired in SC). I did not major in music, so my lessons were more light-hearted and fun:)
Del Eisch-trombone--Racine Concert Band (1991-2001)
Mark Eichner - trumpet- Parkside Community Band- 1990's
Alex Sabo - trumpet? Wisconsin Ambassadors of Music (aka WAM)...the Europe Tour!
Robert Awe - trumpet? Lakeshore Wind Symphony 2001-2002
Karl Mueller-tuba-Brookfield Civic Band-2001-2010
Jay Huenink-trombone/baritone-New Berlin Community Band (winter) and East Troy Community Band (summer) 2004-2010
Two years off from playing due to lack of community band in my new SC community....I struggled being band less:)
Don Jemella-clarinet LCCB
2012-2014)
Michelle Bennett-sax-LCCB
DK Bennett honestly, not quite sure what he doesn't play grin emoticon -LCCB
Don Jemella Lowcountry Wind Symphony and
Steve Giove (also the Officer in Charge of the Parris Island Marine Band)-percussion - Lowcountry Wind Symphony

in honor of Emil: GET OUT: Pacetti concert to feature mix of old, new tunes Program honors local music legend

 

The concert Saturday night (May 9) honoring local music legend Emil Pacetti will feature “a very interesting mix of music,” according to Craig Gall.
Gall, the Kenosha Pops Band’s musical director, said the varied program of music “is filled with pieces Emil either liked over the years or requested over the years.” Many of the pieces honor Pacetti’s Italian heritage.
Pacetti — a musician and music education supporter — died Sept. 16 at age 75. He operated Pacetti’s Music Unlimited from 1976 until late 2009 and could be found at area student music events, repairing instruments for students.
Gall and Pacetti’s wife, Marsha Lee, “hammered out the program” together.

Hammering out a program

“Each piece was a favorite of Emil’s or is connected to an instrument he played, or are Italian pieces,” Lee said.
Along with Pops Band favorites, the program features pieces that are new to the Pops Band’s library, Gall said.
“We bought some pieces for this concert — the love theme from the movie ‘Cinema Paradiso’ is new and the ‘Pie in the Face Polka’ is new.”
“Cinema Paradiso” — from the 1988 Italian film — will feature Garrett Kornman playing the alto saxophone solo.
Kornman is the assistant conductor of the Pops Band — of which Pacetti was a member for close to 50 years.
“The Pie in the Face Polka” is from the 1965 comedy “The Great Race” and will feature clarinet players Tim Bell, Tony Surowiak and Pam Harrison.
“Emil played the clarinet, so we wanted a clarinet feature,” Gall said. “All three of our soloists were friends with Emil.” Gall added that the Dorf Kappelle German band he’s a member of plays this polka quite often “and Emil really liked to hear it — the clarinets have to play that fast melody.”
The piece was written by Henry Mancini — another great Italian, Gall added.

Pops Band connections

Pops Band veterans will no doubt recognize another piece on the program —
“Badger Legionnaire March.”
The tune was written by George Manupella, who conducted the American Legion Band, which eventually became the Kenosha Pops Concert Band, from 1924 to 1961.
“Badger Legionnaire” will be conducted by another Pops Band veteran — Frank Germinaro, a longtime musician with the band who was conductor from 1994 to 2003, when Gall took over.
“Emil loved that piece,” Germinaro said. “It is made up of tunes from his region of Italy, so he recognized a lot of them. I always played it for Emil.”
Other pieces on Saturday’s program include:
* “Come Back to Sorrento” by Ernesto de Curtis. “This is a beautiful arrangement by Sammy Nestico,” Gall said. “The Pops Band has been playing this for at least 40 years or so. Emil played clarinet on this many times, I’m sure.”
* “Nessun Dorma” (from the opera “Turandot”) by Giacomo Puccini.
* Highlights from “Exodus” by Ernest Gold and arranged by Alfred Reed.
* “Parade of the Charioteers” (from the movie “Ben Hur”) by Miklos Rozsa, arranged by Robert Hawkins.
* “Italian Festival,” a medley arranged by Glenn Osser that includes “Summertime in Venice” and the love theme from “La Strada.”
* “The Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves” from Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Nabucco.” Jim Ripley, the band director at Carthage College, is conducting this piece. Greg Berg will be the vocal soloist.
“Emil always liked hearing these pieces,” Gall said. “He loved ‘Exodus’ and requested that piece at least twice since I’ve been the Pops Band conductor. He was a big fan of the movie’s main theme.” That main theme won Song of the Year at the 1961 Grammy Awards, the only instrumental song to receive that award to date.
* “Trumpeter’s Lullaby” by Leroy Anderson, featuring soloist Mark Eichner.
“Mark Eichner is doing ‘Trumpeter’s Lullaby’ for two reasons,” Gall explained. “Emil loved Leroy Anderons music — and he wanted to play the trumpet as a little boy. He was pushed toward playing clarinet” because the local band had enough trumpet players. Also, Gall said, “We wanted to include Mark, obviously. He founded the UW-Parkside Community Band, which Emil was a part of for so long.”
* “To Dance in the Secret Garden” by Robert W. Smith. Laura Rexroth, the new UW-Parkside band director, is directing this piece.
* The concert will open with the American and Italian national anthems and includes another piece close to Pacetti’s heart — “Il Silenzio” (The Silence). This tune showcases the band’s trumpets.
The 1965 Italian number was written as a memorial piece and was first played on the 20th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands during World War II. Pacetti purchased “Il Silenzio” for the Pops Band, Gall said, to honor his father, who was killed during World War II.
“I’m so glad we were able to play the piece last summer, so Emil could hear it at a concert.”

If you go

What: A concert honoring Emil Pacetti, featuring about 75 area musicians on stage
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Indian Trail High School, 6800 60th St.
Admission: Free; donations will be collected for The Pacetti Project (P.O. Box 1856) to be used for local student music programs. Also, Kenosha Pops Concert Band CDs featuring Pacetti will be sold at the concert.

http://www.kenoshanews.com/entertainment/get_out_pacetti_concert_to_feature_mix_of_old_new_tunes_482544373.html

God Bless You Emil

Much Peace and Blessings to my dear and long-term friend, Emil Pacetti and his loved ones and many many friends. You've touched the hearts and souls of generations of musicians, young and old. You never ceased to make people laugh; and your love of children and music is like no other. I'm SO incredibly grateful that you were there to help me pick out my first clarinet as a child, as well as my first wood clarinet...and many many many reeds;); and as an adult, to sit by your side and just hang out from time to time in the basement of your shop as you worked on repairs; or sit in the store and just hang out; the many laughs we shared at Stars and Stripes and Marina Gardens; all the laughter during Pops' rehearsals (notice a theme here;).
Emil, I've always loved you like a grandfather.
Peace be with you and all of your loved ones and friends. Your heart will truly go on through SO many memories of generations of musicians, and through your love of music, which is eternal.