Medina Community Band will present the sixth concert of the 2019 summer season, a celebration of 160 years (since 1859) of presenting community concerts in Medina, on Friday, July 12, 2019, in Medina’s Uptown Park Square Gazebo.  Concerts will continue every Friday through Friday, July 26.  All concerts will begin at 8:30p.

Cancellation of concerts will be posted on the website as soon as the decision has been made.  A “fan newsletter” will be sent to those individuals who have signed up to receive the newsletter.

The evening’s concert has been dedicated to the memory of Gary Ciulla, former director of the Medina High School Bands. The ice cream social for July 12 will be sponsored by The Medina High School Band Parents Association. Lori Ciulla will be special guest conductor in Henry Fillmore’s Lassus Trombone.

Under the baton of Marcus Neiman, the band will perform John Williams’ Symphonic Marches and March of the Resistance (from Star Wars the Force Awakens); Astor Piazzolla’s Libertango; as well as marches by Henry Fillmore (His Excellency, Lassus Trombone, and, Americans We); and, John Philip Sousa (The Stars and Stripes Forever).

Associate conductor John Connors, will conduct Frank Ticheli’s arrangement of Shenandoah and Henry Fillmore’s march Gifted Leadership.

Dixieland will make a return to the Gazebo with “Red” McLeod’s State Street Strut.  Featured soloists will be Mary Ann Grof-Neiman, clarinet; Lu Ann Gresh, trumpet; Rodney Hannah, trombone; and, Kyle Snyder, tuba.

Concerts by the Medina Community Band traditionally last approximately one hour and are patterned after outdoor band concerts in the 1880s through 1930s and feature concert overtures, solos by instrumentalists and vocalists, as well as popular selections, and lots and lots of marches.  For listings of all concerts, visit the band’s website (www.medinacommunityband.org).

As of June 1, the following featured soloist and ensembles will appear with Medina Community Band, subject to change: Friday, July 19 – George Rosin, trombone soloist.

Area social and civic groups will be featured as summer social hosts providing light refreshments at a reasonable donation during each concert:  July 19, Medina Lions Club; and, July 26 – Medina Creative Housing.

Medina Community Band is proudly sponsored and supported by the Medina Community Band Association, composed of members of Medina Community Band.  The board of directors consists of Lu Ann Gresh, president; Amy Muhl, vice president; Gail Sigmund, financial secretary; Karen Sater, treasurer; Sue McLaughlin, secretary; with directors John Connors, Dr. Thomas Kenat, Robert Moore, and Kristin Thompson. 

Membership in MCB is open and there are no dues or auditions; however, members are expected to maintain a regular attendance.  The band rehearses on Wednesday evening from 7p – 9p in the orchestra room of Medina High School (777 East Union Street, Medina) during June and July; and September through the end of May rehearsing in the band room of Highland Middle School (3880 Ridge Road, Medina).  The band also presents their popular summer series every Friday, June through July, in Medina’s Uptown Park Gazebo.  Each year the band presents at a winter concert, spring concert, and the popular “Sousa Concert” at EHOVE Career Center (Milan, OH).  For additional information on the 2019 concert season or Medina Community Band, contact Neiman at 330.725.8198 or MarcusNeiman@medinacommunityband.org.

Dixieland Ensemble Personnel

Mary Ann Grof-Neiman, clarinet, received her bachelor of science in music education degree from the Bowling Green State University. Ms. Grof-Neiman has served as principal clarinetist with the Sounds of Sousa Band and as clarinetist for the Blossom Festival Band, the Cleveland Winds, Lakeland Civic Band, Lakeside Symphony Orchestra, Youngstown Symphony, Chagrin Falls Studio Orchestra and Erie Philharmonic. She currently performs with the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra, Lakewood Home Town Band, Akron Symphonic Winds and Medina Community Band, where she serves as band librarian. She maintains private studios at Baldwin Wallace University Community Music School as well as her home in Medina. She has served the Ohio Music Education Association as a Woodwind Adjudicator for over 30 years and is a member of AFM Local 4. She resides in Medina with her husband Marcus and their cat Dmitri.

Lu Ann Gresh is a retired elementary music specialist with 36 years of experience. She has both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in music education from The University of Akron. She has taught for the Revere City Schools, Highland Local Schools, Clark County Schools in Las Vegas, Nevada, and most recently Wadsworth City Schools. She taught preschool music and adult beginning piano classes at The University of Akron. Lu Ann and her husband, Paul, reside in Wadsworth, Ohio. She has two children, Jonathan and Kelsey. She has been a member of the Medina Community Band since 1997. She also plays in the Sounds of Sousa Band, and is a member of the Brass Band of the Western Reserve. Lu Ann currently serves as the trumpet section leader. She is president of the Medina Community Band Association.

Rodney Hannah, trombone, attended the Norton City Schools and graduated from Norton High School.  He is a retired math and physics teacher at Norton High School.  Married for 47 years (as of 2018) with two adult children and two grandchildren, he resides with his wife Carolyn in Medina (Ohio). 

Looking back, he reminisced that he has always had a love for music and was voted ‘most musical’ student in his high school senior class.  Marches have always inspired him and he especially liked the counter-melodies in the low brass parts, which encouraged him to switch from cornet to trombone. 

Kyle Snyder, tuba, is a retired claims adjuster.  He currently is a part time school bus driver for Lake Ridge Academy in North Ridgeville.   He has been a member in the Tuba Section of the Medina Community Band for 32 years. The genre he enjoys playing most though, is “Dixieland” music.  He currently performs with the River City Jazz Band,  Honey Creek Jazz Band, and the Hymns of Dixie.  He also plays tuba in the Deutscher Musikverein German Band. 

When not playing his tuba, Kyle enjoys riding his Harley Davidson Triglide with other band members and friends. In his down time he enjoys sharing the couch with his wife Jan, their dog Henry, and cat Harry while watching television or listening to music.

19 MCB Summer Concert Media – July 12 – as of 19 07 03

In Memory – Gary Peter Ciulla

May 14, 1957 – August 31, 2018

Gary Peter Ciulla, age 61, of Medina, OH passed away unexpectedly on August 31, 2018 surrounded by his family.   He was born in Cheektowaga, NY on May 14, 1957 to parents Gabriel Peter and Rosemary Felicia (Rispoli). 

Ciulla led the Medina High School band program for more than 30 years before retiring in 2015. In a statement from the Medina City Schools, district Communications Relations Director, Amy Busby said that during Ciulla’s tenure as an instrumental music teacher, he developed “an outstanding band program that is recognized as one of the best in the state.”

“Numerous band competition championship trophies and annual superior state rankings are just a few of the many indicators Gary had and the high expectations of excellence for the band program,” Busby wrote.

“Gary’s leadership and organizational skills, along with his exceptional instructional expertise and work dedication, have created a greatly admired ‘Medina Band culture’ that includes students, parents, alumni and the entire community.”

In his career, Ciulla was the recipient of the district’s Distinguished Service Award in 2015, and was recognized by proclamations from both the Ohio State Senate and the House of Representatives for his outstanding service to public education.

Perhaps Ciulla’s greatest legacy, Busby continued, is the band program itself.

“The band has and continues to be the highlight of the evening on fall Friday nights,” she wrote. “Throughout the winter months, parents and community members flock to middle school and high school instrumental concerts. The band music program is one of the school district’s greatest sources of pride in the community. (This) excellence is a direct result of Gary’s career efforts.”

She added that Ciulla’s leadership as head band director “is again demonstrated by the over 800 students that are part of the instrumental music program in grades 6 through 12.”

Gary is survived by his beloved wife, Lori (Werstler) Ciulla; loving children, daughter Lindsay Ciulla of Columbus, OH; sons, Nicholas (Siobhan) Ciulla of Birmingham, AL, Vincent (Ally) Ciulla of North Royalton, OH, Jacob (Tess) Ciulla of Seville, OH; and father, Gabriel Peter (Joan) Ciulla of Alden, NY. Gary is also survived by his three brothers, Mark Ciulla, Joseph Ciulla, and Michael (Sara) Ciulla; two sisters, Cindy (Mark) Robinson, and Marie (Jerry) Synrod. He is preceded in death by his dear mother Felicia (nee Rispoli) Ciulla ,who passed in 1984.

Gary held both a Bachelor’s degree of Music Education from Kent State University and a Master’s degree of Music Education from the University of Akron. He was the Director of Bands for Medina City Schools before retiring in May 2015.

He was a prominent member of the Medina community and touched many lives during his all too short life.