The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
‘Pioneer’ song debuts at concert
Elyria man composes a song for the Elyria Bicentennial
Clarence Barber says events should be celebrated with music.
So when the 66-year-old Elyria composer learned of a bicentennial celebration, he wrote a song, “Pioneer,” for the occasion.
“I think any time you have a community event like a bicentennial or a sesquicentennial, the youth like to be a part of it,” Barber said. “And I like (Elyria High School Band Director Aaron Putka) and the job he’s doing with the kids. So I wrote a piece for the bicentennial so they can feel like they’re a part of the celebration, too.
“It’s an overture style piece,” Barber said. “I’m not much of a march writer, because Henry Fillmore and John Philip Sousa already wrote all the good ones.”
A former instrumental music director at Midview Schools for 21 years, Barber retired in 2006 after more than 31 years in education.
Now he’s managing editor of Ludwig Masters Publications, an educational and concert music publishing firm that specializes in band, orchestra and string orchestra music. They also offer tunes for jazz bands, chorus, and solos and ensembles.
“We’re the third largest music publishing company in the United States,” Barber said, “so it’s a sizeable organization.”
Barber knew at a young age growing up in Canal Fulton he wanted to join the band.
‘When I was five years old, I went to my first band concert,” Barber said, “and I knew in my mind that I was going to be in the band. And I’ve listened to bands ever since.
“My dad and mom were both in the high school band I played in,” Barber said. “I was very lucky it was the best band in Ohio at the time. We had an assembly program. I was in kindergarten and I’ve never forgotten it. I can tell you what they played. I remember the uniforms they wore. I’m from a large family of 10 brothers and sisters. I’m the only one who went on in music. One of my sisters played in the band. My dad was very gifted. He was a clarinet player and a tenor. He sang in our church. Unfortunately he didn’t give me his voice. But he gave me his ear.
“I started on clarinet, but I was a really bad clarinet player, so I switched to percussion,” Barber said. “I started writing in high school. I wrote a lot of bad percussion music.”
He also played in a contemporary music band outside high school, he said.
“I just love the sound of a band,” Barber said. “(Putka) and I play in the Patriot Community Band. I play a lot. Playing drums is a lifelong passion. Everybody should keep playing music.”
Barber said he does not remember how long it took to write “Pioneer.”
“I’ve written a dozen works since then because I needed to write some small group pieces for kids at Midview.
Every piece is different. I’ve written some band pieces overnight. Some take weeks. They all take on a life of their own.
“I basically hear it,” Barber said. “I’m really fortunate. I write on what we call a condensed score, just two or three lines. Two lines for notes and one line of percussion. Even looking at those three lines, I can hear a whole band. I hear a band in my head all the time.”
He has written concertos for members of the Cleveland Orchestra, he said, and other pieces for a member of the United States Air Force Band.
“Sometimes I still hand write music. I sketch,” Barber said. “Sometimes I write on the computer. Once I jot down some ideas, then I can go to the computer. The computer can play it in real time.
“Basically the only emotion I ever hope to get from a group that is performing is a love for music,” Barber said. “There is something special about high school band performers. If they get some enjoyment out of playing the piece, then that’s a good thing, because band kids are some of the best kids in the world.”
Nancy Noble, Lorain, said she enjoyed the concert which included her two open-enrolled girls: 16-yearold Mia in the Symphonic Band, and 15-year-old Nia in the Concert Band.
“I like that new piece, ‘Pioneer,’” Noble said. “And it’s that they have it just for the school. I never saw a school have it’s own piece.”
Barber said he thrives on seeing the light come on in a student’s eyes when the music reaches them.
“I tell people I may not be very rich, but I’m the luckiest man in the world,” Barber said. “I don’t have to work from nine to five. I get to make music every day. When I was teaching school, people thought I was odd. But working with band kids is the best experience. They keep you young. And they made me a better composer. They keep pushing me. The thing about kids is if you do something for them, they would work so hard. Even if the piece was too difficult they would find a way to play it anyway because they were so pleased to play something that came out of me.
“In 21 years I couldn’t wait to get to work every day,” Barber said. “Working with kids never ever got tiring.”