Allan Sherman - Good Advice

God moves in a mysterious way... (from April 2008)

William Cowper (pronounced 'cooper') attempted suicide 2 or 3 times, was committed to an asylum, and yet still penned this gem... these words are the kind of darkness and light that hold me together...

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God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.
　
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.
　
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

I Asked The Lord That I Might Grow - John Newton

I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek, more earnestly, His face.

‘Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer!
But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.

I hoped that in some favored hour,
At once He’d answer my request;
And by His love’s constraining pow’r,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry pow’rs of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

Yea more, with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe;
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

Lord, why is this, I trembling cried,
Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?
“‘Tis in this way, the Lord replied,
I answer prayer for grace and faith.

These inward trials I employ,
From self, and pride, to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”

Love, Truth, and Judgment

"If you never know truth then you never know love." - The Black Eyed Peas

"True love does not exist in the absence of judgment, but in the presence of it." - Michael Ramsden

(Which is basically the same thing)

Texas Flood by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - Montreaux Jazz Festival 1982

Whatever It Takes (Acoustic) - Matt Papa

From the honest pen of Isaac Watts

How long wilt Thou conceal Thy face?
        My God, how long delay?
    When shall I feel those heav’nly rays
        That chase my fears away?
    How long shall my poor laboring soul
        Wrestle and toil in vain?
    Thy word can all my foes control
        And ease my raging pain.

- Isaac Watts

U2's Set at Live Aid 1985 - Sunday Bloody Sunday / Bad

Ettore “Eddie” Chiudioni: October 29, 1936 ~ March 12, 2014

From: Mansfield, Ohio

Visitation: Friday, March 14, 2014 from 1:00-3:00 P.M. and 5:00-8:00 P.M. at Snyder Funeral Home, Lexington Avenue Chapel, Mansfield, OH

Funeral:  Saturday, March 15, 2014 at 12:00 P.M. at St. Peter's Catholic Church

Burial:  Mansfield Catholic Cemetery, Mansfield, Ohio
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MANSFIELD: Ettore “Eddie” Chiudioni was born with music inside him. It was a necessity for him-as much as food or water. He passed along his gift to countless youngsters as a band director, as a private music teacher, and as conductor of the Mansfield Symphony Youth Orchestra. Eddie was always looking forward to his next concert.

Accomplished trumpet player, Ettore "Eddie" Chiudioni, 77, passed away Wednesday morning March 12, 2014 in the OSU Wexner Medical Center following a short illness.

Eddie was born October 29, 1936 in Dillonvale to parents Salvatore and Ersilia (Gigliozzi) Chiudioni. He graduated from Dillionvale High School with the class of 1954 and graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Ohio University and also graduated with a Master of Arts Degree from The Ohio State University.

On July 30, 1960 Eddie married Joan Jeannette Ruckman and they started a wonderful life together full of music (Joan was a violinist in the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra and their daughters Kimberly and Kelli also studied violin and continue to play).

Mr. Chiudioni was in his 24th year as conductor of the Mansfield Symphony Youth Orchestra. He retired from teaching in 1990 after 32 years as a high school orchestra/band director: 6 years in the Crestline City Schools and 26 years in the Mansfield City Schools at Malabar High School. He conducted orchestra/band clinics and workshops throughout the state and served as an adjudicator for concerto competitions at various schools of music. Eddie served as an OMEA Adjudicator for State Orchestra, as well as Strings and Brass Solo and Ensemble Adjudicated Events.

He was in his 55th year as principal trumpet with the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra and appeared as a soloist with the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra, the Firelands Symphony, the Alliance Symphony and with area high school bands and orchestras. He served as principal trumpet with the Renaissance Brass Quintet and the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra’s Outreach Brass Trio.

Mr. C (as he was known to his students) was a private trumpet instructor in Mansfield. Many of his students have been members of the Mansfield Symphony Youth Orchestra, the East-Central Region Orchestra, the OMEA All-State Orchestra and the OMEA All-State Band. Several of his former students are now pursuing careers in music education and music performance.

Mr. Chiudioni served as Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of Musicians, Local 159, AFM for over 35 years and was a faithful member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Mansfield.

In addition to his loving wife of 53 years, Joan J. Chiudioni of Mansfield, he is survived by his two daughters and a son-in-law: Kimberly J. Roseblossom of West Farmington, and Kelli J. and William Snively of Westerville; four grandchildren: Morgan McAuley, Matthew Roseblossom, Adam Snively, and Hope Snively; one great-grandson Mason McAuley; one brother and sister-in-law Ernest and Francy Chiudioni of Canton; and several nieces and nephews.

Eddie was preceded in death by his parents Salvatore and Ersilia Chiudioni; his wife’s parents Kenneth and Dortha Ruckman; and a brother-in-law and sister-in-law James and Veronica Ruckman.

His family will receive friends 1 to 3 and 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 14, 2014 in the Lexington Avenue Snyder Funeral Home. A mass of Christian burial remembering his life will be held 12 p.m. Saturday, March 15 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, 54 South Mulberry St. in Mansfield. The Rev. Father Gregory Hite will officiate and burial will follow in Mansfield Catholic Cemetery.

Contributions in his memory to the Mansfield Symphony Youth Orchestra may be made at the funeral home or sent in care of: Snyder Funeral Home, P.O. Box 3085, Mansfield, OH 44904.

Snyder Funeral Homes is honored to serve Eddie’s family and private messages to them may be sent to: SnyderFuneralHomes.com

Conductor's passion for music will long be remembered - lmartz@gannett.com

MANSFIELD — Mansfield Symphony Youth Orchestra founder Ettore “Eddie” Chiudioni maintained a keen interest in upcoming concerts and the aspiration of young musicians — despite serious health problems during the past year.

Chiudioni died early Wednesday morning.

He was in his 23rd year as conductor of the youth orchestra.

He had spent six years teaching in the Crestline City Schools, where he worked after graduating from Ohio University, and taught 32 years as orchestra/band director for the Mansfield City Schools, retiring in 1990.

Chiudioni mentored hundreds of local music students over the years — including two-time Grammy-winning classical singer Sylvia McNair. McNair was a member of the youth orchestra founded by the music teacher.

Friends said Chiudioni, 77, suffered from a heart condition. He recently had checked into the Cleveland Clinic to have a heart pump implanted.

Despite health problems, especially during the past year, Chiudioni continued to return to the Renaissance Theatre a couple of times weekly to copy music.

“Always a smile,” Renaissance president Mike Miller said. “He would be in the Renaissance at least a couple of times a week to copy music or prepare for concerts.”

He conducted orchestra and band clinics and workshops throughout Ohio, and served as an adjudicator for concerto competitions at music schools.

“He always was looking at new ways to help kids,” Miller added. “The miles he racked up, driving all over the state, taking students to auditions or events.”

Despite weight loss and a frail appearance, Chiudioni attended the Renaissance board’s meeting last week. “His enthusiasm remained. He was so adamant about staying a part of it,” Miller said.

He’d expected to be present at a Youth Strings concert this weekend and a Youth Symphony concert in May, friends said.

“If there was any possible way, he would be at the rehearsals — and he totally expected to direct,” Dalton Derr said. “He was very frail and we were very distressed. But he was still Eddie, with this Italian spirit and tenacity.”

Both men worked at Malabar Middle School for years, as choral director and instrumental director.

Chiudioni was not an imposing looking teacher, “not like 6-foot-5,” Derr said. But he coaxed quality performances from students. “He was demanding and he would lead by example. He was an informed and well-organized individual that his students revered.”

As a public school music teacher, Chiudioni was required to familiarize himself with a wide variety of string, woodwinds, brass and percussion instruments.

But in his own performances, he never strayed from “his” instrument, the trumpet.

He’s served 55 years as principal trumpet with the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra, “He was the first chair trumpeter for the symphony for, I don’t know — 50 years,” Derr said.

Chiudioni performed in Renaissance Brass Quintet and the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra’s Outreach Brass Trio.

As secretary-treasurer of Local 159 of the American Federation of Musicians, Chiudioni was very successful in securing grants from recording industries for educational concerts, and park concerts for the community, retired Mansfield Senior High School music director Percy Hall said. His efforts gave “hundreds of people the pleasure of attending these live music concerts,” he added.

Funeral services will likely be well-attended by several generations of musicians who were mentored by Chiudioni, friends said.

“He’s my paisano,” Derr said, referring to the word used by Italians to their closest links, their “brothers.”

Derr said he was thankful for Chiudioni’s willingness, when both of them worked for the city schools, to share the hard work needed to stage complex joint choral and instrumental events such as Gian Carlo Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitor” or portions of Handel’s “Messiah.”

When David H. Williams, a Tucson choral arranger, wrote a piece for Derr’s mother Mabel, “Eddie wrote the instrumental portion, and we performed it on one of the joint concerts,” Derr said.

Hall said Chiudioni became a close friend when Eddie began teaching music in Crestline.

“I met him first when we were both performing in the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra, which at that time was a community orchestra, rather than a professional orchestra. We talked on the phone almost daily, sharing problems, solutions, ideas and giving each other encouragement,” Hall said.

“I have always respected his ability as a trumpet player, and a private teacher of many, many students, a good number of whom have gone on to be outstanding performers, in college, in symphonies and as teachers. He will be a hard act to follow in his many roles in the musical scene of Mansfield.

“He and I have been such close friends for a long, long period of time, that I can hardly imagine not having the ability to talk to him and share our thoughts. My deepest sympathy goes to his wife Joan, and all of his family,” Hall said.

“Many of his students have been members of the Mansfield Symphony Youth Orchestra, the East-Central Region Orchestra, the OMEA All-State Orchestra and the OMEA All-State Band,” Barb Byrd said.

“Eddie was just one heck of a good and caring person. He was devoted to teaching and playing music because it was his passion and he loved it. Eddie was always ready to share a joke or a story with you and made us laugh,” the Renaissance staff member said.

Piano Time

"Queenie Eye" - Paul McCartney

"My Valentine" by Paul McCartney, with Natalie Portman and Johnny Depp

Other pics from the skull session

Ohio State Marching Band Skull Session 11/23/2013

Not the greatest quality, but it was Mark's first time seeing the Ohio State Marching Band... ran out of memory on the iPad at the end there... you can hear Mark asking for the iPad to play games... I guess he was not totally into it...

Playing at Khmer Church Christmas

 

Blue Man Group videos

Billy Joel - Honesty

"Last Stop, Carnegie Hall" by Dr. Brian Shook

A few days ago, I finished reading a book written by my friend, Dr. Brian Shook. It was a biography of the great trumpet player, William Vacchiano. Vacchiano was the leader of the trumpet section for the New York Philharmonic Orchestra for over a third of the 20th century, and contributed in large part to the astounding catalog of music that has been created by that ensemble. I found the book interesting, engaging, and even motivating at times. Brian did a fantastic job capturing the life of this man and his contributions to the trumpet and to orchestral music. If you are interested in such things, you will not be disappointed by this book. Here is a link to Amazon.

JJ Johnson and Kai Winding in Japan 1982: "It's alright with me"