Manny Laureano

Dear everyone,

I found out a few moments ago that one of the most important musicians in my life, Mr. William Vacchiano, died today at the hospital where he spent the last few days.

My heart feels a mixture of sadness, pain, relief, gratitude... so many things to which I cannot afix a proper word.

I am glad indeed that I had been able to speak with him several times within the last two months but sad that it never worked out to go see him. Every time I'd call, he'd never fail to ask how I was doing and he even reminisced about the first time he heard me play as a high schooler. "I always talk about you" he said to me. He's getting ready to leave us and he's asking about me. But that's the way he was.

The pain is from the sound I hear when I think of him. No first trumpeter ever had a more human sound than he. He was not a perfectionist. That's why his sound had such a human quality... because he taught us that we were not perfect but with a few scales and arpeggios under our collective belt we coud get away with a lot. You could hear his heart in his sound, in his unique vibrato. I loved the few times he actually played for me at my lessons. I so wanted that heart to be in my sound, too. We all did. You could help but want to imitate his style, those of us who went through the whole four years with him. He needed that amount of time to drive the music into our skulls. He was relentless.

As the tributes and brickbats emerge in the coming days, weeks, and months there will be stories aplenty, I guarantee. There will be the occasional myth and the true story as well. I wonder if he died too late. I wonder if he died before the newer generation really got to know his work or, better still, understand it. What's to understand? Well, he lived his musical life by a set of rules that seem almost inexplicable out of the context of performing. You had to be there. Many quotes of his are completely misunderstood without the benefits of those wonderful four years to accompany them.

Well, this is life, I'm afraid. I've been dreading this day for many years and he kept putting off that final tango for as long as he could. I'm hoping he went quietly, in his sleep. I'm hoping that his passing was as serene as the the many lyrical solos he played for thousands of concertgoers the world over. I want to think that as his soul was lifted from the cheap housing that surrounded it and eventually failed him at his age of 93 that he heard something in his distant ear. I hope he could hear the sweetness in the sound of every trumpeter he ever taught. I hope he could hear the applause, so faint now, that greeted him every time he was acknowledged by the conductor at the helm of the New York Philharmonic. I hope he could hear the voice of his son, Ralph, beckoning him to join him and also the tender Virginia accent of his wife, Jo, both of whom preceded him in death by many years. The voice I often heard answering the phone at his home was that of his daughter, Joann, who survives him.

I will miss you terribly, Mr. V. but to do homage to you, I will never forget the various words you spoke to me designed to make me a better musician. Thank you for not giving up on me when I was such a lazy student my first year. Thank you for the words of encouragement when I finally started to "get it". Thank you for always putting music first and trumpet second. Thank you for saying "I love you" the last time I spoke to you before we said goodbye three weeks ago.

ML

trumpetpimp

That was really nice, Manny.

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ecarroll

Manny,

I'm so sorry to read this.

I'm sure that Mr. Vacchiano will live forever in your imagination and thus, in your performances, through you.

My very best wishes,
EC

Solar Bell

Manny,

My heart is burdened for you, and I trust that you will continue to celebrate this man's positive influence on your life and in the way he touched many others.
He will always be with you.
Manny, I would dare say he strove to make you a better MAN also.

Peace, my brother.

Chuck Willard

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Chuck Willard
The Willard of Oz

"Don't be afraid to see what you see."
Ronald Reagan

Bourbon City

A part of your Soul was showing Manny. A very good post.

Someday, each of us will have to loose that special someone who touched us in a way that just plain out made us a better person, that special mentor to whom no amount of money could ever pay for their teachings. That day is a sad day for sure.

God Bless we trumpeters, we music makers, we giver of emotions, we few and those to whom we care.

This is my 100th post. A good one to have Manny.

__________________
Dale Schmidt, P.E.
Bridges to build and Rivers crossed...

davidjohnson

think i'll listen to some of my old nypo lps.

dj

BPinard

So sorry to hear of his passing.

Reading your post, Manny, actually brought a tear to my eye. I can't imagine living in a world without the teacher who stirred my interest in playing.

Rest in peace, Mr. Vacchiano.

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dizforprez

Vacchiano was the first orchestral musician I seriously listened to in college. After starting out as a jazzer I caught the classical bug, I spent the first few years of it listening to as much of Mr. Vacchiano’s playing as I could find. I hope in the coming days you and Wilmer will share what you can about such an extraordinary player, teacher, and person.

My condolences to you Manny, and to all his students, family and friends.

trickg

I'm never good at this sort of thing, so I'll simply say to Manny that I'm sorry for his loss and that out here in Maryland, we are praying for the William Vacchiano's family, Manny and his family, and anyone else who was touched by Mr. Vacchiano and will feel his loss.

Everything I have ever heard or read about William Vacchiano said that not only was he a beautiful musician, but that he was a beautiful person as well.

In church this past Sunday, the sermon was about the kind of legacy you will leave and whether or not it matches the legacy that you would want to leave. I don't know how Mr. Vacchiano would have felt about the subject, but from where I stand his cup was filled to overflowing and he poured himself out and shared that with the rest of us. I did not know him, but it is obvious to me that he touched many, many people both musically and personally, and for that we should all be grateful.

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Patrick Gleason
email me at: trickg1@hotmail.com

"What we do in life echoes in eternity"
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camelbrass

Manny,

Your grief is palpable...you must have loved him very much. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and yourself.

Ultimatley great people leave legacies with those they leave behind..I'm sure that he couldn't have a better ambassador.


Trevor