Who is Frank Lisanti?
Ron M. Davis
the Shilke 13B Tpt. piece.
Peter Bond
> Who is Frank Lisanti? He is listed (from Shilke) as the "artist" who plays
> the Shilke 13B Tpt. piece.
Frank Lisanti was a much-loved teacher and freelance player in the
Chicago area. I studied with him briefly in the mid 70's. He passed
away in 1978 or 79. He had been a student of Eldon Benge at DePaul
Univ. when Benge was with the CSO (1930's I believe). Older Chicago
players can probably give more background. He was a real "character;"
a beautiful "cat" (as he would say of others) and an inspiring
teacher. In about 3 months' study with him, I met Warren Kime, Johnny
Howell, Clark Terry, and Maurice Andre among others. He seemed to know
everybody, and they knew and loved him.
Peter Bond
Met Opera Orch
Eric Bolvin
fillin' the blanks.
--
Eric Bolvin
Trumpet, Arranger, Composer, Educator
SF Bay Area
http://www.bolvinmusic.com
http://www.mp3.com/EricBolvin
408.236.2009
"Peter Bond" <crb...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:a6c08b6d.02050...@posting.google.com...
Dave Bacon
Thanks for this info as well. I did not realize he was still around in
the 70's or I would have looked him up myself during my Illinois days.
Perhaps you could share with the trumpet community something of your
particular journey with the trumpet. The year you left Western
Illinois, I came in as a T.A. for Chris Izzo and Dale Hopper. John
Schlabach (at Ohio State teaching trumpet I believe) was there and
several others that told great Pete Bond stories (none of which I'll
put on the internet!). Since I ended up playing in the Jazz Band
splitting some Lead with a very fine player whose name escapes me, I
would hear from the other cats, "Man, that's not how Pete would play
it!" Finally at a party I heard a tape of you blowing Lead and caught
on to what they were saying. Chops and sound no end! I also found out
you'd been Lead Sop. with Phantom. Lost track of you when you went to
Georgia (?) I think. Was that where Bob Moresch went? His father is
here in Phoenix still writting great music. Some time passes and I see
you with the Metropolitan Opera! Talent and hard work must have met
training at some point. Do I hear Jim Thompsen in there somewhere?
Lot's of Jim Thompsen connections here in Phoenix where he's from I
believe. Anyway, if you would care to inform us as to your
transformation from Phantom of the Regiment to Phantom of the Opera
(smiley face here!) it could help many players!
Thanks,
Dave Bacon
Phoenix
Peter Bond
Mine is certainly one of the more peculiar resumes in the Met
orchestra.
Morsch recruited me for WIU (in '74) after hearing me in the d&b corps
and at HS jazz band festivals.
Although unanimously rejected by the WIU audition committee, (I read
music at a Jr HS level, and played like a pig) Morsch got me accepted
because he needed "raw meat" for his four big bands (I could play loud
and high) and marching band ("corps-style" was getting hot with
colleges just then). I studied with Bill DeJong at WIU, and with
Lisanti during my student teaching in Park Ridge.
After WIU, I went on the road with a small circus, as the trumpet
section (and the band doubled as roustabouts!).
Bob called again in '79 and asked Rich Jones and I to be his grad
"asses" at his new gig at Georgia State Univ. in Atlanta. By then I
was working in a factory in Rockford and had pretty much quit playing
because of dental pain (I had a little problem with mouthpiece
pressure). He asked me if I wanted to study with Atlanta Symphony men
and get a free masters degree.
There were 6 trumpet teachers listed on the GSU faculty, and I signed
up with John Head, who I didn't know, but figured must be good because
he was pricipal with the ASO (Thompson came in after Head retired in
the 90's). John turned out to be a terrific teacher (we had to fix my
embouchure among other things) and--amazing dumb luck here--was a
powerful music contractor. I was soon on some of the best gigs (over
better players) and got a great deal of on-the-job training. With John
as a mentor, I also got many second and third chances after not
playing particularly well (I had quite a few gaps in my training). I
got a MM from GSU in 81, and spent the next six years in Atlanta as a
freelancer. I was by then traveling up to Chicago to continue my
studies with Vincent Cichowicz at Northwestern.
In '87 I auditioned for principal trpt in New Mexico Symphony and got
the gig. I was there five years (and had a "blast"), and was still
commuting to Chicago to take lessons with Cichiwicz, Jacobs, Herseth,
and Clevenger when I could.
I won the Met audition in '92 and have been here ever since.
I also teach privately one day a week at Rutgers, and credit my sordid
background and old playing problems with having made me a better
teacher than if I had been a prodigy or "natural" player.
Morsch is now in Colorado Springs (I believe), and is terribly messed
up with MS (first diagnosed while at WIU). His wife Karen e-mails me
once in a while, and sent me a Christmas family photo.
Since the Met has summers off, I recently spent a few summers (96-99)
on the road coaching my old bugle corps (Phantom), which is now run by
my old corps chums, and I'm doing it again this summer. It a cheap and
harmless mid-life crisis. Especially as compared with the
stereotypical red convertable and blonde 20-something.
I suppose the lesson in my bio is, if I can "make it" anyone can,
although in my case, with as much or more good fortune as hard work.
Pete Bond
Catzz66
>although in my case, with as much or more good fortune as hard work.
Interesting and unusual resume. I recall that your mate at the Met, Mark
Gould, studied to be an engineer before getting into playing. It's been a
while since I heard him tell the story so I apologize if I am getting it mixed
up.
Peter Bond
I believe he studied sociology at Columbia, and music in Boston.
Engineering is.....well, Mark is the wrong guy for engineering.
Anarchy, maybe.
It's a weird trumpet section, but we have a good time.
Peter Bond