Alumni News
2000sRon Tongue, ’00, (music ed.) released his first solo album, If Only. For more information, visit www.rahnmusic.com, iTunes, Amazon or cdbaby.com. Jim Briggs III, ’01, (sound rec. technology) is the mix engineer for Public Radio International’s, “Selected Shorts,” and WNYC NY Public Radio’s, “Here’s the Thing,” hosted by Alec Baldwin. He also mixed the hour-long national documentary special, “Living 9/11,” for WNYC and Public Radio Exchange (PRX), and was the sound and dialogue editor on the film, “The Greely Expedition,” shown on the PBS history series, “The American Experience.” Jeffrey Bianchi, ’02, (music perf.) performed classical guitar music at the first concert of the Kinna Chamber Concert Series at the Cultural Arts Center in Douglasville, (Ga.), and at the courtroom of Lawrence County in Moulton (Tenn.). Jesse Archer, ’03, (music ed.) conducted the 54-piece Senior High All-County Band at the All-County Concert sponsored by the Allegany County School Music Association. He teaches music theory at Portville (N.Y.) Central School. Erik Reinhart, ’03, (music ed.) has taken over choral activities at Churchville-Chili High School outside of Rochester (N.Y.). Previously, he taught ninth grade choir and guitar classes. He will also continue to teach high school guitar classes. Adam Phillips, ’04, (musical theatre) released his second album, Songs of Old (A Christmas Album). The album is available on iTunes, Cdbaby.com, and through www.facebook.com/AdamPhillipsHymns. Dennis Repino, ’04, (music perf.) played in a guitar duo in a free concert for the Brockport (N.Y.) community’s effort to raise funds for Water for South Sudan, a Rochester-based nonprofit organization helping the people of South Sudan. He currently teaches at Finger Lakes Community College. Joseph Flaxman, ’06, (music perf.) was a Young Artist at Des Moines Metro Opera during the summer of 2011 and this summer will perform in an opera festival, Lyrique-en-mer, on Belle-lle in France. In October, he will make his professional debut at Lincoln Center in Montemezzi’s La Nave. He was the music director at Temple Beth Shalom for the Jewish high holidays, and continues to sing at Scarsdale Congregtional Church when in New York City. In May, he performed the role of The Man in the Mask in Bruce Saylor’s Opera, Major Molineaux, at Queens College. 1990sMichael Szczublewski, ’90, (music/perf.) was the director of the 2011-2012 Chautauqua County Music Teachers’ Association Winter Festival Jazz Ensemble. Donna Benstead, ’94, (music ed.) was recently inducted into Cambridge Who’s Who as a VIP member of the year, honored for innovation and dedication to music education. Christine (Cramer) Merkel, ’97, (music ed.) is the director of the Gates Chili High School Show Choir in the Rochester (N.Y.) area. 1980sHoward Klayman, ’85, (music ed.) was appointed as Federal Account Manager for Actiance in the firm’s Washington, D.C., regional office. Jeff Nelson, ’85, (sound rec. technology) played bass trombone on recent recordings with composer/arranger Michel Legrand (Noel! Noel!! Noel!!!) and with jazz legend Jimmy Heath (Live at the Blue Note). He is currently in the orchestra for Broadway’s Sister Act and can once again be heard this season on the theme music for NBC’s Sunday Night Football. Fred Dunn, ’86, (music ed.) directed Haydn’s Little Organ Mass with his select choir. 1970sGary Dailey, ’72, (music ed.) after 40-plus years of teaching music in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C., area and playing “on the road” with Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson and the U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors, has retired to Charlotte (N.C.) with extended family. Gerald Grahame, ’72, (music ed.) was recently promoted to Associate Professor of Music at Broome Community College (BBC). He directs College Choir, BCC Chamber Singers and teaches other vocal music courses. Tom Rasely, ’73, (music ed.) celebrated the world premiere of his choral collection, The Best of Times, by the Greg Kunde Chorale in Pittsford (N.Y.) last October. The piece is seven short songs for soprano, alto, tenor and bass, and piano, based on texts from the writings of Charles Dickens. For more information, visit www.rasely.com. Dr. Lawrence Gwozdz, ’75, (music ed.) played his saxophone in a concert at Southeastern Oklahoma State University and led a master class for students. He has also performed in major cities in Asia, Europe and North America. James Pace, ’75, (music ed.) published the book, West Seneca, about the history of West Seneca (N.Y.). It is available through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com and at national bookstores. Dr. Deborah (Anders) Silverman, ’76, ’79, (music ed., English) received tenure and promotion to Associate Professor at Buffalo State College, where she serves as Associate Chair of its Communication Department. Roland Martin, ’77, (music ed.) has been serving as the interim director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus. Alan Siebert, ’77, (music ed.) has been elected vice president of the International Trumpet Guild (ITG) and will hold the office of president in 2013-2015. The Chautauqua County Music Teachers Association held its annual spring music festival at Chautauqua Institution in 2011 and the traditional finale to the concert, The Battle Hymn of the Republic, was conducted by Pauline (Kenney) Emilson, ’77 (music ed.). The All-County Elementary Chorus was conducted by Cindy (Gould) Mayo, ’74, (music ed.) and accompanied by Dan Bromsted, ’77 (music ed.). Daniel Reisdorf, ’05, (music ed.) directed the All-County Junior High Chorus; Philip Farugia, ’98, (music ed.) conducted the All-County Senior High School Chorus, and John Maguda, ’72, (music ed.) directed the All-County Senior High Band. Cheryl (Mancini) Drake, ’78, (music ed.) was selected to receive the 2010 Outstanding Music Educator Award in the Outstanding Band Director category from the Rochester (N.Y.) Philharmonic Orchestra Musician’s Educator Awards Committee. She is an instrumental music teacher in the Canandaigua (N.Y.) City School District. 1960sLee H. Pritchard, ’62, (music ed.) represented President Dennis L. Hefner and SUNY Fredonia at the inauguration of SUNY New Paltz’s eighth president, Dr. Donald P. Christian, in April. Martin Zavadil, ’65, (music ed.) continues to stay active as a conductor, performer and adjudicator. Elaine (Zielinski) Zielin, ’66, (music ed.) has been working as a letter carrier for the U.S.P.S. for 24 years. She recently spent two years (on days off) singing standards with jazz piano at nursing and retirement homes and learning to play the harmonica. Dr. Joseph Casimino, ’67, (music ed.) retired as music chairman for Lancaster schools, is former president of the Erie County (N.Y.) Music Educators Association, a former member of Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra board, and retired as principal of St. Mary's High School in Lancaster (N.Y.). 1950sHarold Ressel, ’51, (music ed.) has been married for 60 years, and has three children and four grandchildren. He plays chamber music at various times on the violin, viola, or cello, and taught instrumental music for 38 years. John Aceti, ’58, (elem. ed.) from Kerrville, Texas, and Lawrence and Virginia (Knox) Ramsden, ’60, (music ed.) from Islip (N.Y.), met on a 1,000-mile Danube River cruise through seven Central and Eastern European countries from Austria to Romania during the summer of 2010. Robert Willover, ’58, (music ed.) recently performed an original program at a yacht club in Fort Myers (Fla.) for Edison and Ford Winter Estates volunteers. Robert is Sanibel church organist at the First Church of Christ Scientist and a docent at the estates. |
