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John Chapman - Euphonium
John began his instrumental career playing cornet in the White Pigeon, MI (look it up – it makes Cohasset look large) 5th grade band. By the time he reached the big leagues at East Lansing high school it became apparent to a discerning band director that he didn’t have the chops for trumpet, but baritone (aka euphonium) might be just his ticket. And so it was, though in high school he also dabbled in trombone for marching and tuba for the jazz band. Then it was off to college and the 16-member baritone horn section of the Michigan State University Marching Band. Retirement followed until opportunity for a second career presented itself in 1995 when Rev. Ed Atkinson put a notice in the Cohasset Mariner looking for players for a marching band. Instrumentation was thin in those early days, so it was fortunate that John’s grade school cornet was still in the closet. After a few years of struggling to hit the high notes amidst a growing group of not-at-all-rusty trumpet players, John acquired a euphonium of his own (throughout his early career he used school instruments) and made his move to the low brass section, where he remains today.
John’s three children, now ages 28-32, all played in the Cohasset High School band. Mark, the oldest, had the distinction when he was a senior of being the only member of his class still in band. That was the year Stephanie Moriarity arrived and began the wonderful rejuvenation of the CHS instrumental music program, and John is proud that his children were “founding members”, so-to-speak. It helped tremendously, of course, that they’d all learned their instruments with the tutelage of the Skippers’ own Steve Biagini, whose contributions to music in Cohasset go far beyond his invaluable direction of the Rusty Skippers.
When not enjoying the Skippers or his vocation doing health services research, John’s pursuits include playing tennis with a group that stared a year before the Rusty Skippers did, volunteering with the Cohasset Appalachia Service Project Group and serving on the Cohasset Advisory Committee.
John began his instrumental career playing cornet in the White Pigeon, MI (look it up – it makes Cohasset look large) 5th grade band. By the time he reached the big leagues at East Lansing high school it became apparent to a discerning band director that he didn’t have the chops for trumpet, but baritone (aka euphonium) might be just his ticket. And so it was, though in high school he also dabbled in trombone for marching and tuba for the jazz band. Then it was off to college and the 16-member baritone horn section of the Michigan State University Marching Band. Retirement followed until opportunity for a second career presented itself in 1995 when Rev. Ed Atkinson put a notice in the Cohasset Mariner looking for players for a marching band. Instrumentation was thin in those early days, so it was fortunate that John’s grade school cornet was still in the closet. After a few years of struggling to hit the high notes amidst a growing group of not-at-all-rusty trumpet players, John acquired a euphonium of his own (throughout his early career he used school instruments) and made his move to the low brass section, where he remains today.
John’s three children, now ages 28-32, all played in the Cohasset High School band. Mark, the oldest, had the distinction when he was a senior of being the only member of his class still in band. That was the year Stephanie Moriarity arrived and began the wonderful rejuvenation of the CHS instrumental music program, and John is proud that his children were “founding members”, so-to-speak. It helped tremendously, of course, that they’d all learned their instruments with the tutelage of the Skippers’ own Steve Biagini, whose contributions to music in Cohasset go far beyond his invaluable direction of the Rusty Skippers.
When not enjoying the Skippers or his vocation doing health services research, John’s pursuits include playing tennis with a group that stared a year before the Rusty Skippers did, volunteering with the Cohasset Appalachia Service Project Group and serving on the Cohasset Advisory Committee.