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Quote by Jon Gordon

“Walk down Forest Ave to Joey's Pizza like we used to do after performances, which doesn't exist anymore. We had a sense of community [in the school band].”

Quote by Jon Gordon

Author

Jon Gordon is a renowned consultant specializing in leadership and team building. His work spans across various industries, helping organizations and individuals enhance performance and well-being. more

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“Sense of community was really fostered by Larry Laurenzano, who was a great educator.”

Community Educator Larry

Author:Jon Gordon

“[Larry Laurenzano] gave me a junior high school saxophone to take to high school, because I was always taking one of our school horns home to practice and I couldn't afford to buy one. He gave my friend, Tyrone, a tuba and he gave me a junior high saxophone for each of us to use at Performing Arts High School with. My audition piece was selections from Rocky. We were not sophisticated. But we had some spirit about it. We enjoyed it, and it was a way out.”

“Particularly, in my situation, I needed a way out of where I was. So music was that.”

Way Situation Needed

Author:Jon Gordon

“When I got to Performing Arts, within the first week, a few days, Bill Charlap walked in and couldn't read music but he's playing all these solos from Keith Emerson of ELP, and Rick Wakeman from Yes. Real impressive rock piano and keyboard things. And we had really, truly amazing young 13-14 year old classical players in our year who had been practicing six, eight hours a day for eight years. So it was like "Whoa."”

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Author:Jon Gordon

“I didn't always have time to practice as much as I wanted to do, that was a real problem for me in high school and college.”

Real Problem Wanted School Practice College High School Real Problems

Author:Jon Gordon

“I was commuting three to four hours a day, I had jobs for much of it. But I was always involved in going to some ensemble someplace. Taking my lessons at the local Jewish community center on Staten Island.”

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Author:Jon Gordon

“Larry [ Laurenzano] said to me one day near the end of junior high, "Jon, are you Jewish?" I said, "No." And he said, "Well neither am I. I'm not sure of Caesar DiMauro, but he teaches at the JCC and I got you a scholarship there."”

Wells Said Ends Teach One Day Not Sure Juniors Scholarship Larry Junior High

Author:Jon Gordon

“A lot of musicians have said things to me like, "Music saved my life". And "I'm standing on the shoulders of dozens of people that you've never heard of that were like angels for me that came out of the woodwork." And that's really the case for me. I had so many people that did those kinds of things for me.”

People Kind Said Cases Heard Musician Angel Standing Saved Shoulders Dozen

Author:Jon Gordon

“Families that I lived with a little bit in junior high and quite a bit in high school and college. Just to have a safe, sane space with food and things like that. That's what I needed. And people were really kind and really generous. So I think the world kind of opened up my first years of performing arts, studying classical saxophone with Caesar DiMauro.”

People Thinking World Years Firsts Kind Littles Art School Bits Space Study College Needed Safe Little Bit High School Performing Generous Sane Juniors Saxophone Junior High Performing Arts

Author:Jon Gordon

“I never really had a classical saxophone set-up. I just had a middle of the road set up.”

Middle Saxophone Middle Of The Road

Author:Jon Gordon