tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3338557.post7438001781981160598..comments2023-08-18T04:37:47.001-04:00Comments on Byzantium's Shores: chronicling the misadventures of an overalls-clad hippie: Mr. RoosaKelly Sedingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10704114189919711467noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3338557.post-4572609106448423602013-12-14T10:17:22.301-05:002013-12-14T10:17:22.301-05:00Kelly:
That sounds like a believable story. There ...Kelly:<br />That sounds like a believable story. There were several "jokers" among the brass players there at the time.<br />Did Bill ever bring up the name Wallace Muff? That was a mythical name that used to appear on various notices and lists on the bulletin board at Mason Hall. In fact, it was used as Bill's alias in at least one band program.<br /><br />Larry Fellerlarryirunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03900702937621972980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3338557.post-15642248869062271182013-11-23T11:16:50.311-05:002013-11-23T11:16:50.311-05:00Mr. Feller: Thank you for weighing in! Mr. Roosa o...Mr. Feller: Thank you for weighing in! Mr. Roosa occasionally told stories about his Fredonia days. The one I remember had him offstage during a performance of some sort (or maybe it was a rehearsal) to play an offstage trumpet call or some such thing, and as he was gearing up for his entrance, another student of mischievous bent started shuffling about, scuffing his feet on the carpet to build up static electricity, and then touched Mr. Roosa's hand as he started his entrance, shocking him and making him miss the entrance badly (and LOUDLY). He laughed as he told the tale, but I can't imagine him being amused at the time. (Or maybe HE was the shocker and not the shockee? Hmmmmm.)Kelly Sedingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10704114189919711467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3338557.post-84770144041418570942013-11-22T09:23:07.169-05:002013-11-22T09:23:07.169-05:00I ran across your blog while searching for Bill Ro...I ran across your blog while searching for Bill Roosa. He are a few things I recall of the man:<br /><br />I was a freshman at SUNY Fredonia with Bill in 1968. We affectionately called him "Pops" since he was at least 15 years older then the rest of us. Herb Harp was the Brass chairman who encouraged him to come there. He was also his private teacher. Bill was always organizing ensembles on his own to supplement his playing. He had his Civil War group active in the Fall of '68. A few years later I played Bass Trombone in a Christmas Ensemble that he organized. The night of the concert the first Euphonium player did not show up and he could not be located in time. The next day, I was sitting in the lounge with Bill and the absentee Euph player walked in. Bill asked him what happened and he calmly answered "I forgot." Pops went ballistic!! I thought he was going to deck him right there. The player in question was Niles Denning who went on to be a successful band director in one of the West Seneca high schools. In the summer of 1971 I hung around with Bill quite a lot since we were both finishing up our degrees, (in 3 years.) I remember him interviewing for the Allegany job.He started that Summer with the marching band program. He told me that he was going to just observe and not try to make any changes till the fall.<br />He and Norma bought a house in Salamanca after he sold the one he had near Fredonia. At the time, Norma was teaching English in Gowanda. I took a job in PA that same fall; prior to joining the Army and playing in a band. In 1975 I returned to Fredonia to work on my Masters and ran into Bill again. He hadn't changed a bit. We exchanged a few letter over the years but unfortunately I never got to see him again.<br /><br />Larry Fellerlarryirunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03900702937621972980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3338557.post-4895850350089000352010-08-19T10:18:18.749-04:002010-08-19T10:18:18.749-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.popeyemoonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06320222160971968626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3338557.post-17636997411211696552010-08-19T10:10:18.586-04:002010-08-19T10:10:18.586-04:001) This immediately recalled feelings of band prac...1) This immediately recalled feelings of band practice anxiety. My hands are sweaty.<br /><br />2) I also recalled immediately the signature band room smell -- a touch of brass, moldy reed and, perhaps, old gym clothes? Not sure.<br /><br />3) Anne said the funeral was amazing -- four trumpets from the Buffalo Philharmonic(?) or Symphony, and a wonderful eulogy by his kid Joe. Yet nary a mention of how terrifying a presence he could be. <br /><br />4) Am I just imagining that at least one of the original Civil War music booklets had a bullet hole through it and/or bloodstains on it? <br /><br />5) One of the highlights of my band career with Roosa was the ONE TIME I made him laugh. He was playing one of his vintage instruments, forgive me, a tiny trumpet of some sort. I want to say fluegelhorn, but that's not it. He was in an affable mood that day and he said, "Isn't this horn adorable?" and for some reason I said, "It would be cuter if it were pink." And I nearly fell off my chair when he burst into that great big guffaw of his. It scared me.Kerryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00475488613261923813noreply@blogger.com