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11/14/2005
Contact: K.E. Schwab -- 724-738-2199;
e-mail: karl.schwab@sru.edu
FOR PHOTO OF MR. SCARNATI CLICK
HERE
BLASÉ S. SCARNATI TO TURN OVER
MUSICIANS’ CONCERT BAND BATON AT DEC. 4
CONCERT
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa.
– Founder and veteran conductor of the Musicians’
Concert Band Blase S. Scarnati will turn over the conducting baton
to Jeff Kroner, an original band member and current music teacher
with the Butler Area School District, when the 100-member community
band presents its final concert of the year Dec. 4.
Scarnati, professor
emeritus of music at Slippery Rock University, formed the band in
1986 with 35 members and has led its membership expansion as it
plays before capacity crowds. He has served as principal conductor
since the band’s inception and spearheaded the band’s
expanded summer concert series at SRU along with its traditional
annual holiday concert. This year’s concert is set for 4 p.m.
in Miller Auditorium on the SRU campus.
He was conductor of
university bands at SRU, and in addition to conducting assignments
at the university, taught jazz history, literature of the musical
theater and music history. He earned his bachelor’s degree in
music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and his master of
music education degree from Duquesne University before undertaking
graduate work at Syracuse University. He conducted the SRU Marching
Rockets for 25 years and received the SRU President’s Award
for Outstanding Service in 1982, before retiring in 1996 with 32
years service. He also holds the Phi Beta Mu, national honorary
band fraternity, Outstanding Bandmaster in the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania honor and in 2002 served as grand marshal for the SRU
Homecoming Parade, an honor bestowed for his dedication and service
to students. SRU trustees have named an SRU band rehearsal field in
his honor.
In 2004, he became
the third recipient ever presented an honorary lifetime member in
the SRU Alumni Association. Scarnati and his wife, Mary, maintain a
winter home in Arizona where they will return after the
holidays.
The incoming band
director is a 1991 SRU graduate and western Pennsylvania native and
a member of the band since its inception. Kroner joined the Butler
schools music department in 1993 and was named assistant for the
Golden Tornado Marching Band in 1998. He currently teaches guitar
and music technology classes at the Butler Intermediate High School
where he directs the symphonic and jazz bands. He also helped form
the Tornado Big Band which performs for a Big Band Dance and
throughout the area. Kroner, who plays saxophone, previously served
as guest conductor with the Musicians’ Concert
Band.
The upcoming
concert will include a welcome from SRU President Robert M. Smith
and presentation of a number of holiday selections, including
“Tapestry of Carols,” featuring the 65-voice Holiday
Chorus conducted by LaDonna Linamen, a member of the SRU facilities
and planning department and active in a number of area musical
organizations. The chorus will also be featured in Irving
Berlin’s “White Christmas,” and David
Hamilton’s arrangement of “Little Drummer Boy” as
well as Handle’s “Hallelujah Chorus.”
The band will offer
Leroy Andersons’ “Sleigh Ride,” “American
Overture,” “Precious Lord, Lead Me Home,” and
“Winter Dances,” under the “It’s Beginning
to Look a Lot Like Christmas” theme. Michael C. Formeck,
associate conductor will lead the band for “Overture to a
Winter Festival,” by James Curnow, and “Golden
Friendships,” by Henry Fillmore. The traditional concert will
conclude with “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” including
an audience sing-along.
The band, composed
of community members who use the organization as an outlet for
their musical talents, includes a number of music teaches as well
as those from numerous other professions who learned to play
instruments in high school or
college.
PN, PGN, WPN, PR
EDITOR'S NOTE PHOTO ATTACHED...OR AVAILABLE FROM
WWW.SRU.EDU WEB SITE.
MusiciansBandDec05.kes.doc
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