Remembering Ernie Hill

in answer to a question about the location of his library.......

You're probably right about Mr. Hill's Library. But I thought that the first floor library was a part of the Bangor Library System and I was thinking of that collection.

I think it was the Fayscott Band Library that was given to the Bangor City Band.

I came across that picture of the camp faculty at Maine Music Camp in Farmington and it took me back a few years. I attended camp in the summer of 1963 [I think].. John Parker was my French Horn teacher and I recall playing under Mr. Hill as well as the Jack's. Nina Bailey did the chorus. BTW my wife (Connie Musick) was at the same camp, though I didn't know her at the time. She and I auditioned for band at the Conservatory at the same time. She can recall it with great detail...mmmmm..we won't go there right now :-)

Best to all...
Arnie Poland

hi all,
i started taking trb. lessons from ernie in1959, when i was in 7th grade. ernie was eighty at the time, and had been my father's band director at cony high in the 1930's. ernie had a studio in the civic building(time,temp building in portland) for a few more years, then gave it up.all through high school years , friday night, my father would pick ernie up( at this point ernie had a minor fender-bender and decided it wasn't safe for him to drive anymore) and bring him over to our house and i would have my lesson.ernie was incredible for his love of music and sharing it with others;in his eighties he was out at least 4 nights a week to rehearsals, WW1 veterans band, romano's band( a community band,mostly old italians who came here in the 1930's), portland commandery band , just sitting and listening, every once in a while directing, often times next to me pounding on my leg to get me back on beat or whatever.lessons with ernie were not just about playing, it was theory, analysis and appreciation. all through conservatory years i would see him whenever i got back down to portland-he lived on park ave, and weather permitting we'd find a bench in deering oaks , talk music, play chess, or just hang out.he had so many wonderful stories and experiences in a very full long life.my father had a lot of his library, and recently gave alot of it to portland commandery band after he stopped directing it, and some of it went to bagaduce. i still have a march that ernie wrote in the 1930's(??). i can remember putting it out a few times , a great piece but quite challenging. it so good to hear "ernie stories", he was my mentor for a long time ( i guess in some ways he still is.....).he once said to me, something to the effect of "no one owns knowledge, what i teach you, whatever you learn, whereever, is all due to others, caring, taking the time to give this knowlecge a place to grow- pass it on". sorry for being so long-winded

daryl

Mr Hill in the early years....