After a day of performances and master classes, the fourth annual Low Brass Day, hosted by the music department, finished out with a recital dedicated to former New York Brass Quintet trombonist John Swallow.

Swallow died Oct. 20 of an unspecified illness.

He was a career musician and played at Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s funeral and the return of Dwight D. Eisenhower from World War II, as a member of the military band during the war.

Swallow went on to teach trombone at multiple schools and universities including the Yale University School of Music, the Julliard School, the Manhattan School of Music and the New England Conservatory of Music.

He also preformed with numerous groups including the New York City Ballet Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony.

The daylong Low Brass Day offered nine different workshops and classes and featured multiple Eastern music professors and guest musicians like trombonists Chelsea French and Mark Fisher.

Although the recital program was not originally dedicated to Swallow, that changed after Fisher gave a speech about Swallow before beginning his second piece.

“I want to dedicate my performance today to my former teacher, John Swallow,” Fisher said. “ He had a great orchestral career at both the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and New York Brass Quintet.”

Fisher said at the time Swallow was a member of the New York Brass Quintet, the group was “the brass quintet” and had multiple composers asking to work with them and perform the composers’ works.

“The composers would sit there with them and work it all out, and then they would go record it,” Fisher said.

After speaking about Swallow’s life, Fisher kissed his hand, pointed up and addressed Swallow.

“This is for you, Mr. Swallow,” Fisher said. “Wherever you are, I hope you enjoy it.”

After Fisher’s next piece, Jemmie Robertson, a music professor, talked about his experiences with Swallow.

Robertson, who organized the daylong program, said Swallow was known not only for his talent but memorable quotes and advice.

“I worked with him back in 2001 when I was graduate student at Yale,” Robertson said. “In master class, he would always say something memorable; I had to write them down so I wouldn’t forget them.”

Robertson said some of his favorite quotes of Swallow’s included “How you are feeling at any given moment can be seen in exactly how you are playing at any given moment,” and “Become a virtuoso; there is not a single virtuoso musician out of work.”

Virtuoso is an Italian term for excellence.

The recital featured solo pieces by both Fisher and French, who had also taught classes at the event throughout the day.

Wyatt Gard, a senior music major, attended a master class with Fisher and said he learned just as much from watching Fisher critique other musicians as he learned from being critiqued.

“Watching him critique others, I not only learned other techniques but how to better teach music or a lesson,” Gard said.

Gard said he hopes to be a music teacher when he graduates.

Amy Wywialowski can be reached at 581-2812 or alwywialowski@eiu.edu.