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| Jerry Vabulas clarinet |
Jerry Vabulas will be the featured clarinet soloist at the Concord Band’s winter concert, themed “Music from Warm Places.” The performance will be 7pm, March 8, 2025, at the 51 Walden Performing Arts Center in Concord MA.
Jerry Vabulas is a native of New York City and grew up on Long Island. He took up clarinet in grade school, on the assumption that the clarinet was among the smallest of instruments and easiest to carry. “That was a miscalculation. Little did I know I would later be carrying around a double case of A and B-flat clarinets, along with a separate E-flat clarinet and basset horn cases on occasion.”
His family had a few phonograph records that interested the young musician. “Two pieces attracted me and have remained close to me ever since. The first was the Shostakovich ‘Polka’ from the ballet The Age of Gold. I learned from it how outrageous and utterly humorous music could be. The second was the Prokofiev ‘March, Op. 99.’ That taught me how music could simultaneously express multiple levels of seemingly contradictory emotions. Music is an art that strikes deeply into a listener's heart, and the best music seems always to have a touch, or more, of sadness while simultaneously expressing the highest joys and the laughter of life: tragedy and comedy at the same time.”
Jerry began private instruction in high school and started performing with the school band, which often played transcriptions of famous classics such as Semiramide Overture, the 1812 Overture and the Zampa Overture. He became principal clarinet during his sophomore year. The band also ventured into popular musical styles, performing Rhapsody in Blue, and even touring to Puerto Rico for a production of West Side Story.
In more ways than one, music has played a pivotal role in Jerry's life. “I met a very nice Korean girl playing violin in Brooklyn. I decided to ask my pianist friend how to say ‘hello’ in Korean. That girl became my wife, Seung-Won. She had played in the Seoul Philharmonic before coming to this country, and her sister had played in the KBS Symphony. At our wedding it turned out that a number of friends on my wife's side knew my pianist friend from his days in Korea, a pleasant surprise for all.”
Over the next forty years, Jerry and Seung-Won raised a family comprising a son and two daughters, instilling Jerry’s passion for both America’s Pastime and America’s great outdoors, having visited many Major League ballparks and National Parks on summer road trips.
Professionally, Jerry became conversant in certain matters of telecommunications and computers, and consulted for a number of large organizations. “Receiving respect in the business arena is no different than in the orchestra. Respect is earned by being an able participant and going beyond what is simply required, helping others and solving problems. One of the founders of Bloomberg told me, ‘You know what we need before we know we need it.’ It is the same as in performing music: try to do your best, and help everyone around you as best you can.”
Music Director James O'Dell introduced Jerry to Navarro’s Concerto for Clarinet and Wind Band when he was searching for a performance piece with another concert band. Óscar Navarro is a wonderful Spanish composer. He has written music for feature films as well as concert works. His works have been performed by orchestras throughout the Americas and Europe. He has been awarded a number of awards for his scores in the film industry. Although rehearsal constraints precluded that performance, “to my great appreciation, Jim asked me if I would perform it with the Concord Band. I immediately agreed.”
“I want to express my thanks to Jim O'Dell and the members of the Concord Band for the hard work and enthusiasm they have put into the rehearsals. I hope the audience will share our enjoyment of this multifaceted Concerto.”
