I have a doctorate in music, and I have conducted in 13 states thus far. I play 5 instruments with decent facility ad several others in an emergency capacity. I served both my high school and college bands as drum major and went to a decade-long experience in the military band field. None of this would have happened if Peter Mauro hadnt come to my elementary school in the spring of my eighth grade year and said the words dont worry, Ill teach you. He did, putting a saxophone, tuba, and trumpet in the hands of a mediocre guitarist. Oh - he also told me to join choir my senior year in high school, because band directors need to be able to sing. So, to all my students its Pete Mauros fault. I am so glad I got to go back and say thank you and to let him know the impact he had on my life and career. Although he was surprised (and maybe a little bit disappointed) that my path led me to advanced degrees in choral music, he was still proud that I stuck with the path of music. He did say I would have been a great band director, which meant a lot coming from someone of his temperament! One of the last of the blustery, passionate, red-in-the-face geniuses to prowl our high school band rooms. He was a great teacher. I wish I had contacted him after hearing of his bypass surgery a few weeks ago. Thank you for opening the world of music to me, Pete, and thank you for a bedrock of conducting instruction that has gotten me pretty far! John Stadtmueller Kushol Gupta Trish Nurko Hulick Tim Lawrence
Posted on: Sun, 17 Aug 2014 23:48:27 +0000
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