Class of 1984

In 2002, jazz pianist and vocalist Rick DellaRatta (’84, ’86 M.M.) was invited to lead a multi-national group of jazz musicians for a performance at the United Nations. The band was named Jazz For Peace and has since performed over 600 benefit concerts. These concerts raise funds, publicity and awareness for outstanding organizations in need worldwide. Jazz for Peace also performs educational programs bringing music and Jazz into schools and donating musical instruments to underprivileged children. Rick also spends time composing and recently had a Jazz influenced orchestral composition, “Permutata” recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra. Rick has been recognized by two U.S. cities – Huntsville, Ala, and Schenectady, N.Y., both of which declared April 19th “Rick DellaRatta and Jazz for Peace Day.” Rick currently resides in Manhattan. 10/24/08

Don Byron ’84 gave two concerts in collaboration with the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble and the MIT Wind Ensemble under the direction of Frederick Harris ’95 M.M. in March, 2008. The first concert, given by the FJE, featured a premiere of a work by current MIT student Aseem Kishore, as well as pieces by Don Byron. In the second concert, the MIT Wind Ensemble performed Mozart’s Serenade in C minor, Weber’s Concertino for Clarinet, Ferdinand David’s Concertino for Trombone, Ives’ Variations on ‘America,’ as well as Don’s transcriptions of the works of Bach, Herb Alpert, and many others. Don was the appointed the Martin Luther King Jr. Visiting Professor at MIT in 2007. He lives in the Bronx, N.Y. 8/21/08

Mark Barnard ’84 M.M. has recently published two new pieces for educational orchestra through Tempo Press/ Luck’s Music Library, titled American Hoedown, (for grade 2) and Fantasia on the Water Is Wide (for grade 3). Fantasia was featured and performed in December at the 2007 Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference. Mark currently serves the Centerville City Schools in Ohio and directs the Centerville Youth Orchestra. 8/21/08