Winter, 2000 AH ROMA Approximately one year ago, Massimo Nunzi contacted me by email inquiring as to  my interest in coming to Italy to participate in a program to be instituted by a particular city in order to raise awareness in the arts and culture among it's people. Why me, I wondered? He told me this was because of the many recordings he possessed on which I had played a part and that I was, in a sense, a musical mentor for him. I was touched by this and felt both honored and humbled. And while the original agenda did not meld as planned, it did start the process whereby Massimo developed an alternate program in conjunction with the Testaccio School of Music in Rome that would bring me to Italy for a week of performing concerts and teaching.  Massimo is a person of great creative ingenuity. He arranged everything for my visit, taking it upon himself to do all the legwork involved in scheduling, arranging finances, etc. while getting no assistance from anyone. And he did this out of respect for a fellow musician whom he wanted to have come work with students and musicians of his city. To some, this might seem a small undertaking or at most something that might be well-deserved by one such as myself who has "been around for a while". But I never feel that way, especially when a person cares so much that they make great efforts on my behalf. And, it was only upon my arrival in Italy that I realized how much effort it took for him to bring off this endeavor! After our initial email contact, Massimo kept me apprised of the progress he was making in bringing about my coming to Rome. It was amazing to look back through all the emails exchanged to observe the process that was taking place via the labor of this one manâ and only because he wanted this to happen! Through his immense efforts, he succeeded in arranging my coming to teach four days at the Testaccio School of Music in Rome and one day in Fiuggi, a town approximately an hour and a half out of Rome. I also was to peform two concerts in Rome; one with a trio and one with the big band from the school. Massimo received not one lira for all his efforts in working for one year in order to put this together for meânothing! This was, for him, a labor of love. The Testaccio School is a private enterprise with instruction in all musics on many levels of  accomplishment. It has grown so popular that it has had to turn many students away because of lack of physical space and scheduling time. (Would that we had a situation like that here in the States!) The people that own and run the school do so out of a love for music and are very ardent in their efforts for music and education. It was arranged for me to do three trumpet seminars there as well as to rehearse and work with two bands during the week. Both amateurs and professionals participated in these events. The first concert was performed with an excellent trio that included pianist Franceso Nastro, bassist Dario Rosciglione and drummer Pietro Iodice. This trio was wonderful! Francesco's piano playing was adventurous and deeply probing; Pietro's fire and sensitivity beautiful while Dario provided a solid anchoring of the time. In the beginning, no one knew what to expect as we had never played together before, but, almost immediately, a great rapport was established. This concert was met with much excitement by our audience as reflected by their enthusiasm. I would love to work with them again and am positive that the opportunity will present itself again! My teaching at the Testaccio school was to be four rehearsal/workshops with their bands and three trumpet seminars that could be attended by the public. There were students and professionals, and though the classes were small, I believe we all learned much from our time spent together; I know I did! It seems to me that every time I teach I learn more than anyone else, and this is one of the things that makes teaching like this so exciting for me. As a result, the school is very interested in having me return soon which is something I will look forward to eagerly. My work in Italy was completed with a concert at ENZIMI which is a festival that includes all the professional schools in Rome and is an exposition of the work of their students. I performed an hour and a half concert with the top band of the Testaccio School which included both top professionals and very talented, advanced students. The band was really "up" for this concert and they played beautifully! The brass was precise and swinging, and the saxophones were roarin'! Of course, this was laid on top of an excellent four person rhythm section. The musicians I worked with in Rome were all top-notch players, and they love what they do. It was a pleasure for me to work and play with them! I felt I left many friends in Rome when I returned to this country; I look forward eagerly to returning in order to renew those friendships!

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