Jim Garcia Musical Experience

My Musical Background
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Musical Background The majority of my performances have been in community bands, soloist performing worship preludes, community and college pit orchestras for musical plays, woodwind ensembles, and volunteer jazz/stage bands. However, in 1994 I played for one year with the Jim Fox Orchestra in Alexandria, Virginia. The orchestra was a jazz band which specialized in big band music. The band consisted of professional musicians many of whom were retired from the army and navy bands in the Washington, DC area. As a member of the band, I played third alto saxophone and doubled on clarinet when needed. My most recent peformances are with the Quakertown Community Band, The Penneridge ClariNetwork Quartet, and The South Hampton Community Band. I am also the manager/agent of a chamber ensemble (flute duet) group called Chamber Music for All Occasions. My musical experience began in 1967 when I was in high school. I learned to play alto saxophone in ninth grade and later learned to play clarinet in eleventh grade. In eleventh grade, I joined the South Gate City Youth Band directed by Mr. Dale Eymann. The band performed various concerts and parades throughout the year. I was able to go on a twelve day concert tour with the band because I had agreed to play baritone saxophone for the band. Participation with this band improved my musical skills because I found the music to be challenging. In 1973, I enlisted in the Coast Guard to become an electronics technician. While in basic training, I performed with the Training Center Band and played clarinet for the band. This was the last time I played in a band until 1986. When I resumed my musical experience in 1986, I decided to play clarinet as my major instrument. In 1990, I learned to play flute and discovered that flute was my favorite instrument to play. Most of my training was self taught, with the exception of flute which I studied with a private instructor for six months. Unfortunately, my job Coast Guard prevented me from studying privately on a regular basis. I resumed my musical activities when I joined the Southern Maryland Concert band located in Waldorf, MD. While playing with the band I played several instruments to meet the shortfalls in various instrumental sections. Instruments I played were alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, and Eb alto contrabass clarinet. I served as the treasurer for the band and was involved with the preparation of state and local arts grants in addition to my duties of accounting for the band’s monies. I performed with this band until 1997 when I retired from the Coast Guard and moved to Pennsylvania. In 1989, while I was in the Coast Guard, I organized and formed a volunteer jazz/stage band comprised of military and civilian personnel at Coast Guard Headquarters. I wrote a Coast Guard Directive which formally sanctioned the band by the Chief of Staff of the Coast Guard. As a member of the band, I played alto and baritone saxophone. I also was the business manager for the band. I recruited players, booked performances, purchased music, and band equipment. I received a Coast Guard Achievement Medal for Outstanding Performance in my job and for organizing the band. In 1995, I organized and directed The Peace Chamber Ensemble which was sponsored by my church in Maryland. The ensemble consisted of both amateur and professional musicians. The ensemble performed a repertoire of chamber music from the Baroque and Classical eras. Music selections were played by various combinations of instruments such as clarinet duet/trio/quartet, flute duet/trio, and mixed woodwind trio/quartet/quintet with or without piano accompaniment. As a member of the ensemble I played flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, and saxophone. When I enrolled at Bucks County Community College in the Fall 1998 semester, I decided to make clarinet my major instrument and studied with Frank Mazzeo for thirteen months. During the Fall 1999 semester, I switched to flute as my major instrument after developing a severe tendonitis problem in my right elbow and pain in my right wrist and thumb area. I took flute lessons from Ms. Claire Durand-Racamato. I transferred to West Chester University in the Fall of 2000 to obtain a degree in Music Education with flute as my primary instrument. I currently study with Dr. Emily Newbold at the university.
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