Going Out for horns & drums
A night for the children done by the town band



GUILDERLAND — Making music takes passion and perseverance.
"I never want to quit, but I’m going to have to when my front teeth fall out," said 6-year-old Geoffrey Gullante, one of the featured soloists at the Guilderland Town Band’s concert tonight.

He’s played his trumpet on national TV shows and is now learning piano, too.

At the other end of the age spectrum is Sue Godschalk, who has played with the band for its entire 38 years.

In between is seven-year member Jeremy Bouteiller. He’ll play a solo on his sax tonight and be awarded the band’s first scholarship.
"To be a music teacher, that’s my dream," said Bouteiller. "It’s really rewarding.
These talents will be showcased at the Guilderland Performing Arts Center in Tawasentha Park in tonight’s "Young People’s Night at the Movies," featuring songs from popular children’s movies such as Harry Potter, The Wizard of Oz, and Mary Poppins.

The music was good and the mood was light during Tuesday evening’s rehearsal. Even with high temperatures and heavy humidity, the Guilderland Town Band did not disappoint as they rehearsed the entire show.
"Even though this will be the young people’s concert, it will be a show for people of all ages," said Megan Barrow, the Guilderland Town Band president. "We will be featuring our student soloist and having a free raffle to guest conduct a piece with the band."

Everyone between the ages of 5 and 18 attending tonight’s concert will be entered into the drawing and have a chance to co-conduct a song with the town band at an upcoming show.
"We represent five counties and many of our musicians are professionals," Barrow said about the more than 80 members of the town band. "Our members range from people in high school to people in their 80s."

The band was founded in 1969 by Donald Webster who will be at tonight’s show to present the first annual Donald Webster Scholarship to Jeremy Bouteiller. Band members rehearse every Tuesday night from Memorial Day until mid-August and perform three concerts at Tawasentha Park every summer.

The scholarship is sponsored by the Stewart’s Corporation and Pioneer Savings Bank, Barrow said. Right now, it is only being offered to college students but another scholarship is in the works for high-school students, Barrow said.

The band formed a board of directors in 2006 in order to help run, promote, and organize itself — jobs formerly left to the town band’s conductor.

Barrow, began playing with the town band when she was in high school. She says the town has been very supportive of the band and provides GPAC as a regular venue.

Kathleen Ehlinger is in her fourth season directing the band. Ehlinger is also the wind ensemble director at Guilderland High School.
During rehearsal, Ehlinger gave the band several pep talks, encouraging players to "relax" and "open up."
"Sometimes in such a large group you want to be heard," Ehlinger told the band. "Go nice and easy and try not to overpower anyone."

Weather affects concert attendance, Barrow said. In good weather the Guilderland Town Band regularly draws between 300 and 500, she said.
The town band is currently working on a deal with the high school to play in its auditorium in the event of a "rainout," which, according to Barrow, "fortunately has only happened a few times over the years."

"It’s awesome"
Bouteiller will perform a solo he describes as a "saxophone concerto," and Gallante will lead the band with Leroy Anderson’s "Trumpeter’s Lullaby."

Bouteiller has just finished his junior year at the Crane School of Music at the State University of New York College at Potsdam. He is a music-education major with a minor in jazz studies and he plans to pursue a master’s degree, he said.
"I love it there, I couldn’t ask for a better school," Bouteiller said.

Bouteiller only had three weeks to learn and perfect his first professional solo, but his rendition was seamlessly smooth Tuesday night. After seven years of playing with the Guilderland Town Band, Bouteiller is ready for his debut solo.
"This is my first opportunity to perform a solo"I’m a little nervous, but mostly excited," said Bouteiller "It’s awesome; I couldn’t ask for anything better."

A Guilderland High School alumni, Bouteiller said his first instrument was the clarinet, but he began playing the saxophone in the sixth grade. Bouteiller wants a career in music, but, he said, he is more interested in teaching than performing.

Bouteiller said that, while at Guilderland, his musical inspiration was Lee Russo.
"He’s was sort of my hero through high school," Bouteiller said.

On the road

Six-year-old Gallante sat down on the green grass of Tawasentha Park to talk shop with The Enterprise.

Gallante started playing trumpet two years ago when he was four, and since has appeared on CBS’s The Early Show, NBC’s Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and NBC’s Today Show.

His arm’s length résumé includes performing with recording artist Chris Botti and trumpet luminary Phil Driscoll, and bands like the Washington Symphonic Brass and the 257th Army Band at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.

Beginning at a very young age, Gallante said, he wanted to play trumpet as soon as he laid his bright blue eyes upon one.
"I was at my Grandma’s house at my fourth birthday and saw my brother’s trumpet," Gallante said. "I wanted to look at that and examine it. I asked my mommy if I could play and she said, ‘Of course.’"
His mother taught him "how to blow a note," Gallante said, but a music teacher taught him how to play the instrument he has come to master. Gallante also started playing piano about five months ago, he said.

Gallante has two sisters and four brothers; his parents, Beth and David, say they are proud of their son.
"We enjoy it," said David Gallante. "We get to take him to all of these places."

The day after the GPAC show in Guilderland, Gallante is heading east to Fenway Park where he will perform at a Red Sox home game.

Gallante first met the Guilderland Town Band’s director, Ehlinger, when he was guest performing at George Mason University in Virginia. Ehlinger, who is an alumna of the university, was guest conducting that day.
"They just hit it off," David Gallante said.

Like many other children his age, Gallante says he doesn’t care very much for school.
"Naw, I don’t like it. My favorite subject is recess," he told The Enterprise.

When asked his favorite song to play, Gallante said he likes to play lots of songs — with only one exception.
"I hate Over The Rainbow. Anything but that," he said.

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The show begins at 7:30 p.m. at GPAC, off of Route 146 in Guilderland, and is free to the public.
The Guilderland Town Band will also be performing GPAC concerts on July 19 and Aug. 9. The July 19 show will be an "Irish Evening" featuring Irish music. The Aug. 9 concert will be the final performance of the season and is dedicated to Ray Biedron, a former town band trombonist who passed away.