Trombonist Paul Blake To Perform Melodies That Promote Peace

By MONICA CALZOLARI
ONEONTA

Trombone recitals in this area are rare, according to local trombonist Paul Blake.

The Oneonta Concert Association will feature Blake along with a young trombonist and four other local musicians who will play as a quintet with Blake on Sunday, April 6 at 3 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Oneonta.

Blake will play six pieces during the first 40 minutes of the two-hour concert. Then, he will perform a duet with one of his long-time private students, Robin Brown, a junior at Oneonta High School. Fideliz Sta. Brigida, will accompany both on piano.

Frank Meredith, Mark Case, Philip Wade and Robin Brown will perform with Blake as a quintet of five trombonists for the last four melodies as the grand finale.

“We are in great need of peace in our world and I would like to promote peace with my music at this time,” Blake said.

That is why he chose three short, meditative pieces, in particular, for the solo portion of his concert recital.

Blake will play Johann Sebastian Bach’s version of “Ave Maria.” It is a favorite of his. He chose three tunes from the Catholic tradition, though he is not a Catholic.

Next, he’ll play Benedictus from “The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace” by Karl Jenkins.

“Benedictus” is the Latin word for “blessing.” “The Armed Man” is an anti-war piece written by the Welsh composer in 1999. It was originally dedicated to victims of the Kosovo crisis.

The fact that Blake will be performing in a church has nothing to do with the pieces he chose to perform. He has played inside the First United Methodist Church for two decades. All the walls are made of stone and stone does not absorb sound.

“It is a glorious place to play,” he said. “The acoustics are wonderful because the sounds reverberate off the stone walls for two to three seconds after the music stops.”

Another composition Blake chose was a favorite of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he said. It is called “Precious Lord Take My Hand” by Thomas Dorsey.

MLK often invited gospel singer Mahalia Jackson to sing this song at civil rights rallies to inspire crowds. Blake’s rendition is all instrumental.

Blake’s Background

By day, Blake is a music teacher and band director at Richfield Springs Central School. By night, Blake teaches at Hartwick College and SUNY Oneonta.

He also serves as the principal trombonist for the Catskill Symphony Orchestra and the Colgate University Orchestra. He freelances in the area and has an active private studio.

To teach music to grades four through 12, Blake needs to play all band instruments including the flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, tuba and all percussion instruments.

“I love music,” he said.

He started playing trombone at age 12. He played the violin first at Tioga Central School near Binghamton when he was even younger.

When his family moved to the Waverly Central School District, his new school did not offer a string program.

He asked the band leader, “If you could have any instrument in your band, what would it be?”
The teacher replied, “Trombone.”

That is how Blake came to play trombone.

He said the teacher gave him a book of trombone music to study. When Blake mastered it in a very short time, the teacher gave him a second book.

“I excelled at it,” Blake said.

He has been hooked ever since.

Blake is a veteran of the United States Army, where he served as an army musician. A graduate of Hartwick College, he earned his bachelor’s degree in his thirties. Now he serves as an artist-in-residence at his alma mater, teaches trombone there, directs the trombone choir, and has taught methods courses in brass and percussion.

Young Artist Solo

The Oneonta Concert Association begins every concert featuring a young artist performing a 10-minute solo. Robin Brown started playing trombone in fourth grade. She started private lessons with Blake in the fifth grade.

Brown is in the Oneonta High School concert band and jazz band. She plays in multiple ensembles in the region, including the Catskill Valley Wind Ensemble, the Leatherstocking Jazz Band and the Oneonta Community Concert Band. She plans to pursue a degree in music in college.

Like Blake, Brown was selected to perform at the New York State’s School of Music Association’s Conference All State Symphonic Band at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester.

“It is a very prestigious honor to perform at the state level,” Blake said.

Brown performed in fall 2024. Blake predicts she will be selected to perform again in fall 2025.

Blake has collaborated with Music Director Michael DePauw at Oneonta High School for 25 years, mentoring DePauw’s best musicians with private lessons.

Accompanying Soloist

Fideliz Sta. Brigida has been playing piano since she was 3 years old. She is originally from the Philippines, born and raised in Manila. She earned her bachelor of science in music education at Hartwick College in 2012. She has been an adjunct professor at Hartwick College since 2013 and at SUNY Oneonta since 2021.

Quintet To Perform

The recital on April 6 will conclude with four performances by a quintet of five local trombonists.
“Frank Meredith is my former trombone professor from my days as a student at Hartwick College,” Blake said.

For 47 years, Meredith has been performing with regional orchestras, Glimmerglass Opera, pit orchestras, chamber groups, and as a bass trombone and euphonium soloist. On April 6, Meredith will play bass trombone.

Other members of the quintet are Mark Case, Philip Wade, Blake and Brown.

Case has taught instrumental music for more than 30 years. He recently retired from the Dolgeville Central School District. Currently, he is active as a freelance musician, performing on trombone, trumpet, French horn and tuba.

Wade plays with the Catskill Valley Wind Ensemble, the Small Town Big Band, and has subbed with other big bands and Dixieland bands in the area. He also rings handbells at the Oneonta Methodist Church and leads the Bainbridge Old Time Band.