Music in General
Music makes me think. Music can change my mood fairly quickly. It can bring me to tears of joy, can help me escape sadness or push me into a deep depression. Foremost, it is a blessing to me because I can use it as an emotional tool to stay happy.
I’ve been moved by music for as long as I can remember.
I’ve always been in awe of people that could sing or play an instrument.
I’ll never be a good musician, but I’ll always celebrate every correct note that I play.
Music Genre
I have favorite pieces that fall into almost every major genre, however I favor New-Age, Traditional, Folk and praise music. I don’t consider any of the “hate” genre’s as music at all.
A few of my favorite musicians
My musical experience
One day in 1978 while driving down Dewey Avenue in Rochester I was listening to Herb Alpert on the radio. I stopped at the traffic light at the corner of Driving Park Avenue. I loved the style of Herb and wondered if someone like me could ever learn to play the trumpet. After-all, I had never read sheet music or played any instrument and thought of myself as a nitwit. I looked over and I was in Front of Duke Spinner’s Music Shoppe (1964-1999). Why not?
I parked out front and went inside. An elderly gentleman approached me, introducing himself as Professor Vincent Farga. I explained to him that I was curious as to whether or not I could learn to play the trumpet. He asked “Do you have all your teeth?”. I told him that I did. He replied “Get a trumpet and come back at 5:00”. I took lessons from Professor Farga every week for about a year. After that I took lessons from Dr. Dennis Fleischer at the University of Rochester for several more years. Dennis eventually hooked me up with the Irondequoit Community Band, one of the many groups that he performed with. I stayed with the band for 30+ years, never being a great player but loving the opportunity to perform and the comradery of the band. I made several close friendships there.
I am presently an intermediate player of the chromatic harmonica, beginner player of the guitar, bass guitar and keyboard, and am seeking an opportunity to join some sort of an ensemble. I dabble in recording my playing, creating and editing midi files and using a variety of software to convert scores to midi files, and vice versa.
Instruments that I’ve owned & played
- Bach Stradivarius Trumpet Bb Silver
- Benge Chicago Trumpet Bb Silver
- Yamaha Pro Trumpet Bb Brass
- Holton Cornet Bb Silver
- Seydel Saxony C Chromatic Harmonica *
- Seydel Sampler C/G Diatonic Harmonica *
- Seydel Orchestra LC Solo Diatonic Harmonica *
- Swan 1248 C Chromatic Harmonica
- Hohner Meisterklasse Chromatic Harmonica *
- Hofner Ignition Bass Guitar
- Casio Portable Keyboard *
- Epiphone G-310 Guitar *
- Fender Squire Modified Jazz Base
- *Currently Playing