News on Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra Trombonist John Marcellus
Emily Morris
Dear CSO Patrons and other Grapevine Readers:
I wanted to share with the community some news on CSO trombonist John Marcellus, who began as our principal trombonist in 1978. His sons recently wrote to our Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra musicians/family and we wanted to share out further the CaringBridge site they have created:
Hi everyone, this is Fred and Bob Marcellus, “Doc’s” sons. We wanted to update everyone on my Dad.
Since playing his final concert with the Chautauqua Symphony earlier this summer, he has battled some different health issues and has been in and out of the hospital for the past few months. Currently they are treating some things, and he is now in hospice care at his home in Port Richey, FL to keep him comfortable.His wife Judi and our family are around him and he is comfortable but very quiet and not able to respond directly to any calls or emails.
He has been a wonderful friend, colleague, mentor, father figure, teacher, and an overall a hero to so many of you, and it would be great to be able to pass on some of your sentiments. Just as much as he has meant to you all, music and all of you have meant the world to him.
He is not able to respond to emails or calls, so we have created this CaringBridge page/guestbook for you all to share your stories, notes, and sentiments.
John was famous in the orchestra for his humor, playing, conducting and even “quacking” from the back to keep the levity in rehearsals. Making the most of summer, he was also famous among us musicians for his ribs, great parties, nonstop jokes, and a huge smile. We really missed him this summer and hope you might reach out to share more stories for him and his family to read.
In addition to his many years
in our CSO, he is the Emeritus Professor of Trombone at the Eastman School of
Music, where he served as the Kilbourn Professor and chaired the Woodwind,
Brass and Percussion Department.
“Doc” was committed to this whole area, and was Music Director of the Bemus Bay Pops/Chautauqua Lake Pops in Mayville, NY since 1988. He is even past Music Director of the Brighton (NY) Symphony Orchestra (1980-2014).
Thinking of our friend John,
Deborah
Deborah Sunya Moore
Senior Vice President
and Chief Program Officer
dsuny...@chq.org |
o: 716.357.6232