The Raritan Valley Symphonic Band, under the direction of Larry Markiewicz, will present its winter concert, featuring trumpet soloist and College of New Jersey faculty member Dr. Gary Fienberg. The concert will be held on Sunday, December 3rd at 3:00 p.m. in the Hillsborough High School auditorium. The school is located at 466 Raider Boulevard, Hillsborough, New Jersey. Admission to the concert is free. 

Dr. Fienberg will also give a master class on Wednesday, December 6th at 7:30-9:00 pm in the Hillsborough High School auditorium. Students, professionals, and adult amateurs are welcome to attend. Those interested in playing for Dr. Fienberg should contact the Band at 908-359-3136. The class is free to the public as part of the Band’s outreach program.

The Band will perform Concerto for Trumpet by Alexander Arutunian, a melodic and rhythmic piece with characteristics of Armenian folk tunes, which will feature Dr. Fienberg playing solo trumpet. Other concert highlights include Slavonic Folk Suite by Alfred Reed, Franz Von Suppe’s Poet and Peasant Overture arranged by Henry Filmore, and spirited marches, including The Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa.  The Band will also celebrate the season with favorites such as Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride, A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi and Lee Mendelson, A Celebration of Hanukkah by Howard Rowe, and more.

Gary Fienberg is the Assistant Professor of Music and Coordinator of Brass Studies at The College of New Jersey, where he directs the Jazz and Brass Ensembles and teaches jazz history and studio trumpet. He is a trumpeter whose experiences range from the great concert halls of Europe to the orchestra pits of Broadway, and whose performance interests encompass the complete array of possibilities for a contemporary trumpeter in classical, jazz, and commercial music. 

Dr. Fienberg earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at Carnegie Mellon University where he was a student of Anthony Pasquarelli. After completing these studies, he embarked upon a nine-year residence in Europe where he worked for all of the major broadcasting companies in both the Netherlands and Germany, performed at the acclaimed North Sea Jazz Festival, and worked with both the Big Band and Symphonic Orchestra of the Nord Deutscher Rundfunk. In 1992 Dr. Fienberg returned to Pittsburgh where he was appointed Director of Jazz Ensembles at Carnegie Mellon University, eventually serving as Assistant Head of the School of Music. His doctoral studies were completed at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Fienberg has performed with such artists as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, The Manhattan Transfer, Natalie Cole, Barry Manilow, The Temptations, Chet Baker, and numerous others. Dr. Fienberg’s theater performances include CATS on Broadway and a national tour of Carousel. Currently, Dr. Fienberg performs with The New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra and is Principal Cornet of The Princeton Brass Band.

The RVSB is under the direction of Larry Markiewicz, who is a Director of Bands at Bridgewater-Raritan High School in Bridgewater, New Jersey.  Additionally, he has been a guest conductor and clinician with many groups, including wind bands, student leadership seminars, and the top competitive drum and bugle corps worldwide. The RVSB is a 70-member adult symphonic band with its volunteer membership drawn from central New Jersey and the surrounding area. The Band has a rich 23-year history and has become known for its tradition of bringing quality music to the community, frequently featuring some of New Jersey’s most talented soloists, and providing free and accessible music education outreach to the community.

The concert and master class are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and administered by the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission through the State/County Partnership Local Arts Program. The Band is sponsored by the Jointure for Community Adult Education and by contributions from local businesses, corporations, foundations and private citizens. For more information about the concert or master class, becoming a sponsor, to request assistance for persons with disabilities, or to inquire about joining the Band, consult the Band’s website at www.rvsb.org or call 908-359-3136.