This one is from September 21, 2005

A friend and legend passes...
This first part is from the ITG website...

"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."

My wife studied with Bill, and went to see him last week. I got to know Bill through her, and we will miss him deeply. He used to play in two of the concert bands that I perform in, and it was a real treat to hear THAT SOUND coming from right behind you. He'd just quietly sit down in the 2nd trumpet seat. If you asked him if he'd like to play 1st Cornet, he'd tell you that he was too old for that stuff, let the kids have a chance. We used to give him a ride home sometimes, and the stories he told were incredible. He got a kick when I would try out my meager Italian on him, and he loved telling bawdy jokes. Even in the last few years, he would still go and play occasionally with the band at Queens College, although I think he just enjoyed hanging out with his students! He was 93, and still sharp as a tack, although he couldn't hear too well. We should all be so lucky to live so long and so well, and to be loved by so many! He's probably already showing Gabriel how to transpose and working on his sound.


Arrivederci, Gugliemo! Gioc bene la vostra tromba! Li amiamo!