Klarinet Archive - Posting 000054.txt from 1996/02
From: David Gilman <dgilman@-----.EDU> Subj: Re: John Paynter Date: Sat, 3 Feb 1996 08:30:09 -0500
I had the good fortune to play under Mr. Paynter for two quarters of the
1987-88 school year at Northwestern. [All the students I knew addressed him
as "Mr.," not as "Dr.," and NEVER by his first name.] I was a graduate
student (in chemistry, not music), sitting in the back of the large clarinet
section in the Symphonic Band, trying to keep up with some frighteningly
talented music majors. I had just come from college, where our situation was
completely different. We had few music concentrators and no performance
major at all. Our band director there was very relaxed. Needless to say, it
gave me a culture shock. Mr. Paynter had a strict, no nonsense approach.
The atmosphere in the rehearsal hall was tense all the time. But I never had
more satisfaction playing music, before or since.
My favorite example of this involves a piece called "Summer in Valley City"
by Ross Lee Finney. We played this piece for a few weeks with the another
director. The composer's notes described it as a fuzzy memory of a time long
past in a small town. I found the composition aimless and mediocre. Then,
Mr. Paynter led one rehearsal of it. Suddenly, the whole thing made musical
sense. This is not to say that the other conductor did a bad job: he was
quite good. But Mr. Paynter really brought out the music in this abstruse
work. I don't even know what he did differently. But that made me
understand the difference a truly gifted, experienced conductor could make.
When I left N.U., he gave me some very warm and complimentary remarks. I
didn't understand how he would even know who I was, with all those amazing
talents around. Somehow, he did. Underneath the tension, he proved to be a
very fine man.
I wish Mr. Paynter and his family only the best.
David Gilman
M.S., Northwestern, 1988
On Thu, 1 Feb 1996, SEAN wrote:
> This is unfortunate news to all of us that has ever had the pleasure
> of working with Dr. John Paynter of Northwestern University bands. As you
> read this message I recieved from the trumpet board, I ask everyone to keep
> him in your thoughts and prayers.
>
>
> From: LAHTIGP@-----.com
> Date: Thu, 01 Feb 96 09:45:38 CST
> Subject: Update on John Paynter
>
> I am forwarding this message to TPIN as many of you know John
> Paynter, Director of Bands at Northwestern University and
> Conductor of the Northshore Concert Band. John suffered a stroke
> on January 24, 1996 and has been in a coma since that time.
> Below is an update on his condition.
>
> Jerry Lahti
>
> Subject: Update on John Paynter
> Author: m-friedlieb@-----.edu (Mary Friedlieb) at INTERNET
> Date: 2/1/96 9:30 AM
>
>
> Unfortunately, the update on John Paynter's condition following last night's
> Northshore Band rehearsal is not good. According to Steve Peterson, NU
> assistant director of bands who is stepping in to conduct NCB in John's
> absence, his condition has not improved since the stroke last week.
>
> More specifically, it appears that further testing shows that John has very
> little brain activity. He continues to be in a coma and is resting
> comfortably without any external aid. Steve Peterson said that at one point
> during the last week John was experiencing some difficulty in breathing and
> had been moved temporarily into ICU to stablize his condition and has since
> returned to his regular hospital bed. Steve said "he will not be returning
> to ICU again." I take this to mean that the family has requested that no
> extraordinary measures be taken.
>
> Finally, Steve said that the doctors remain uncertain as to how long John
> may remain in his current state. It could be a matter of days, weeks,
> months or longer. However, it appears they are certain that there is no
> real chance of John recovering.
>
> The Northshore Concert Band's second concert in its season series on Sunday,
> February 11 is still scheduled to be performed. The concert will highlight
> the 1995-96 recipients of the John P. Paynter Scholarship; Spring High
> School Percussion Ensemble from Houston, TX. NCB is also planning to honor
> its commitment to perform at the North Central Division meeting of the
> College Band Directors National Association in Green Bay, WI on March 2.
> The CBDNA event was planned in part to honor John Paynter and his many
> contributions to the profession.
>
> Again, the family welcomes correspondence to the home: 1437 Hollywood,
> Glenview, IL 60025. If you have other questions concerning John's
> condition or Northshore, please contact me during the day at the
> phone/address/fax/email below.
> - -------------------------------------------------------
> Mary Friedlieb, Director
> Office of Student Records & Services
> Medill School of Journalism - Northwestern University
> 708.491.3862 / 708.491.4256 FAX
> m-friedlieb@-----.edu
> - --------------------------------------------------------
>
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