Dr. Lowell “Chief” Lehman, 86, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, died Wednesday, April 10, 2019.

Born Leonard Lowell Lehman to parents, Laurence and Ivy (Dent) Lehman, May 28, 1932, in Tempe, Arizona, the fourth of nine children. The family moved to Tahlequah when Lowell was in the 3rd grade. Lowell met Janelle, the love of his life, at Tahlequah High School in 1949, and they married June 1, 1954. They had 3 children: Becky in 1955, Len in 1958, and Paul in 1964.

Lowell received his BA in Education from then Northeastern State College in 1953, earned his MME from the University of Tulsa in 1960, and was very proud to complete his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Music Education from the University of Oklahoma in 1980.

Lowell could play all the brass instruments in any band. He was a first chair tuba player, stand up and electric bass player, conductor, composer, and arranger. He also played in several local and touring bands over the years.

Lowell began teaching primary and secondary school students in Anderson, Missouri, then in Muskogee, Oklahoma for several years. He went on to teach at Northeastern State University from 1966 to his retirement in 1996. At Northeastern he developed the jazz program in instrumental music, the wind ensemble, the brass choir, and increased the marching band to over 150 members. He was extremely proud to have founded the Muskogee Jazz Festival and NSU’s Green Country Jazz Festival, which attracts high school and college bands from several states, has brought national acts including Count Basie, Doc Severinsen, Buddy Rich, and Woody Herman to headline over the years, and is still going strong after 50 years.

Lowell received the Governor’s Arts Award from Oklahoma Governor Keating in 1999. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame in 2010. He was also recognized as a Distinguished NSU Alumnus in 2010. But he was most proud of the success and of the love of so many former students on whose lives he left an indelible mark.

Lowell was a proud Mason and Shriner. He had been president of the Tulsa Chapter of the English Speaking Union and board member for several music and education organizations, including president of the student member organization of the Music Educators National Conference.

Lowell was preceded in death by his brilliant, beautiful, and loving wife, Janelle Goodwin Lehman, in 2017. He was also preceded in death by his parents, and by siblings, Ivy Lys, Barbara, Larry, Dianne, and Leslie.

He is survived by his sister, Jackie (Fred deceased) Davidson; brothers, Stretch (Rhonda) Head and Lyle (Brenda) Lehman; daughter, Becky (Larry) Coffman; sons, Len (Jin) Lehman and Paul (Kathy) Lehman; grandchildren, Sam (Samantha) Lehman, Susan (Naomi) Lehman, and Leah Teng; and great-grandsons, Evan and Ethan Lehman; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins, as well as a multitude of students and friends whom he considered family.

A memorial will be held at the NSU Jazz Lab in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, at 3:00 pm on Sunday, April 28, 2019.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in his honor to Shriners Hospitals or Save the Music Foundation. Memorial cards may be addressed to 603 SW Duke Ave, Bentonville, AR, 72712.

Director Emeritus of Mississippi Valley State University Professor Leonard E. Tramiel passed away Saturday Morning, April 6, 2019 in Greenwood, Mississippi. Professor Tramiel, native of Shreveport, Louisiana was a student at Mississippi Vocational College (Mississippi Valley State University) in Itta Bena, Mississippi. He was a charter member of the 1962 Delta Pi Chapter the first African-American Kappa Kappa Psi Chapter in the state of Mississippi. After receiving his B.S. in Music from MVSU, he served as band director and social studies teacher in Fayette, AL in 1965-1966. He completed graduate work at the University of Alabama while teaching at Druid High School in Tuscaloosa, AL from 1966-1973. While at Druid High School, his band program was the first African-American school ensemble to integrate the Alabama Bandmasters Association Concert Band Festival in 1969.

In 1973, he was offered to serve at his alma mater, Mississippi Valley State University as Director of Bands and Related Activities. He held this position until his retirement in 2005. During his 30-year tenure, he directed the marching, symphonic, varsity-pep band and or other performance groups. He also served as sponsor of both Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma chapters on the MVSU Campus. He has served as consultant, guest conductor, clinician, public speaker and adjudicator in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. He was an active member of the Jennings Temple C.M.E. Church in Greenwood, Mississippi where he served on the Steward Board. In October 2016, for his record of excellence and quality of service to bands, band members, and instrumental music education, he was a recipient of the Kappa Kappa Psi Silver Baton Award. He is survived by his two sons Marvin and Nelrich (Zeta Nu ’90) and three granddaughters.

Sam Pilafian, honorary member of the Beta Omicron chapter at Arizona State University passed away on April 4, 2019.  Perhaps best known as a founding member of the internationally renowned Empire Brass Quintet, Sam also recorded and performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Lionel Hampton, and Pink Floyd.  As a solo jazz artist, Sam recorded fifteen CDs.  He was also a member of the large brass ensemble Summit Brass.  As an arranger, composer and recording producer, Sam produced and wrote for Joseph Alessi (New York Philharmonic), the Boston Brass, the Brass Band of Battle Creek, the Academy (of Drum Corp International), and the United States Air Force Band. Sam is the coauthor with Patrick Sheridan of the bestselling pedagogy texts and DVD’s “Breathing Gym” and “Brass Gym”.

In 1967, Sam won the concerto competition at the National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan, becoming only the second tubist in over fifty years to do so.  He subsequently won fellowships at Dartmouth College and the Tanglewood Music Center.  While at Tanglewood he was invited by Leonard Bernstein to perform on-stage in the world premiere of Bernstein’s MASS, which opened the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.  Most recently, he served as Professor of Music at Arizona State University, having previously served for twenty years on the faculties of Boston University and their summer Tanglewood Institute.  Sam has won the Walter Naumberg Chamber Music Award, the Harvard Music Association Prize, the University of Miami’s Distinguished Alumni Award, the Brevard Music Center Distinguished Alumni Award, the Robert Trotter Annual Visiting Professorship at the University of Oregon, the annual Outstanding Teacher Award for the College of Fine Arts at Arizona State University, a 2006 Spirit of Disney Award for creativity and design in a Drum Corps International Gold Medal winning performance, and a 2009 Emmy Award for best instructional/educational video from the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences. Sam also previously served as president and chairman of the board of the International Tuba Euphonium Association.

OBITUARY SUBMITTED BY:
Ruebel Funeral Home
6313 West Markham Street, Little Rock
Phone: 501-666-0123
http://www.ruebelfuneralhome.com

Jason Anthony Poor, age 21, went to be with the Lord on Feb. 27, 2019 in Clarion, Pa.

Lance Hayami Jo, 80, of Kahului, passed away peacefully on February 23, 2019 with his loving family by his side at Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Carmichael, California. He was born on March 4, 1938 in Puunene, Maui.

Lance was a music teacher and band director at the Old Maui High School for 3 years and at H.P. Baldwin High School for 36 years.
He is survived by his loving wife of 43 years, Donnie Jo; children, Kurt Jo, Brent (Sophia) Jo, and Keli (Nolan) Wada; grandchildren, Kayla and Ava Wada, Allison and Jordan Jo; and sister, Rumi C. Shoda.

Lance was predeceased by his parents, Robert and Akito Jo; brother, Maurice Jo; and sister, Naomi Jo.

Service will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 31, 2019 at Wailuku Hongwanji Mission with visitation beginning at 1 p.m.

Beautiful music: Lance Jo, longtime music teacher who influenced scores of Maui students, dies

For around half a century, Maui music teacher Lance Jo empowered youngsters to succeed and his classes went beyond “black dots on a page” to include music history along with life lessons.

Jo’s family, students and friends recently reminisced about the 80-year-old longtime Baldwin High School band teacher who died Feb. 23 after a stay of more than a month at Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Carmichael, Calif. The Kahului resident suffered a stroke.

He was visiting one of his sons, Brent, in Sacramento, Calif., along with his only grandson, 4-month-old Jordan Kwan Hayami Jo.

Services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Wailuku Hongwanji Mission with visitation beginning at 1 p.m.

“Mr. Jo was probably the most influential person in my life in Maui, the most supportive. . . . He made me feel like I could do anything,” said Kurt Muroki, a 1990 Baldwin High School graduate who attended the famous The Juilliard School in New York City and now is a professor at Indiana University.

“He was a very kind man,” said Muroki, who was a student of Jo’s at Baldwin. “He was very patient, he said the right things at the right time. As a teacher that’s essential.”

Iolani Yamashiro-Rahimi, who with Jo formed the Maui Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, said Jo was a “complete musician, giving historical background on pieces, composers, whatever he could to convey more about the music.”

Yamashiro-Rahimi said Jo would say: ” ‘I don’t teach about black dots on a page.’ “

“Mr. Jo was the most faithful, loyal, steadfast, diligent person I know,” she said. “He also cared about the students and I knew he cared about me, too. He helped me in so many ways, one being just taking the time to talk to see how I was doing when he knew I was going through some tough times.”

“I just miss him period,” Yamashiro-Rahimi said. “He was an inspiration to me and thousands of others.”

Jo’s longest teaching tenure was at Baldwin, which spanned from 1967 to 2003. He was responsible for the symphonic, concert, jazz and pep-marching bands.

He also conducted the pit orchestra that provided live music for Baldwin’s Performing Arts Learning Center’s musicals.

One of his highlights was taking the Baldwin High School Symphonic Band to Washington, D.C., in June 1995 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II.

He also taught piano, classical guitar and guitar/ukulele classes and was a member and assistant conductor for the Maui Community Band.

For 21 years, Jo had served as a clinician and conductor on the faculty of the Pacific Music Institute, a Hawaii Youth Symphony-sponsored summer institute on Oahu.

He also was the music director of the Maui Youth Philharmonic Orchestra for 12 years until 2017.

His daughter, Keli Wada, said that her father enjoyed having his students learn about music and succeed.

“He liked seeing the kids learn to appreciate all kinds of music and to experience the feeling of accomplishment after a successful performance,” she said.

Jo was born March 4, 1938, in Puunene and graduated from Baldwin in 1956. He then attended Indiana University and earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Music Education. He was a member of the Indiana University Marching Hundred. Students who marched in the IU Marching Band for four years earn a wool blanket, a tradition which continues today. He also was a member of the Kappa Kappa Psi, an honorary band fraternity.

He was in the U.S. Army and spent almost a year and a half in France. He was honorably discharged in March 1963 as a first lieutenant.

He began teaching at old Maui High School in Hamakuapoko in 1964 and then transferred to Baldwin, where he spent nearly 40 years.

Wada said she remembers her aunt Rumi Shoda, her father’s sister, saying that Jo always knew from he was young that music was his life and that music came easy for him.

Yamashiro-Rahimi said she learned recently that Jo, a trumpet player, at one time was a featured soloist who played “The Flight of the Bumblebee.”

“I didn’t know that about him because he never talked about himself. Anyone who knows that piece knows that it is difficult on any instrument, let along the trumpet. He was an educator, performer, team player and he loved the students and they knew it,” she said.

Among those who experienced that love was David Katsuda, now 48, who as a Baldwin student successfully auditioned to play with the McDonald’s All-American High School Bank back in the 1980s and performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

Only two students from Hawaii were selected that year.

“I actually got selected, like super lucky, (it) changed the course of my life,” he remembers. “It just did help me.”

Katsuda said the experience and confidence instilled in him by Jo helped him gain admission to the University of Washington.

For the all-star band audition, Katsuda remembers practicing scales with Jo.

“I kind of struggled with it,” said the former alto saxophone player. “He was just so patient, recording it over and over and over.”

But when Katsuda got a little flustered, he remembered Jo telling him that anyone who could be selected for the position would be able to play the scale.

Katsuda said he translated that to something he should personally strive for in all aspects of his life, not only to meet band requirements.

“That really stuck with me,” said Katsuda, whose family is also longtime friends with Jo’s family.

As Jo helped Katsuda, he also helped Muroki, who remembers Jo encouraging him to audition for Juilliard.

And later in Muroki’s career, Jo touted his alma mater, Indiana University, which led Muroki to take a position there. He is currently professor of double bass at the university’s Jacobs School of Music.

Muroki, originally a violin player starting at age 6, said Jo told him there was no violin in the high school band, so instead he switched to playing the bass.

But for the marching band, Jo asked Muroki to play the tuba.

Muroki joked that there were two other tuba players, and they chose to have letters on their bells as “B”and “S.”

So Muroki had to take the position to be the “H” in the lineup for BHS.

The two men kept in touch over the years.

“I really think of him like a father figure, I really do. He was that for me,” Muroki said last week while working a late night at the university.

“I’ll miss him dearly.”

Jo is survived by his wife, Donnie, another son, Kurt Jo, and four grandchildren.

Originally published at http://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2019/03/beautiful-music-lance-jo-longtime-music-teacher-who-influenced-scores-of-maui-students-dies/
* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.

Logan E. Hargrove, a longtime supporter of acoustics, especially physical acoustics, performed his own important research and also had a wide impact in the scientific careers of others and the Acoustical Society of America (ASA). He passed away on February 18, 2019.

After receiving his PhD in physics from Michigan State University (East Lansing) in 1961, the first stage in Logan’s career was at Bell Laboratories, where he invented the mode-locked laser. Much like the acoustic longitudinal modes of a long pipe, the longitudinal optical modes of a long laser cavity are nearly harmonically spaced, with a frequency spacing equal to the inverse of the round-trip time of light along the cavity. A tube of energized helium-neon inserted in the optical cavity provided gain to many of these modes, which, in general, would be excited at random amplitudes and phases.  Logan’s invention was to also insert a glass block attached to a quartz ultrasonic transducer into the optical path. By setting up a 28-MHz acoustic standing wave in the glass transverse to the light, he could periodically modulate some of the optical beam away from the optical axis twice per cycle at 56 MHz, the inverse of the optical round-trip time, because the glass block became an optical diffraction grating on the positive or negative density fluctuations of the glass. He discovered that beyond a certain threshold of sound amplitude, the speeds of individual optical modes would adjust to lock their phase onto high multiples of the 56-MHz modulation. When a large number of these modes phase lock together, their Fourier superposition is a very short, very intense pulse of light bouncing back and forth along the laser cavity. Others refined the technique to generate pulses of femtosecond lengths.

So if you hear about mode-locked femtosecond lasers being used in fast chemical reaction experiments, pump-probe measurements in semiconductors, two-photon microscopes, or bladeless LASIK eye surgery, a significant piece of that is due to Logan. The GPS system and the fundamental definition of the unit of time rely on atomic clocks that use a stabilized frequency comb (work that received the 2005 Nobel Prize in Physics), which relies on mode-locked lasers.  Logan’s invention of the mode-locked laser, at 29 years of age, is still important.

After 13 years, Logan left Bell Laboratories to join the Office of Naval Research as a deputy director of the physics division and program officer because he felt he could have more impact on science by supporting and influencing the work of others. There, he sponsored work in fields such as nonlinear acoustics, the unusual acoustic modes of superfluid helium, resonant ultrasound spectroscopy for measuring the mechanical properties of exotic materials, and thermoacoustic heat engines.

Logan was a driving force behind the creation in 1992 of the ASA Physical Acoustics Summer School, which brings together otherwise isolated graduate students in a week-long immersion into wide aspects of their field. He served on multiple ASA committees. He received the 1970 ASA Biennial Award for contributions to acoustics and was a Fellow of ASA and the American Physical Society. Logan is survived by two sons, three grandsons, and two daughters-in-law.

Selected Publications by Logan E. Hargrove
Hargrove, L. E. (1960). Fourier series for the finite amplitude sound waveform in a dissipationless medium. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 32(4), 511-512.

Hargrove, L. E. (1968). Mode Locking in a Synchronously Modulated Maser.
US Patent No. 3,412,251, November 19, 1968.

Hargrove, L. E., and Thurston, G. B. (1957). Optical method for analysis of fluid motion. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
29(8), 966-968.

Thurston, G. B., Hargrove, L. E., and Cook, B. D. (1957). Nonlinear properties of circular orifices. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
29(9), 992-1001.

Written by:
Joe Dickey
Email: joe@joedickey.com
3960 Birdsville Road, Davidsonville, MD
Robert M. Keolian
Email: keolian@psu.edu
Sonic Joule LLC, State College, PA

James R. “Rod” Fenn, 87, passed away February 15, 2019, in Apple Valley, Minnesota. Rod was the son of the late Roger P. and Alice M. Fenn, born May 16, 1931 in Tulsa, OK. He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Myrtice “Myrt” Rowe Fenn.

Rod graduated from Tulsa Central High School and obtained a B.M.E. Degree from the University of Tulsa where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha and Kappa Kappa Psi honorary music fraternity. After his honorable discharge as a Captain from the U.S. Air Force, Rod enjoyed a long career as a commercial pilot.

Rod is survived by his three children: James M. Fenn, M.D. and wife, Vickie of Baton Rouge, LA; Cynthia “Cindy” Fenn and partner, Nicholas Wolf, of Prior Lake, MN; Cheryl Fenn Macek and husband, John D. of Sulphur Springs, TX; and seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. He is also survived by sisters, Joan M. Fenn Teague, Mary Ellen Fenn (Gene) Whiteford; and a brother, Duane A. (Christine) Fenn.

A Memorial Service will be held on Monday, March 11, 2019, at 2:00 P.M. at Parkview Baptist Church, 5805 S. Sheridan Road, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74145.

CHRIS VADALA, JAZZ LEGEND, SCHOLAR AND EDUCATOR DIES AT AGE 70.

One of the country’s foremost saxophonists shared his love for jazz at University of Maryland’s School of Music for 25 years.

Chris Vadala was a jazz legend.

He was also a University of Maryland distinguished scholar-teacher (2010-2011), director of Jazz Studies and professor of saxophone in the School of Music. Even while battling cancer for the past 10 years, he never missed a single performance or university obligation and continued teaching up to his death. Vadala passed away on January 17, 2019 at age 70.

One of the country’s foremost saxophonists and woodwind artists, Vadala was in high demand as both a performer and educator. He was a rare example of someone highly proficient in both jazz and classical music.

He appeared on more than 100 recordings playing saxophone, flute and clarinet. Vadala was featured in innumerable jingle sessions, film and TV scores including “Criminal Minds,” “Zombieland,” “Life After Beth,” “Avalon,” “The Children of Sanchez” and “Saturday Night Live.”

“Chris’ musical brilliance was heard by millions of people worldwide,” said Chris Gekker, professor of trumpet. “As a jazz improviser, he could pierce your heart with tenderness.”

Throughout his career, Vadala performed and recorded with such greats as Diana Ross, B.B. King, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Stevie Wonder, Frankie Valli, Kendrick Lamar and Patti LaBelle to only name a few.

Most notable was his long tenure as standout woodwind artist with the internationally recognized Chuck Mangione Quartet. With this band, Vadala held performing credits on five gold and two platinum albums and won two Grammys, two Emmys and one Golden Globe Award. The quartet’s 1977 hit single “Feels So Good” featured Vadala’s famous saxophone solo and reached No. 4 on U.S. charts.

In 2018, he celebrated 20 years as the first call saxophonist with the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) and NSO Pops. He regularly performed on the Memorial Day and Fourth of July concerts from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol.

A native of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Vadala graduated from the Eastman School of Music, earning the honor of a Performer’s Certificate in saxophone as well as a B.M. in Music Education. He received an M.A. in clarinet from Connecticut College and pursued postgraduate study in woodwind doubling at Eastman.

His expertise in woodwind doubling – the skill of playing more than one woodwind instrument – appeared regularly in the “Saxophone Journal” for over 10 years. His book “Improve Your Doubling” is acclaimed as a valuable contribution to the field.

In addition to his many accomplishments as an artist and a scholar, he is remembered as a generous and caring teacher.

“The list of household names Chris performed with is astounding, but he was just as committed to working with young jazz students,” shared Mark Hill, coordinator of winds and percussion. “His tireless dedication and success at creating a high-level jazz program was an inspiration to all of us.”

In his 25 years as director of Jazz Studies, Vadala completely transformed the university’s jazz program.

“He created a world-class program from almost nothing, energized the wind and percussion division and was a driving force in the development of the band program,” said Michael Votta, director of bands.

Vadala and the graduate students he trained conducted all of the UMD jazz ensembles. Under his tenure, he grew the program from two to five jazz degree offerings.

“Chris brought tremendous devotion, passion and artistry to his work at UMD, along with an unfailing generosity of spirit as a teacher, mentor, colleague and friend,” said Jason Geary, director of the School of Music. “Under his leadership, the jazz program rose to new heights and gained the national reputation that it enjoys today.”

The university community mourns this loss and extends deep sympathy to his family, colleagues, fellow artists, students and loved ones.

Sound bytes, CD purchases, full discography, publications, and more information about his life can be found at chrisvadala.com.

Additional Obituary:
The Diamondback

RED LION – Hey Connectors, DK here. I sallied up to the bar in the sky and first round is on me so let me hand it over to my beautiful bride, Korey (Warner) Knight.

Douglas Knight, “DK”, 46, was a chief connector, social entrepreneur, disrupter and a faithful believer in everyone that he met. He resigned his position as York City’s cheerleader on January 4, 2019.

After a wrong turn on the Ben Franklin Bridge, Doug was born in Mt. Holly, NJ on September 13, 1972, the son of the late Martin Joseph Knight and Judith Helen Sasala. He spent his entire career working in the non-profit sector in Portsmouth, NH, Washington, D.C., and York, PA. He affected positive change everywhere he went and helped more organizations and individuals than we could possibly name here.

He was a 1990 graduate of Portsmouth High School in Portsmouth, NH (go Clippers!) and a 1994 graduate of Syracuse University. He marched trumpet line with the Clippers and Syracuse Marching Band and became a Kappa Kappa Psi fraternity brother. Doug served as Kappa Kappa Psi’s 2nd National Chapter Field Representative from 1994-1995.  He was a member of the York Elks Lodge #213 and its secret society, the Slumbering Groundhog Lodge. Doug was a member of St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington, D.C. He was an unapologetic New England fan, loved everything about music (he was frighteningly good at “name that tune”), was the 2018 Pumpkin Bowling Champ and was in training for this year’s Candy Land tournament. He wanted to be remembered as “the inventor of Drum n’ Bass music, plus the pan flute”.

In addition to Korey, Doug leaves his two cats, Lord Izaak Duke of Earl Grey and Lady Day Izzy Grey; his mother, Judy and her partner, Everett Nichols of Lewes, DE; a brother, Greg Knight of Aston, PA; a sister, J. Logan Leonhardt and her husband Brett of Reston, VA; brother and sister-in-law, Mitchell and Sarah Warner, and niece, Avery; father and mother-in law, Eric and Tollye Warner; and his beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, his grandparents, John and Eleanor Sasala and Martin and Lucille Knight, as well as his uncle, Wayne Sasala.

A memorial mass will be held on Friday, January 11, 2019 at 12 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 251 E. Main Street in Dallastown, with a visitation from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. The Reverend Mark E. Weiss will be officiating the service. Life Tributes by Olewiler & Heffner Funeral Chapel & Crematory, Inc, 35 Gotham Place in Red Lion is assisting the family with the arrangements.

A public celebration of a kick-ass life will be held Saturday evening, January 12 at York Elks Lodge #213, 223 N. George St. in York. Details to follow.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a gift to a non-profit whose values speak to you. Send condolences at HeffnerCare.com