Nicholas D. Falcone ( September 20, 1892 – February 11, 1981) was a classically trained clarinet
virtuoso
A virtuoso (from Italian ''virtuoso'' or , "virtuous", Late Latin ''virtuosus'', Latin ''virtus'', "virtue", "excellence" or "skill") is an individual who possesses outstanding talent and technical ability in a particular art or field such as ...
who served as an educator, composer, conductor, and director of the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
Bands in the first half of the 20th century. He was also a soloist and assistant director of the
Roseto Symphony Orchestra
as well as a soloist with the
Foggia
Foggia (, , ; nap, label= Foggiano, Fògge ) is a city and former ''comune'' of Apulia, in Southern Italy, capital of the province of Foggia. In 2013, its population was 153,143. Foggia is the main city of a plain called Tavoliere, also known ...
Symphony in Italy, the
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
City Park Band, the Ford Band, the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra, and the University of Michigan School of Music String Quartet.
Early years (1892–1911)
Nicholas Falcone was born in
Roseto Valfortore
Roseto Valfortore (Irpino: ) is a small town and ''comune'' of the Province of Foggia, in the Apulia Region of southeastern Italy.
Located in the Daunian Mountains near Fortore springs, Roseto Valfortore is awarded ''"I Borghi più belli d'Itali ...
, Italy on September 20, 1892, to Dominico and Maria Filippa (Finelli) Falcone.
Nicholas was the first of seven children born to his parents,
including his brother,
Leonard Falcone
Leonard Vincent Falcone (Fal-CONE-ee) (5 April 1899 – May 2, 1985) was an Italian-American musician, conductor, arranger, lecturer, and educator. He was well known as a virtuoso on the baritone horn, having extensively performed, written, and ...
who became a talented baritone horn player, composer, and band leader; and four sisters, of whom two became pianists and two became singers.
Falcone was introduced to cavalry band music at age 2 while his family was traveling in South America.
After returning home, he began studying music in earnest at age 5.
He received music training at the Roseto School of Music in Italy.
Falcone worked as a
tailor
A tailor is a person who makes or alters clothing, particularly in men's clothing. The Oxford English Dictionary dates the term to the thirteenth century.
History
Although clothing construction goes back to prehistory, there is evidence of ...
's apprentice in Roseto to help pay for his ongoing education.
In addition to the instruction he received from Donato Donatelli and his son, Michelangelo, Falcone studied many years under Philip De Cesare and Rufus M. Arey.
By age 19, he was conducting
Il Trovatore for the Roseto Opera Company.
A new home (1912–1925)
Falcone immigrated to the United States in 1912.
Upon arriving, Falcone earned a living as a tailor first in New York City, and then in
Ann Arbor
Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna (name), Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah (given name), Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie (given name), ...
until 1915 when he was hired to be the Director of
Orchestra
An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families.
There are typically four main sections of instruments:
* bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...
s in
Butterfield Theaters in
Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor.
On November 12, 1918, while recovering from influenza, Falcone suffered a temporary and partial loss of hearing.
'M' man (1926–1934)
While enrolled in the
University of Michigan School of Music
The University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance is an undergraduate and graduate institution for the performing arts in the United States. It is part of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. The school was founded by Calvin Brainerd ...
in 1926, Falcone was placed in charge of organizing a freshman band. Subsequently, he was appointed as director of that band.
Falcone then succeeded Norman Larson as conductor of the Michigan Band in 1927.
Falcone served as conductor of the University of Michigan Varsity Band, as the
Michigan Marching Band was known at the time, from 1927 until 1935 and enjoyed a generally positive reputation throughout his tenure.
Falcone wrote the "M Men March" (which he dedicated to
Bob Campbell of the University of Michigan) and a medley of University of Michigan songs around 1927.
Falcone spent the summer of 1929 studying under Antonio Vitadino in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
.
By 1930, Falcone was serving as Director of the Varsity Band and Head of the Department of Band Instruments in the School of Music.
Falcone was directing when the University of Michigan Varsity Band first performed a script Ohio formation in 1931.
In early 1932, Falcone's left ear went deaf. He took a short leave of absence in hopes of recovering, but revealed that his hearing had been damaged by numerous severe colds he had had since the incident in 1918.
Despite protests in Ann Arbor and within the band's existing membership, Falcone allowed African-American students to begin auditioning and joining the band in around 1933. For the first time, women were also allowed to join the band, though their participation was limited to Concert Band activities.
During a performance in January 1934, Falcone suddenly lost the hearing in his right ear, leaving him totally deaf. His brother,
Leonard
Leonard or ''Leo'' is a common English language, English masculine given name and a surname.
The given name and surname originate from the Old High German ''Leonhard'' containing the prefix ''levon'' ("lion") from the Greek wikiwikiweb:Λέων, � ...
, was by then the Director of the
Michigan State University Varsity Band.
At Nicholas' request, Leonard also assumed Nicholas' duties at the University of Michigan while Nicholas took a medical leave of absence to seek treatment.
Day-to-day management of the band was delegated to student leaders. This arrangement, approved by the University of Michigan, continued from January through June 1934.
By the fall of that year, one of those student leaders, Bernard Hirsch, was appointed Acting Conductor and correspondingly provided a small salary.
The silent years (1935–1981)
Though Falcone officially retained his position at the university through 1935, Hirsch continued to serve as Acting Conductor since Falcone recovered his hearing only briefly before becoming permanently and completely deaf.
The university offered Falcone's position to
William D. Revelli
William D. Revelli (February 12, 1902 – July 16, 1994) was an American music educator and conductor best known for his association with the University of Michigan, where he directed the university's bands including the Michigan Marching Ban ...
on August 26, 1935, while Falcone technically was still on extended, and now unpaid medical leave. Falcone formally tendered his resignation the following February.
Despite his lack of hearing, Falcone continued to compose and arrange music for years afterward as part of the
Federal Music Project.
He earned additional financial support for his wife (Thelma) and two children (Nicholas, Jr. and Mary) by working in an Ann Arbor factory.
He died in his Ann Arbor home on February 11, 1981.
Awards and honors
As part of the half-time ceremonies of the Michigan homecoming game on October 25, 1975, the University of Michigan Band Alumni Association presented Nicholas Falcone with an Honorary Life Membership Award. He was the third person to receive this award, following Revelli and Louis Elbel (composer of "
The Victors").
The University of Michigan Board of Regents recognized him as
Director Emeritus of University Bands in 1978.
The national music fraternities Alpha Epsilon Mu and
Kappa Kappa Psi have both honored Falcone with life memberships.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Falcone, Nicholas
1892 births
1981 deaths
American clarinetists
American bandleaders
University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance alumni
20th-century American composers
American music arrangers
20th-century American conductors (music)
Italian emigrants to the United States
Musicians from Ann Arbor, Michigan
People from the Province of Foggia
Deaf classical musicians
American musicians with disabilities