John Viavattine
Encyclopedia
John Viavattine is an American professional woodwind performer and instrumental music teacher in Rochester, New York
at Spencerport High School
.
, including a memorable
performance in Washington, D.C. at President Reagan
's 1980 Inaugural Ball. He has also performed
with Ray Charles
, Patti Page
, The Temptations
, Chuck
and Gap Mangione
, Randy Brecker
, Jeff Tyzik
and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
, Connie Francis
, Vic Damone
, Aretha Franklin
and Lou Rawls
.
He is a member of Rochester's hit Latin Band, "Mambo Kings", started by another local musician and composer, Richard Delaney. He is also a member of one of Rochester's premier party bands, "Unlimited", founded and directed by his brother Bob Viavattine.
John began playing when he was young, learning early on from his teacher, Joe Romano, to pay strict attention to time, keeping with the rhythm section, and complementing them.
On June 12, 2007, Viavattine and the Mambo Kings openned for the rock group "Los Lonely Boys
" at the Rochester International Jazz Festival
.
, he moved to Los Angeles, California
to teach for a short time before returning to Upstate New York
to teach at Spencerport High School
in Spencerport, New York
. He is the director of the Spencerport Wind ensemble, and in conjunction with his colleague, Ben Osborne, the Spencerport Symphonic Band. In 2007 Viavattine received the prestigious RPO
educator of the year award. Students say that it is his passion for music which encourages them. He acts as a role model by being active in the musical scene around Rochester outside of school.
Jazz Festival. Recently, they won first place in a nationwide yamaha recording contest, judged in part by members of Tower of Power.
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
at Spencerport High School
Spencerport High School
Spencerport High School is the only high school in the Spencerport Central School District, located at 2707 Spencerport Road, in Spencerport, New York...
.
Music performer
Viavattine has performed with a variety of popular "Big name" musicians. He played on tour with the Glenn Miller OrchestraGlenn Miller Orchestra
The Glenn Miller Orchestra was originally formed in 1938 by Glenn Miller. It was arranged around a clarinet and tenor saxophone playing melody, while three other saxophones played the harmony...
, including a memorable
performance in Washington, D.C. at President Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
's 1980 Inaugural Ball. He has also performed
with Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, Patti Page
Patti Page
Clara Ann Fowler , known by her professional name Patti Page, is an American singer, one of the best-known female artists in traditional pop music. She was the best-selling female artist of the 1950s, and has sold over 100 million records...
, The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
, Chuck
Chuck Mangione
Charles Frank "Chuck" Mangione is an American flugelhorn player and composer who achieved international success in 1977 with his jazz-pop single, "Feels So Good." Mangione has released more than thirty albums since 1960.-Early life and career:...
and Gap Mangione
Gap Mangione
Gaspare "Gap" Mangione is a jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader from Rochester, New York, United States.Born and raised in Rochester, Mangione's younger brother is Grammy-winning flugelhornist Chuck Mangione. Members of a music-loving family, both Gap and Chuck took up instruments...
, Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker
Randal "Randy" Brecker is an American trumpeter and flugelhornist. He is a highly sought after performer in the genres of jazz, rock, and R&B, and has performed or recorded with Stanley Turrentine, Billy Cobham, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Sandip Burman, Charles Mingus, Blood, Sweat & Tears,...
, Jeff Tyzik
Jeff Tyzik
Jeff Tyzik is an American conductor, arranger, and trumpeter from Rochester, New York, working primarily with orchestral and jazz styles.-Education:Tyzik, born in Hyde Park, New York, started playing cornet at age 9...
and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra is an American orchestra based in the city of Rochester, Monroe County, New York. Its primary concert venue is the Eastman Theatre at the Eastman School of Music....
, Connie Francis
Connie Francis
Connie Francis is an American pop singer of Italian heritage and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1950s and 1960s. Although her chart success waned in the second half of the 1960s, Francis remained a top concert draw...
, Vic Damone
Vic Damone
Vic Damone is an American singer and entertainer.- Early life :Damone was born Vito Rocco Farinola in Brooklyn, New York to French-Italian immigrants based in Bari, Italy—Rocco and Mamie Farinola. His father was an electrician; and his mother taught piano. His cousin was the actress and singer...
, Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
and Lou Rawls
Lou Rawls
Louis Allen "Lou" Rawls was an American soul, jazz, and blues singer. He was known for his smooth vocal style: Frank Sinatra once said that Rawls had "the classiest singing and silkiest chops in the singing game"...
.
He is a member of Rochester's hit Latin Band, "Mambo Kings", started by another local musician and composer, Richard Delaney. He is also a member of one of Rochester's premier party bands, "Unlimited", founded and directed by his brother Bob Viavattine.
John began playing when he was young, learning early on from his teacher, Joe Romano, to pay strict attention to time, keeping with the rhythm section, and complementing them.
On June 12, 2007, Viavattine and the Mambo Kings openned for the rock group "Los Lonely Boys
Los Lonely Boys
Los Lonely Boys is a Chicano rock power trio from San Angelo, Texas. They play a style of music they call "Texican Rock n' Roll," combining elements of rock and roll, Texas blues, brown eyed soul, country, and Tejano....
" at the Rochester International Jazz Festival
Rochester International Jazz Festival
Established in 2002, the Rochester International Jazz Festival takes place in June of each year, in Rochester, New York. It is produced by John Nugent, Artistic Director and Marc Iacona, Executive Director...
.
Music teacher
After earning his bachelor's degree in music from Nazareth CollegeNazareth College (New York)
Nazareth College of Rochester, NY, is a private liberal arts college in Pittsford, New York, a suburb of Rochester.-History:Nazareth was founded in 1924 by the Sisters of St. Joseph. The first class, comprising 25 young women, began their studies in a large mansion on Lake Avenue in Rochester, New...
, he moved to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
to teach for a short time before returning to Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
to teach at Spencerport High School
Spencerport High School
Spencerport High School is the only high school in the Spencerport Central School District, located at 2707 Spencerport Road, in Spencerport, New York...
in Spencerport, New York
Spencerport, New York
Spencerport is a village in Monroe County, New York, United States, and a suburb of Rochester, New York. The population count was 3,559 at the 2000 census.The Village of Spencerport is within the Town of Ogden and is a village on the Erie Canal....
. He is the director of the Spencerport Wind ensemble, and in conjunction with his colleague, Ben Osborne, the Spencerport Symphonic Band. In 2007 Viavattine received the prestigious RPO
Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra is an American orchestra based in the city of Rochester, Monroe County, New York. Its primary concert venue is the Eastman Theatre at the Eastman School of Music....
educator of the year award. Students say that it is his passion for music which encourages them. He acts as a role model by being active in the musical scene around Rochester outside of school.
High school jazz
He is probably most well known as director of the Spencerport High School "Jazz One" band. This group has been ranked one of the top high school bands in the country, ranking first place in heritage music festivals nationwide. In March 2007, Spencerport Jazz One took first place in the Berklee Jazz Festival. In April 2007, Jazz One took first place at the Heritage Festival in Orlando, FL, competing against more than twenty schools from across the nation. On April 18, 2007, Viavattine led the band to another first place at the MCCMonroe Community College
Monroe Community College is a two-year college of the State University of New York, located in Monroe County, New York. The college has two campuses, one in the town of Brighton and another, the Damon City Campus, in the City of Rochester...
Jazz Festival. Recently, they won first place in a nationwide yamaha recording contest, judged in part by members of Tower of Power.