Cleveland Heights High School concert brings together graduates from 1942 to 2015

On Nov. 12, more than 150 current and former Heights High instrumental musicians combined, and recombined, into several intergenerational bands and orchestras. They came together to honor former music teacher John Farinacci with a spirited concert that highlighted the continuity of music education in the district over the decades. With participating musicians from the class of 1942 to the class of 2015, the concert was an inspirational event. Alumni included professional musicians and music teachers, as well as many who did not choose music as a career.

John Farinacci died a few years ago at the age of 92. Some of the returning alumni have remained in contact with the Farinacci family. Farinacci’s widow and four of the couple's five children returned to Cleveland Heights for the reunion and memorial concert.

Heights High freshman Abby Hermes interviewed one of the returning alumni, John Landis (Class of 1957). She wrote: Landis was in town for the Farinacci reunion concert, where he played trumpet and conducted. Landis has been the conductor and music director of the Cheektowaga Symphony Orchestra for 20 years. He also worked with the Buffalo Philharmonic from 1970 to 1983.

Landis lived in Cleveland Heights for 10 years, between the ages of eight and 18, and although he has lived in 13 cities, he still thinks of Cleveland as home. He attended Fairfax Elementary School, where he started playing the trumpet in fourth grade. He attended Roxboro Junior High, where his music teacher introduced him to conducting. In high school, Farinacci continued to nourish this newfound ability.

Landis earned his degree in trumpet at the Eastman School of Music. He was accepted into both the United States Navy and Air Force bands after college and served in the Air Force Band for four years. After that, he moved to New York where he worked with the Boris Goldovsky Opera Theatre. The company toured 48 states, October through April, for two years. While performing one night, Landis was offered an opportunity to conduct the Buffalo Philharmonic. He conducted other orchestras and has been a musical radio announcer. He said that John Farinacci’s influence stays with him even today.