Tell us about your family:

My father was an Air Force veteran who spent the rest of his life working for Ford Motor Co. He was a simple, gentle man. My mother was from Tokyo, Japan. I have a wonderful son who is a partner at Flemings Steak House in Charlotte, NC.  

Why did you start playing the clarinet?

The clarinet was actually chosen for me. In Texas we started in the 6th grade, which is a bit later than here in New York. I stood in a line and blew on headjoints and mouthpieces until I could make an acceptable sound. I stopped at clarinet…not a very inspiring way to start, but it has been my musical voice for the past 50 years and I couldn’t imagine any other.

Pictured on the right

What do you enjoy about being a member of the BPO?

I have played in this orchestra for 28 years. I have had the pleasure of watching my friends win their jobs here, get married and have children. My greatest joy is watching their children perform with us in the BPO/GBYO Side by Side concert, or grow up and come through the BPO playing as professionals themselves. Nothing fills my heart more.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not performing?

My partner and I love to fix things. We have restored our 100+ year old house, painted and fixed our cars, fixed clarinets, etc. Sometimes I think we break things just for the satisfaction of getting to repair them. I am currently working with a teacher at Frontier to keep their student clarinets playable. I am constantly amazed to see how creatively abusive elementary school kids can be with their instruments.

What is a favorite Buffalo experience for dining/recreation?

People of Buffalo know good food, and living to eat has made Buffalo and its great restaurants an excellent match for me. My neighborhood favorite will always be the Ale Noce pizza at Romeo and Juliet. Vito has become family over the years and his food is my raison d’etre.

What do you want audience members to know about the BPO?

Our BPO audience is more our BPO family. I think we watch you as much as you watch us. We recognize faces from season to season, watch as your children grow taller, and we notice when we see you or if we haven’t seen you in a while. We mourn our dearest patrons when we lose them and see their seat empty. We hear when you yell out…some of our audience members are legendary. The BPO crowd is a very special group and we love them.

What piece or program are you most excited to perform this season?

I look forward to any of our repertoire that features the principal clarinet. Will has a special talent of adding gorgeous surprises to his solos. In April we will perform Dvořák Symphony No. 8, and I will get to play the second movement duet with him. No doubt it will be deliciously heartbreaking. Come for a good cry.