Re: Fred Marzan


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Posted by Grant Stephan on October 16, 2003 at 10:33:26:

In Reply to: Fred Marzan posted by Angela Marzan on October 16, 2003 at 08:07:20:

I was a student of Freds for the past 10 years. He was the person who gave me the love for music that I have today. I am not the best tuba player ever, but I am on my way towards the end of a FREE education that I recieved due to the practicing and ideals that I learned from him. I still practice an average of at least 2-4 hours a day and am always trying to better myself. I not only learned about the tuba but I also learned many things about a way of life.

If it were not for him I would not be a music major now, nor the person I am today. I lost my father early on in my high school career and even after that when I could not afford a lesson every week, Fred taught me no matter what. Maybe I had to come over and help him in the garden, go to "Old Mans Band" with him, or just sit and talk for 3 hours in my 1 hour lesson.

The values and ideas that I learned from Fred are things that I will never forget. As stated earlier, I may not be the best tuba player ever, but anything that I learned about teaching a student I learned from Fred. He had a way about himself that made a 6th grade student that I was, quit playing football to practice more tuba and have lessons.

There are many things about Freds life that I do not know. He would never tell me how old he was(I only found out at his funeral) and then he would tell stories that you were never sure were true. I only knew him as an older man that could warm up playing flight of the tuba bee and memorized any solo or etude I ever played in a lesson. The number of students that fred had and influenced were immense. In the district around where he taught you could look at the ENTIRE low brass section and count the students that were not Fred's students on one hand. Many of us are leading lives in music today beacuse of things he taught us thoughout the years.

The only regret i had was that I was not closer to him after I left for college. He died and I was there for the funeral and saw people that I hadn't seen for years. The number of YOUNG students that his life had influenced was AMAZING. I read over the same archives that you did about Fred, and He may not be the BEST EVER but he is the best I've ever heard and one of the most influential to young lives that I have ever heard of.

I hope this tells you a little bit and adds a little insight to what he has done for me.

Grant Stephan
Music Edducation Major
Marshall University


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