Click here to view this week’s schedule.
MEMORIAL DAY BECOMES REAL
I will say, I am guilty of never really connecting with Memorial Day. I understood it on a cognitive level but I just could not totally relate. No one in my immediate family had been in the service until my niece and son-in-law, and thankfully they have not had to go into combat yet. But I did have an uncle who did. He died at Anzio during WWII and he was just…that uncle I never knew.
I grew up twirling in parades for Memorial Day and laying lilacs on graves. The family tradition was to go to the graves of our deceased relatives and bring flowers and make sure everything had enough water. So Memorial Day in general was about remembering who died before us, whether they served in the armed forces or not.
Our performances for New Horizons have helped me to better understand what Memorial Day is all about. When I see these older people fervently commemorating our fallen soldiers, it really helps put things in perspective. I especially was listening this year as to where all the Americans were buried over seas. Where were the guys who died at Anzio buried, I wondered.
This year, something really changed how I see Memorial Day. My niece posted information on my brother-in-law’s Uncle Alexander. He died in Anzio and was buried in Sicily-Rome. Our family and their family were very close and lived in the same town, but in the 1940’s they lived 2 hours apart. Could Alexander and Paul have known each other? After getting information from a cousin about Uncle Paul, because I didn’t even know his middle name, we found out some interesting stuff. It’s doubtful Alex and Paul knew each other, but they died 13 days apart. Paul was 20 yo and Alex was 19 yo. Paul was buried in his home town, and his grave was still being watered by my sister and sister-in-law who were carrying on the Memorial Day tradition. I had probably watered that same grave years before; I just didn’t care enough at the time to remember.
They both received Purple Hearts. Paul also received a Silver Star. The below citation is what changed me. I was filled with pride, sadness, and gratitude. I could “feel” the story. He was never going to be married, have kids, and he was never going to reconcile his relationship with his dad, which is why he enlisted in the army in the first place. All of a sudden Memorial Day became very very real.
PAUL J. KELLY, 32945161, Private, Company K, 135th Infantry
For gallantry in action on 26 May 1944, in the vicinity of Velletri, (Rome, Lazio) Italy. During an attack by enemy armor, Pvt. Kelly and another comrade manned a bazooka gun and, disregarding intense small arms fire that was raking their position, succeeded in knocking out an advancing enemy tank. Refusing to seek cover, Pvt Kelly then turned his attention to an enemy self-propelled gun which was firing on his company’s position at point blank range. The courageous duel with the enemy artillery piece ended with Pvt Kelly being killed and his comrade painfully wounded. But their heroic stand so inspired their comrades that they drove off the enemy gun and broke up the enemy counter-attack.
I just want to thank all the Pauls and and Alexs that have died over the years defending our country. I feel undeserving of everything they have done. Because of them, I have had a wonderful life, a wonderful family, and freedom.
Happy Memorial Day
Memorial Day Commemorative at the Western Reserve Masonic Community
Medina, Ohio on May 26, 2023
An audio recording has been posted at Member Resources -> Past Rehearsal Recordings -> May 26 Concert (password required).
Cinco de Mayo Performance
Submitted by Connie
We celebrated Cinco de Mayo at Kathy’s mom’s residence. Copeland in Sebring. What a blast!
Hearing Research Study at Kent State University
Submitted by JoAnne Turner
I am currently in a research study called Age-related changes in speech perception, cognition and auditory evoked potentials (i.e.hearing and the age-related brain) Stop laughing!
This is a 2 part session which tests are conducted for hearing and cognitive retention. It is held at Kent State University Speech and Hearing Center, which is part of the music, theatre and arts center. Professor Bruna S. Mussoi is conducting this research project and she is looking for participants! It will involve 2 session of 2 hours each. I am not sure if there is compensation for these times.
Bruna is looking for volunteers to participate in this study. She is particularly looking for people with music backgrounds.
If you are interested, please contact me and I will get you in touch with Dr. Mussoi. It is an interesting study, you might learn something about yourself and your aged brain!
Aaron Fried Former NHB Cello Instructor Quartet Performance
Submitted by Julie Kennedy
Aaron Fried worked with NHB cellos a few years back, and is now in school at U Wisc. This is a livestream concert of a quartet he plays with.
Note: After you start the video it will run for about 4 minutes before you see or hear anything. You can wait it out, or click on the time line to scroll ahead. It is also interesting to note that everyone is using a tablet to read their music (along with a foot pedal to turn the pages).
Click here to view Aaron’s Linkedin profile
April Third, HAPPY SPRING!
As always, Spring finds me SUPER CHARGED and ready to MAKE MUSIC!!!! I’m sending out this message simply to share with you my excitement and enthusiastic support for your hard work and remarkable improvement. Your individual work has allowed our ensembles the opportunity to step into the world of performance for pay! Several of our Summer Large and Small Ensemble performances will compensate our income and support our costs for music and equipment. We realize that all of us have commitments, vacations, activities, and responsibilities that at times my create conflicts with rehearsals and performances. We are a team! Our individual best efforts are always the magic that makes music special. “Music is what feelings sound like”. Each of us are important and your contribution of time and commitment is appreciated. However, we will do everything in our power to always be flexible and understanding. Each of you are important to all of us and more importantly what we stand for! “Together we can make it happen!”
Spring Performances:
- Sunday May 7th 12:00; First Evangelical Church Dinner; String Orchestra
- Friday May 26th 1:00 String Orchestra, 2:00 Full Combined Ensemble; Memorial Day Performances at the Western Reserve Community 4931 Nettleton Road, Medina 44256
Summer Performances:
- Small group and picnic performance info coming as soon as possible!!!!
- September 17th Lakeside Chautauqua, Full Combined Ensemble
Autumn Performances:
- September 23rd “Mummy Fest” Barberton, Full Combined Ensemble, times TBA
- October 1st, Norton Festival, Full Combined Ensemble times TBA
Jim
New Horizons Band Honors Veterans on Memorial Day
Submitted by John Hawes – Published in the Spring 2023 New Horizons International Music Association (NHIMA) Newsletter.
THE NEW HORIZONS BAND OF SUMMIT AND STARK COUNTIES really means it when our members tell a veteran “Thank you for your service.” Our band has a long and honored tradition of performing for veteran groups in Northeast Ohio. For several years, we have proudly provided the music for the Military Air Preservation Society’s (MAPS) annual Veterans Celebration in their huge air hangar on the edge of the runway for the Akron/Canton Airport. To an audience of up to 450 guests, we have played patriotic music including the Star-Spangled Banner, God Bless the USA, and other songs. The favorite selection is always the Marches of the Armed Forces. As the song for each branch of the military is played, members who have served in that branch are asked to rise and be recognized and applauded.
Our band has also provided patriotic music for the Ohio Veterans Memorial Park’s Memorial Day Observation. After the lengthy parade in Clinton, OH ends, a large audience (usually about 300 people) gathers to further remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. An important part of the ceremony is when all veterans assemble in a circle around the huge flagpole and pass the wreath from one to another until it reaches the end and is then placed near the Vietnam Veterans monument, a 125-foot polished black granite wall with the names of 3,095 Ohioans lost during the Vietnam War. What an honor to participate in such an important event!
NOTE: Membership in NHIMA includes a newsletter and many other benefits.
Fiddle Summer Camp Opportunity
Submitted by: Julie Kennedy
The Ohio School of Scottish Arts is offering a weeklong class with US Scottish fiddle champion Elke Baker http://www.elkebaker.com/ at Baldwin Wallace University (in Berea, south of Cleveland) this summer, June 24-30 2023.
Heidi and I attended the school several years ago and Elke is tops, very professional, a patient instructor and amazing player. She also hands out LOTS of traditional Scottish fiddle arrangements which are good for contra dancing and celtic groups. The group is mixed, from pre-teens to adult, and Elke works with students of all levels.
You can study as a day student (morning and afternoon 3-hour sessions) or residential. There are concerts and music sessions presented by school attendees every evening.
Lyrics for Comin’ In On A Wing And A Prayer
Comin’ In On A Wing And A Prayer By Jimmy McHugh and Harold Adamson 1943
Over the dim-lit flarepath
An anxious silence reigned.
Scanning the blue horizon,
Our anxious eyes were strained.
The radio sets were humming,
They waited for a word,
Then a voice broke through the humming,
And this is what they heard:
“Comin’ in on a wing and a pray’r,
Comin’ in on a wing and a pray’r,
Though there’s one motor gone,
We can still carry on,
Comin’ in on a wing and a pray’r.
What a show, what a fight,
Yes, we really hit our target for tonight.
How we sing as we limp through the air,
Look below, there’s our field over there.
With a full crew aboard and our trust in the Lord
We’re comin’ in on a wing and a pray’r.
Listening, watching, hoping,
Was all that we could do,
Waiting for J. for Jimmy
And all the gallant crew.
Then over our longing vision
A dim grey shadow fell,
And, like music, came the message
That told us all was well: