McKinley High School - President Yearbook (Buffalo, NY)

Page 85 text:

THE ARTISAN , 79 Carl W. King Wliile some of us may continue the study of music as a vocation the 1IlHj0l'llTy of us, however, will follow some skilled trade, nevertlieless, the majority of us will have gained something which can never be taken from us and for which We will owe a lifelong obligation to our leaders who made this possible.. This musical organization, '4Tlie Best School Bauclll in the State, barring none, is very fortunate in having a capable leader, but a great amount of credit must be given to every member of the organization. lVithout the Willing eo-opera- tion and earnest endeavor of every member we could not attain such heights of musical efheiency in such a. short time. Our reed section has built itself into one of which our director is very proud and While every member in that section plays his part very well, special mention must be made of boys who started at the beginning of the year and have made such rapid progress that they are new able to play .all solo parts. Some of these boys are as follows: Charles Provenzano, Arthur Bamberg, Joseph Fischer, Ells- worth Hunter, Clarence Daniels, lValter Jones, clarinet players. Also Harold Baine, oboe, and John Keck, bassoon, Thus it is with every other section oilf the band. Each member deserves special mention but especially is this so with Mr. Edward Gottsch on BB bass, Lloyd Crockett on euphonium, Alfred VVieser, bass drum, Edward Miller, cym- bals 5 Theodore Lorentz, Earl Savage and Julien Uhrieh, snare and trap drums and Carl Hagerstroin, Harold Davis, YValter Smyk and Jesse Ralph, tronibones. Our trumpet section is exceptionally Well balanced due entirely to the efforts of such boys Gerald Billings, Duane Geetzin, Arnold V andervelden, Wil.lia1n Bouley, Vernon Mooney, John Staby and George Horvath. Finally, We come to the boy who has been the outstanding star of all the members of the band, namely David Neill. David has modestly and quietly gone about his Work and has made a name for hiniself in this school as a cornctist. David now occupies Hrst chair in the band and we all know that he has the brightest prospects ahead of him for a fine musical career.

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73 THE ARTISAN 1 14 lm 1 Music ln looking back over the various activities of the Band and Orchestra for the past year it seems but yesterday that we had our first meeting and rehearsal in September and very littl.e longer than that when the Band was first organized during the week preceding Easter last year. We had plenty to arouse our interest and make us enthusiastic from thc very beginning of the school year up to its close in June. During the first week of school we members of the baud received the announcement that McKinley band was to play at the Broadway Auditorium during the teachers' convention held in November. This was a very difficult undertaking because out of the hundred who performed on that occasion sixty-six were beginners. lVe were fortunate, however, in having an enthusiast as our Principal and when he said he wanted the best band Buitalo schools have ever had we determined to give it to him. Under the direction of our great friend and leader, Mr. Carl NV. King we practiced faithfully and long. Soon the results began to show and in a few weeks we were actually playing diliicult music ensemble. This first engagement of the band at the Broadway Auditorium seemed to have paved the way for a busy season so far as the Band is concerned. Some of the engagements being as follows: Voca- tional indoor meet at the Broadway Auditoriumg P. A. L. indoor meet at the Broadway Auditoriumg Radio Concert over station YVMAK5 Concert before the Kiwanis Clubg Concert during the senior play at Bennett High Sehoolg Annual field day and outdoor track meet at Erie Beach. We, the members of the band, have received something infinitely more bene- ficial than could have been possible with any other activity connected with the schoolg that is the love and appreciation of good music and a lasting recreation.

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S0 yy 'THE' .filzrlsfiif Orchestra Our Orchestra for this year has shown that with additional training it could be developed into one of the best in this locality. This organization, While not receiving' the same amount of publicity as the Band, has plugged along adding its bit to the social life of the school, confining its activities mostly to assemblies, dinner music and other social events about the school. iVe have, however, played over VVSVS and furnished the incidental music for our school play at Bennett High School. A l V Our present inembersliip comprises iifteen violins, two 'cel1os, four clarinets, four truin vets two trombones llute oboe bassoon alto saxo yhone tenor saxo- . 7 7 7 7 7 7 phone, baritone, tivo french horns, piano and drums. Witli this group as a foundation we will be in a position next year to pro- duce a quality of music which will bc on a symphonic basis. On a Symphonic Planf' this is our motto for the coming year. From all indications it will be up to the band to Watch its laurels for, with the orchestra on the same working schedule as the Band, there is going to be lively competition in seeing which is going to be the better organization. Our singing has been exceptional this year for every boy seemed to enter into the spirit of every song and put his best efforts into it. This is entirely due to the 'untiring efforts of our Principal. and fl doubt if anywhere in the city there can be found boys' voices which can be compared with those of the McKinley Singers. icWRtCl1 for next year's Glee Club.