Michael Fitzgerald Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/24/arts/music/24vacc.html September 24, 2005 William Vacchiano, Trumpeter and Teacher, Dies at 93 By DANIEL J. WAKIN William A. Vacchiano, a master of the trumpet who never missed a concert during 38 years in the New York Philharmonic and is said to have instructed some 2,000 students, died on Monday. He was 93. The Juilliard School, where he taught for many years, announced his death. Mr. Vacchiano retired from the orchestra as principal trumpeter in 1973 but continued his career as an influential teacher. His students included Miles Davis, Wynton Marsalis and Philip Smith, the Philharmonic's current principal trumpeter. Mr. Vacchiano was born in Portland, Me., and took up the instrument at 12, making such progress that he joined the Portland Symphony at 14. After attending Juilliard, he auditioned for the Metropolitan Opera and the Philharmonic and was offered jobs at both on the same day. He picked the Philharmonic and was named to the top job in 1942, playing for conductors like Dimitri Mitropoulos, Leopold Stokowski and Leonard Bernstein, and appearing on numerous recordings. Mr. Vacchiano's technique was superb, naturally, but he was also known for his smooth sound. He once said that a controlled vibrato, clarity of attack and beautiful tone were the hallmarks of great trumpet playing. He taught at Juilliard from 1935 until 2002, as well as at four other schools, including the Mannes College of Music and the Manhattan School of Music. He said in a 2002-3 newsletter from Stork Custom Mouthpieces, "I had to be in so many places that I had people who made their living just getting my instruments from one hall to the next and having cabs ready for me." As a teacher, he placed special emphasis on the mouthpiece and finding the right one. In 1940, using tools from a hardware store, he worked on his own and went on to acquire several hundred, as well as designing a line of them. He was also a proponent of studying trumpets made in different keys, and helped establish the practice of using the right one for the right music, rather than transposing. Mr. Vacchiano is survived by his daughter, JoAnn Vacchiano, and four grandchildren. He compared teaching to what a painter does. "He sees a subject and from it he creates a great piece of art," he said in the newsletter. "My students come in, more or less, raw and green. But from them I can reproduce myself, you might say, and create great artists." Mr. Vacchiano said he also tried to instill a healthy attitude about music. "This is the way life should be," he said. "This, to me, is happiness. When I feel bad I go down to the studio in my house, I pick up my horn and I'm in seventh heaven. That's what music should be like." ========== Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 I had no idea he was still alive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Fitzgerald Posted September 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Here's some more info: ============================ http://www.trumpetguild.org/news/news05/425vacchiano.htm William Vacchiano died on September 19, 2005. During his long and distinguished career in the New York Philharmonic, Vacchiano played under the baton of such noted conductors as Leonard Bernstein, André Kostelanetz, Dmitri Mitropoulos, Leopold Stokowski, Igor Stravinsky, and Bruno Walter. In 1935, Vacchiano auditioned for the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic on the same day, and was offered contracts with both orchestras. At the Philharmonic audition, Toscanini asked him to play a soft passage at the end of Debussy's La Mer. The maestro asked him to return several times, after short breaks, and repeat the excerpt. After the third time, Vacchiano was offered the job. When he called to tell Simone Mantia, the manager of the Metropolitan about receiving two contracts on the same day, Mantia told him, "Go with the Philharmonic; it's a better job, and God bless you." Vacchiano is credited as being among the first to use a variety of trumpets pitched in different keys to fit the demands of the music. During his 38 years with the New York Philharmonic (7 years as assistant principal and 31 as principal) he never missed a concert in which he was scheduled to perform. Vacchiano's affiliation with the Juilliard School began in 1931: the school was called the Institute of Musical Art at that time. He studied there with Max Schlossberg, and went on to teach at Juilliard for an astonishing 67 years (1935-2002). He also served on the faculties of the Manhattan School of Music (1935-2002), and the Mannes College of Music (1937-1983). In 1995, Vacchiano estimated that he had taught more than 2,000 trumpet students. Many of these students went on to play in virtually every major orchestra in the United States. William Vacchiano's former students include Wynton Marsalis, Gerard Schwarz, and Philip Smith. In May of 2002, the Juilliard School held an event attended by about 100 former students to honor his 90th birthday. In May of 2003, Vacchiano was awarded an Honorary Doctorate during the Juilliard School’s spring commencement. An article honoring the life and legacy of William Vacchiano is being compiled by Brian Shook, and will appear in the March, 2006 ITG Journal. To read more about the life of William Vacchiano, please see Brian Shook's fact sheet appended below, and the Juilliard Journal story linked at the bottom of the page. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here are the details for the funeral arrangements for William Vacchiano: Viewings will be from 2 to 5 pm and 7 to 10 pm on Thursday and Friday, September 22nd and 23rd, at the Frederick Funeral Home, 19215 Northern Boulevard, Flushing, NY 11358. Telephone: 718-357-6100. The funeral will be on Saturday 24th September, at 9:15 am, at the Holy Family Catholic Church, 175/20 74th Avenue, Flushing, NY 11366. Telephone: 718-969-2448. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Influence of Mr. William Vacchiano A fact sheet compiled by Brian A. Shook The following is a partial list of former students who studied with Mr. Vacchiano and what positions they hold/held. This list is not comprehensive – the estimated total number of students taught by Mr. Vacchiano exceeds 2,000. New York Philharmonic Morris Boltuch Carmine Fornarotto – former 2nd trumpet Philip Smith – current principal James Smith John Ware - former co-principal Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Joseph Alessi, Sr. – former principal Mel Broiles – former principal David Krauss – current principal James Pandolfi Frank Hosticka Orchestra Philip Collins – Cincinnati Symphony, current principal Armando Ghitalla – Boston Symphony Orchestra, former principal Richard Giangiulio – Dallas Symphony Orchestra, former principal Chandler Goetting - Symphony Orchestra of the Bavarian Radio, former principal Don Green – Los Angeles Philharmonic, current principal Mike Hipps – Minnesota Orchestra, retired David Kuehn – Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, former principal Manny Laureano –Minnesota Orchestra, current principal Douglas Lindsay – Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, current associate principal Adel Sanchez – National Symphony Orchestra, assistant principal Charles Schlueter – Boston Symphony Orchestra, current principal Thomas Stevens – Los Angeles Philharmonic, former principal Conductors Stephen Chenette – University of Toronto, professor emeritus Albert Ligotti – Athens Symphony Gerard Schwarz – Music Director, Seattle Symphony, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Gene Young NYC Ballet Ronald Anderson – former principal, currently teaching at Bennington College Neil Balm – current co-principal NYC Ballet Robert Haley – NYC Ballet Theodore Weis – NYC Ballet and Opera, former principal Studio/Freelance Neil Balm – New York City Robert Karon – Los Angeles Malcolm McNab – Los Angeles Alan Rubin – New York City Lee Soper – New York City Jazz Donald Byrd Mercer Ellington Jonah Jones Wynton Marsalis Joseph Wilder Soloists/Chamber Artists Stephen Burns - soloist and Artistic Director of Fulcrum Point Fred Mills - formerly with Canadian Brass, currently at University of Georgia Ronald Romm – formerly with Canadian Brass, currently at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Professors Edward Carroll – California Institute of the Arts Mario Guarneri – formerly with LA Philharmonic, currently at San Francisco Conservatory Louis Ranger – University of Victoria, BC Jeffrey Silberschlag – St. Mary’s College of Maryland The following is a brief highlight list of Mr. Vacchiano’s honors, awards, and accomplishments. Honors/Awards/Accomplishments Honorary Doctorate from Juilliard - 2003 International Trumpet Guild – Highest Award of Merit – June 1984 New York Brass Conference for Scholarships Recognition – January 1978 Only trumpet player ever to win an audition for the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic in the same day (1934) Hired by Toscanini to join the New York Philharmonic Never missed a concert in which he was scheduled to play in 38 years with the New York Philharmonic At the time of his retirement in 1973, he was the longest continuous principal trumpet player in America (31 years) 67 years on the faculty at both the Juilliard and Manhattan Schools of Music Premier recording of Gustav Mahler’s Fifth Symphony – Bruno Walter conducting Recorded Stravinsky’s Petrouchka twice in one day; in the morning with NYP and Mitropolous, and in the evening with a free-lance group with Stokowski Recorded Neilsen Symphony No. 6 and Shostakovich Concerto for Piano Trumpet and Strings in the same day with Bernstein Co-inventor of the Alessi-Vacchiano straight mute Every principal or co-principal of the New York Philharmonic since 1973 has been a Vacchiano student (John Ware, Gerard Schwarz, Louis Ranger, Philip Smith) Method Books Advanced Etudes for Trumpet, for Ear Training and Accuracy – Balquihidder Bugle Calls - Tromba The Art of Bel Canto (singing style) for Trumpet – Manduca Music The Art of Double Tonguing – C.F. Peters The Art of Solo Playing for Trumpet – Tromba The Art of Triple Tonguing – C.F. Peters Comprehensive Trumpet Studies – Vacchiano Press Etudes for Trumpet (Orchestra Etudes and Last Etudes) – by Vassily Brandt, compiled and edited by William Vacchiano – Leonard Publishing Graduate Studies for Trumpet, As Taught at the Juilliard School – Tromba Improvisations Based on Nursery Rhythms and The Marine’s Hymn for Trumpet or Cornet - Manduca Music Miniature Variations on “The Carnival of Venice” for Piccolo or E-flat Trumpet – C.F. Peters Miniature Variations on “The Carnival of Venice” for Solo Trumpet – C.F. Peters Necessary Technique for B-flat Trumpet – Manduca Music Orchestral Rhythms for B-flat Trumpet – Balquhidder Trumpet Routines – Charles Colin Suppli-Bilities, Advanced Technical Drills for Suppleness and Agility – Vacchiano Press Studies in Waltz Tempo – Vacchiano Press A Study of Intervals for Trumpet – Manduca Music Transcribed for Two Trumpets Concerto in D Minor (BWV 1052), J.S. Bach – Charles Colin Concerto in C Major (BWV 1053), J.S. Bach – Charles Colin Concerto in C Major (BWV 1054), J.S. Bach - Charles Colin Concerto in F Major (BWV 1055), J.S. Bach - Charles Colin Concerto in A Minor (BWV 1056), J.S. Bach – Charles Colin Concerto in E Minor (BWV 1058), J.S. Bach - Charles Colin The information in this fact sheet has been compiled by Brian A. Shook. If anyone wishes to contribute to this sheet or to future publications (one of which will be a full biography), please contact: Brian A. Shook 1600 W. La Jolla Dr. Apt. #2102 Tempe, AZ 85282 USA email: brishook1@yahoo.com ============================== Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Fitzgerald Posted September 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 And more: ============================= http://www.juilliard.edu/update/journal/11...bstory_0305.asp William Vacchiano Trumpeter William Vacchiano lays claim to one of the most remarkable careers in the history of American orchestral performance. As a member of the New York Philharmonic for 38 years (as assistant principal from 1935-42 and principal from 1942 until his retirement from the orchestra in 1973), Vacchiano never missed a concert in which he was scheduled to perform. A renowned pedagogue, he was a treasured member of the Juilliard faculty for an astonishing 67 years (1935-2002), and also served on the faculties of the Manhattan School of Music (1935-2002) and the Mannes College of Music (1937-83). In 1995, Vacchiano estimated that he had taught about 2,000 trumpet students. At one time, his students played in virtually every major orchestra in the country. A native of Portland, Me., Vacchiano spoke Neapolitan Italian at home with his parents and siblings. He began studying the trumpet after a serendipitous misunderstanding of his father's suggestion that he should play "clarinetto," which the younger Vacchiano recalled as "cornetto" when his solfeggio teacher, a monolingual Italian by the name of Senor De Nobili, began enumerating possible instruments from which he might choose. Although his father was annoyed when he came home with the wrong instrument, his mother unwittingly helped seal her son's future when she remarked, "What's the difference? He's not going to be a professor." Vacchiano's early teachers in Portland included Frank Knapp and a succession of capable trumpet players from the local theaters. He later traveled to Boston for lessons with Louis Kloepfel and Walter M. Smith. During his high school years, he played with the Portland Municipal Orchestra and as an unofficial member of the 242nd Coast Artillery Band. In 1931, Vacchiano entered the Institute of Musical Art, which later became The Juilliard School, where he studied with the renowned Max Schlossburg until 1933. In 1935, Vacchiano auditioned for positions at the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic on the same day. At the Met audition, Vacchiano was asked by the personnel manager, Simone Mantia, to play only one passage: six successive high notes from the finale of Der Rosenkavalier. He played them, was offered the position on the spot, and signed a contract. At the Philharmonic audition, Toscanini asked him first to play a few soft, high notes from the conclusion of La Mer, then instructed him to leave for a few minutes, then asked him to come back and play the same passage. After repeating the process a third time, a nerve-frayed Vacchiano was offered the job. When he called Mantia to tell him what happened, Mantia reportedly told him, "Go with the Philharmonic; it's a better job. And God bless you." In his long career at the New York Philharmonic, Vacchiano played under and recorded with such illustrious conductors as Leonard Bernstein, André Kostelanetz, Dmitri Mitropoulos, Leopold Stokowski, Igor Stravinsky, George Szell, and Bruno Walter. Known for his impeccable technique, beautiful tone, and graceful legato, Vacchiano was largely responsible for the widespread modern practice of using trumpets in various keys to fit the instrument to the music more closely. He has published numerous trumpet method books and designed his own line of trumpet mouthpieces. Among Vacchiano's many students at Juilliard who went on to significant careers were Wynton Marsalis, Gerard Schwarz, and current faculty member Philip Smith. In May 2002, Juilliard held an event, attended by approximately 100 former students, colleagues, and friends, to celebrate Vacchiano's distinguished career on the occasion of his 90th birthday. In recognition of his extraordinary contributions to American musical performance and teaching, Vacchiano will be awarded Juilliard's Honorary Doctor of Music degree on May 23. —Lisa Robinson ========================== Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free For All Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 An amazing man, a great player and educator. I think his life story would make a very interesting book. Thanks for posting all that material, Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Indeed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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