JERRY ADAMS ~ TRUMPET

Like many trumpet players, Jerry was inspired as a youngster by Rafael Mendez, the famous virtuoso trumpet player (1906-1981). In the fifth grade, a Mendez concert and music clinic got him started on what became a life-long love of the horn. Growing up in a small town in Illinois, he enjoyed a well-supported music program and studied with the school music director who also conducted band concerts in the town square on Saturday evenings. Those concerts were a regular event in the summertime, echoing a tradition that dates back to the era of Patrick Gilmore and John Philip Sousa – as does the Peninsula Symphonic Winds today.

After graduating from the University of Notre Dame in 1965, Jerry came to California with his new wife, Jeanette, a pianist, for graduate school at UCLA and a job with the Hughes Aircraft Company in the then-new communication satellite industry. Throughout his 34-year engineering career, he always found time for music, participating in community bands in Westchester and Palos Verdes and studying trumpet with Claude Gordon. A favorite destination on business trips to Washington, D.C. was the Marine Band concerts on the Capitol steps.

Jerry played with Richard Schwalbe’s Palos Verdes Symphonic Band for 18 years, also taking an active role in the business operations of that band. He has played with the Peninsula Symphonic Winds since 1999 and is the current President of the Peninsula Symphonic Winds Association, a member of the PSW Brass Sextet, and studies trumpet with Grant Hungerford. He and Jeanette have two grown daughters and four grandchildren – with a little luck, some of them will enjoy music for as long and as much as their grandparents have!

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BILL AILOR ~ CLARINET

Bill began playing clarinet in his home town of Richmond, Virginia "many years ago." During his musical career, he was Principal Clarinetist for the Richmond Youth Orchestra, Principal Clarinetist for the North Carolina State University Symphonic Band, Principal Clarinetist for the Purdue University Summer Band, Principal Clarinetist for the Torrance Symphony, and Principal Clarinetist for the Palos Verdes Symphonic Band. He joined the Peninsula Symphonic Winds shortly after its founding. He regularly attends the Ashland Chamber Music Workshop and has played with several local clarinet choirs and chamber music groups.

Dr. Ailor, a resident of Palos Verdes Estates, earned a PhD from Purdue University and currently directs the Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris Studies at The Aerospace Corporation. He has appeared on local and national television as an expert on the breakup of space hardware during reentry. He is Founder and President Emeritus of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy.

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RICHARD BABCOCK, MUSIC DIRECTOR
[Click HERE for video clip]

Richard Babcock was born in 1956 in Binghamton, New York, the first child of an Army doctor and his wife. In 1962 the family settled in Salt Lake City, Utah, where Richard spent the next twenty years. At the age of ten, he began the study of the trumpet. This was Richard's first close contact with music and the beginning of his lifelong vocation. He began to compose in junior high and won several local competitions over the next ten years. Along with composing, he began conducting his own works and filling in the missing parts on whatever instrument was needed. After high school, Richard studied at the University of Utah, where as a performer he specialized in woodwinds. He graduated in 1980 with a Bachelor of Music degree, with emphasis in jazz theory and secondary education. Richard spent the next three years teaching music and working as a freelance musician in Salt Lake City. In 1983 he was accepted into the MFA program in composition at California Institute of the Arts. He graduated in 1986, and in 1987 was appointed Director of Orchestras for Chadwick School in Palos Verdes, in which position he continues to serve. From 1985 to 1990 he was the conductor of another fine community band in the Santa Clarita Valley. Richard's experience as conductor, composer and teacher has made him eager to try new things, to take musical risks.

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KARIN CHAFETZ - PIANIST

Music has always been an entirely pleasurable experience for Karin, who was born and raised in San Francisco. She began studying the piano at age seven and the violin in elementary school. Inspired to participate in her high school music program, she played violin in the orchestra. Karin began teaching piano, and had 22 students, aged 4 to 74, by her second year in college. She earned bachelor's and master's degrees in music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she also won the concerto competition playing Liszt's Piano Concerto #2. She has performed on television for the Miss California/Miss America pageant, initially as a contestant (as Miss San Francisco), and later as a guest performer, playing excerpts from Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. Karin currently owns and manages a medical service organization and participates in her childrens' school music program as an accompanist and performer with the Chadwick Jazz Chamber Ensemble.

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JOANNE DAVIDSON - PRINCIPAL CLARINET

Joanne Davidson is a Manhattan Beach native who started her love for music through her parents, Paul and Ardath, he a trombonist and she a pianist. Joanne began her music career at the age of 7 on the accordion, added piano at the age of 8, and finally clarinet at the age of 10. Besides studying privately under Clairon Williams, playing Dad's arrangements for the family and performing in her school bands and orchestras, she was a member of the All Southern California Junior High Honor Orchestra and the Southwest Youth Symphony. She was principal chair throughout high school and at El Camino College. Joanne retired her clarinet for about 10 years to raise a family, but could not stay away, so she joined the Palos Verdes Symphonic Band and the El Camino College Community Band. She eventually left the PV and ECC bands to join the Palos Verdes Symphonic Winds at Harbor College. She is currently the principle clarinetist with the El Camino Community Orchestra, free-lances around town, has attended the Ashland Chamber Music Workshop the past 10 summers, and is a member of the Palos Verdes Chamber Players.

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ROGER EASTMAN - PRINCIPAL FRENCH HORN

Roger Eastman earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in aeronautical & astronautical engineering from the University of Illinois and currently works as an engineer at TRW. Roger started his musical education by studying piano and singing in all six choirs at his church. In the fifth grade, he took up the French hom, and has never looked back. While at the University of Illinois, Roger played in their premier symphonic band under the direction of noted composer and arranger, James Curnow. Since then he has played in several concert bands, orchestras, woodwind quintets, and stage musicals, including the Peninsula Symphony and the Peninsula Symphonic Winds.

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JOEL FIERBERG - PRINCIPAL BASSOONIST, ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR

Joel Fierberg is a 1978 graduate of Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, where he played in the concert, marching and stage bands as well as in many award-winning small ensembles. He received his B.A. in Music from UCLA in 1982, where he played with the marching and concert bands, performed in pit orchestras for campus theater productions, studied bassoon with David Breidenthal and Michael O'Donovan and studied conducting with Jerry Anderson and Donn Weiss.

He has played with the UCLA Alumni Band since 1984 and served as its Assistant Director for many years before becoming its Music Director in 1997. He joined the Peninsula Symphonic winds in 2001, originally playing baritone saxophone. He is currently its Principal Bassoonist as well as its Associate Conductor.

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TOM KAHELIN - TRUMPET, COMPOSER

A native Southern Californian, Tom grew up in Manhattan Beach. Music has been a part of his life since the age of 10, when he began playing the trumpet. He continued at Mira Costa High School, with director WIlliam B. Power, culminating in his conducting debut with the concert band.

He graduated with honors from the University of Southern California, having studied with Morten Lauridsen, James Hopkins, Anthony Vazzana and Robert Linn. After winning the inaugural Hans J. Salter Composition Award, he was inducted into the national music honor society, Pi Kappa Lambda.

Tom's work encompasses a wide variety of ensembles, from Brass Quintet to Choral to Concert Band to Full Symphonic Orchestra. His concert band pieces are regularly performed in Southern California School Band & Orchestra Association festivals. Tom is very pleased that his piece, On An American Hymn Tune has been added to SCSBOA's official festival music list.

In June of 2006, the Peninsula Symphonic Winds presented the World Premiere of The Coast Is Clear, a work that PSW commissioned him to write in commemoration of its 10th anniversary. His most recent concert band piece, Western Horizons was premiered in festival competition in March, 2007.

Outside the concert hall, Tom has an equally varied presence: Among recent projects, he has arranged and produced music for Hal Leonard Publishing, produced two CDs for Intellivision Music Productions, composed and produced critically acclaimed music for the stage, contributed to a number of multimedia projects and even designed large scale "sonic atmospheres" for several galleries at the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

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BOB KERSTEIN - PRINCIPAL EUPHONIUM

Bob is a self-taught euphonium player who has been with the Peninsula Symphonic Winds since November 1996. Prior to that, Bob played with the Palos Verdes Symphonic Band for 16 years. He also plays in the UCLA Alumni Band.

Bob majored in music theory and composition at UCLA in the mid 1960's, where he also played oboe (until he was invited to find another instrument by the resident oboe professor who felt he wasn't being passionate enough about his oboe studies). After taking a brass survey class at UCLA, Bob switched to baritone horn. He played in the UCLA student band for two seasons before joining the Air Force in 1966, where he played in a 12-piece band at Lackland Air Force Base.

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MARY McKAIN - PRINCIPAL TRUMPET

Mary received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music and Police Science from California State University. Los Angeles. She studied trumpet with Rafael Mendez. Jane Sager. Sidney Lazar and others. She has been a member of the Highland Park, Beverly Hills, South East. Latin American, Mexican Tipica and West Covina Symphonies. and the San Fernando Valley Opera Orchestra. She has also played with the Monterey Park, Los Angeles Police Department, and California Concert Bands. She is the leader of the Pieces of Eight Polka Band and is currently with the Elks 99 Concert Band and the Hollywood Showcase Orchestra. Mary has also performed with Jack Benny. Jose Iturbi, and was a musician for the 'IV series "Here Come the Brides" and the film "E.T." She is a Life Member of Musicians Local 47 and leader of The Frivolous Five.

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BYRON MYHRE -TRUMPET

Byron was born in Fargo, ND, but as an army brat in WWII he followed his Dad allover the United States. He earned a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Illinois and played in the Concert Band under Mark: Hindsley, and in the Marching Illini. He earned an M.S. in Anatomy and an M.D. degree from Northwestern University, and a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Wisconsin, where he also took his residency in Pathology. He played in the Wichita Falls, Texas Municipal Symphony while spending two years in the Air Force.

He has held faculty appointments at Marquette, Milwaukee, U.S.C. and U.C.L.A., and is an Emeritus Professor in the Department of Pathology, U.C.L.A. School of Medicine. He served for 25 years at the Harbor U.C.L.A. Medical Center as Director of the Blood Bank, and later as Director of the Clinical Laboratory. Since coming to California 41 years ago, he has played in many musical groups and is currently taking music courses at EI Camino College.

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ED RETZLER - PRINCIPAL OBOE

The clarinet was Ed's first instrument. Then, when his small high school's only oboe player graduated, Ed was tapped to be his successor. He played oboe in the school orchestra, concert band, and woodwind quintet. He particularly remembers playing "Lincolnshire Posy" in a performance conducted by Percy Grainger, the renowned Australian composer of music for wind bands.

At The College of Wooster he played oboe in the symphony orchestra and concert band and, come rain or snow, bass drum in the Fighting Scots marching band. Drafted into the army in 1952, Ed spent 18 months with the Seventh Army Symphony performing goodwill concerts throughout Germany and Austria. Upon his return to the United States, he studied oboe with Harvey McGuire of the Cleveland Orchestra and played oboe and English horn in the Canton (Ohio) Symphony.

After moving to California and laying aside his horns for twenty-some years to raise a family and build a career, he took up playing the recorder but soon found the repertoire too limiting and began playing oboe again with the Palos Verdes Symphonic Band. Following retirement from UCLA Extension, Ed enrolled as a music student at California State University, Long Beach to take the music courses he never had time for in college. Ed is a charter member of the Peninsula Symphonic Winds, a founding member of the Palos Verdes Chamber Players, and also plays with The East Winds Quintet.

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KAREN YOKOYAMA - PRINCIPAL FLUTE

Karen grew up in a family where music, both classical and jazz, was a part of life.

Although her parents were not professional musicians, her Dad worked his way through college playing jazz at various night clubs. Her Mom, an accomplished pianist and singer, has served as the accompanist for various community choral groups, sang lead roles with community opera troupes, and served as church organist for many years.

It is not surprising then, that at a very young age, one of Karen's favorite pastimes was to stand in front of her parents' stereo console and conduct the orchestra. When asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, she would respond emphatically, "a conductor." Karen began studying piano in the second grade, but switched to the flute in the fourth grade. Her musical journey continued through high school and has included such highlights as winning second chair in the Tennessee All State Band, being the assistant drum major of her high school marching band (her one opportunity to fulfill her childhood dream of conducting), and joining her high school band at international band festivals in Italy and Spain.

Karen has played with community bands and orchestras since moving to California in 1984. After a 10 year break to raise two daughters through their toddler years, she joined the Palos Verdes Symphonic Winds in the fall of 1999.

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MARK ZERKLE - PRINCIPAL PERCUSSION

Mark's first experiences in music came as a toddler when he was known to tap and bang on any available surface or object. The second child of a military family, Mark was born in Germany and spent several years there as a child. His family later resettled in Virginia Beach, VA. Mark began studying percussion at age 12, and continued through junior high school. In high school, Mark continued to study percussion, participated in marching and symphonic band activities, and was elected to the Virginia All State Band as a timpanist during his senior year.

Mark's family moved to California after his graduation from high school, and he attended EI Camino College for two years. While at El Camino, he began studying to pursue a career in business and was a member of the El Camino Symphonic Band, under the direction of Dr. Kenny Caldwell.

After an extended absence from organized music, Mark became a member of the Peninsula Symphonic Winds in 1999. He names Lennon/McCartney, Clifton Williams and Henry Mancini among his favorite composers, with Ringo Starr, Neil Peart (Rush) and Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater) among his greatest drumming influences. Mark particularly enjoys playing progressive rock music. He describes his experience in learning to play The Flight of the Bumble Bee as "like parenting-fun and scary at the same time".

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