WCB Welcomes Director Gerald Zaffuts

The Washington County Band is pleased to announce that Gerald Zaffuts is our new Director, starting with our 2020 concert season. Gerald brings a wide range of musical skills and experience, as summarized in his resume below. 

Gerald Zaffuts is a graduate of the Crane School of Music where he was awarded a Performer’s Certificate in trombone. He received his graduate degree in performance from the University of Northern Colorado and did post-graduate study at Indiana University. His primary teachers include Buddy Baker, Thomas Beversdorf, Milt Stevens and David Baker. Mr. Zaffuts was Instructor of Brass Instruments at Bennington College for eight years and has been associated with Skidmore College since 1982. While at Skidmore he founded the jazz program and created the highly acclaimed Skidmore Jazz Institute, serving as Director for twenty years. Mr. Zaffuts has also served on the faculties of the Crane Youth Music and Northeast Music camps and often works as a brass coach with the Empire State Youth Orchestra.
Mr. Zaffuts spent nineteen years as Director of Bands at Averill Park High School in Rensselaer County, NY. While there he was the recipient of the Olmsted Award for Excellence in Secondary Teaching from Williams College as well as being selected as an Outstanding Teacher of the Capital Region seven times. Additionally, he served as a model for the International Center for Leadership in Education’s study on what distinguishes an extraordinary teacher.
As a performer, Mr. Zaffuts was principal trombone with the Colorado Fusion Orchestra under the direction of Pat Williams and has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, The Bach Choir of London, and at the Newport and Kool Jazz Festivals as well as with a wide variety of recording artists and entertainers. Mr. Zaffuts has also performed in the pit orchestra for several Broadway National Tours. He has recorded and/or toured with the New Columbian Brass Band, The New Walnut Street All-Star Orchestra and the Newberry Brass Band. Mr. Zaffuts has also been associated with Dorian Recordings as a post-session producer.

A Beautiful Night at the Georgi Museum

Georgi Museum, 2019

We had a lovely concert evening at the Georgi Museum in early August on the banks of the Battenkill River. Thank you, Georgi, for inviting us to play and thanks also to the Battenkill Creamery for providing ice cream for all! This concert marked the halfway point of our summer concert series. That means there are lots of opportunities for great music and lazy summer evenings ahead. Remaining concert dates and locations are:

*Saturday, August 10, 12:00 PM, Rupert, VT, Rupert Old Home Days, Rupert Fire Dept. grounds (note: local posters say 1 PM but we play at noon!)
*Thursday, August 15, 7 PM, Library Park, Cambridge, NY
*Thursday, August 22, 7 PM, Granville, NY, Bandstand, Veterans Park
*Saturday, August 24, 6:30 PM – Pawlet, VT, Pawlet Public Library
All our concerts are free and feature a variety of music with something for everybody! Enjoy a leisurely summer evening with us in these beautiful settings in and around Washington County, New York. Bring a lawn chair and your family and friends.

Summer concert season is here!

Our first concert at Mowry Park In Greenwich, NY, was well attended, a beautiful evening that made up for being rained out the previous night in Cambridge. (New date for Cambridge, NY, concert is Thursday, August 15, 7 PM, at Library Park)

The band is excited to welcome nine new high school musicians from Salem and Greenwich for our 2019 summer concert season. The band now has more than 60 members! (First row: Gabe Gallagher, Josephine Monder, Lucinda Monder; middle row: Abby Done, Lily Gallagher, Lillian Butler; back row: Brian Wells and Sage Beagle)

Think Summer!

Early April is chilly, but spring is definitely here!  We are looking forward to an exciting 2019 summer concert season and have have eight concerts planned during July and August (see Events page). Our first rehearsal is Tuesday, May 7, 2019, 7 PM, at the United Presbyterian Church in Salem, NY.

Thoughts from an audience member at our Pawlet, VT, concert, August 17, 2017

By Liz Schafer, Editor of the Vermont News Guide, editor@hersamacornvt.com 

Last night, I sat with a small group of people outside the Library in Pawlet to listen to the Washington County Band. I had missed their recent appearance at the Southern Vermont Arts Center in Manchester, generously sponsored by the Lions Club, and was thrilled to have another opportunity so close to home. Having never seen them before, and heard only praise for their performances in the area, I had expected the usual fare presented by any decent concert band – but it turned out to be a transcendent experience, with a varied selection of music performed by a talented group of volunteer performers, directed – or more aptly, choreographed – by Geoffrey Gee, who clearly loves what he does. The experience was definitely a high point for what has been for me a fairly unremarkable summer, measured more by the results of my labors outdoors than for its recreational pursuits.

As the light began to dim, we looked up to see dozens of bats spill from the air vent atop the stately old Library behind the band. I wondered what kind of bats they were; could they be the Little Brown Bats whose populations were almost devestated by White Nose Syndrome a few years ago? I imagined that the Library Board must know of their presence, and were willing to provide them habitat. At least, I hope so. It was reassuring to see them there, to know that thousands of mosquitos would be consumed over the next few hours; it meant there would be fewer to victimize me as I work in my backyard. It also caused me to reflect on how every living thing on this earth is dependent upon every other, not only to survive but to thrive.

In a world which lately seems to have gone awry, we need to treasure the passion of the artist, the camaraderie of neighbors sharing a small patch of grass on a summer’s evening, the kindness of those who recognize, accept and nurture. We need to embrace our commonality with all of life. Because we are not alone; we need each other.

Getting ready for summer concerts

We are finishing our first month of rehearsals and have been working on some great pieces, including Holst’s Second Suite for Military Band, selections from “1776” and “West Side Story” and Mancini Magic (think Pink Panther and the Elephant Walk). Thanks to our directors Geoffrey Gee and Joe Szabo. It’s shaping up to be a wonderful concert season!

 

April 7, 2017

Most of the snow has melted now, and in less than a month we will be starting up our rehearsals for the summer season! Our first rehearsal is Tuesday, May 2, 7 pm, at the United Presbyterian Church in Salem.