Jeffrey L. Meyer
 

Biography

I was born in Proctor, VT and raised in Brattleboro, VT until age 13 then moved to Guilford, VT in 1977. As an infant, age 2 or so, I played around with pots & pans and soup cans making 'music'. When I was around 3 or 4 years old, my mom & dad got me a recorder to play around with. I also played with a harmonica for a while, but never really mastered it.

I also had interest in art and took some lessons at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center (pictured). I painted a large mural on the wall in the basement, which was a painting of the museum itself. The museum also serves as the Brattleboro, VT train station (lower level).

Brattleboro Museum & Art Center - Brattleboro, VT - Photo courtesy Herbert Meyer In grade 4, 1973-74, I took lessons for Bb trumpet with Jim Kurty, instructor. I learned trumpet very quickly and became 1st trumpet in the Brattleboro All-School Elementary Band and Marching Band. We  practiced and performed concerts at Green Street School in Brattleboro, VT. I played 1st trumpet for 3 years then played in the Brattleboro Junior High School band. After I moved to Guilford (8th grade), there wasn't enough students to make  a band, but I continued lessons with Bruce Corwin, instructor.

Returning to Brattleboro Union High School in 1978 for 9th grade, I auditioned for the Senior High Band and got in first try. Because of my experience the director, Robert Simonds, made me 3rd trumpet, which had more difficult music to play. I did challenge for 2nd and 1st trumpet and won, but everyone agreed I should play 3rd because of my experience. While a member of the B.U.H.S. Marching Band I played sports events at many locations, participated in the Cavalcade Of Bands (Ludlow, VT if I remember correctly). Our band was invited to perform in the Macy's Day parade in N.Y., and I was to perform a solo in concert formation. However, our director refused the invitation until the following year because the band wasn't synced well (with many new inexperienced members), and he didn't want us to embarrass ourselves. Unfortunately I left school the next year before the parade, so I never got to do the solo. Brattleboro Common Bandstand - Brattleboro, VT - Photo courtesy Herbert Meyer

Our band director was very good. He made many of us change instruments from time to time, so we could substitute for absent members, especially in concerts. I played many different instruments, including: trumpet, baritone (euphonium), trombone, French horn, sousaphone, xylophone, glockenspiel, timpani (kettle drums), bass drum, cymbals, triangle, tubular bells, wood block, cow bells, tambourine and various other percussion instruments. I wasn't very good at bass drum because I always lost count with the repeats in the sheet music. 

I also helped put together and participated in the B.U.H.S. Jazz Ensemble, an after school program. There were only about 8 of us that played, including our director Robert Simonds. I also played in the Brattleboro Area Community Band for 2 years playing trumpet and trombone. We performed at the Brattleboro Common and the Esteyville (Estey St) Bandstands and others in the surrounding area. Esteyville Bandstand - Estey St., Brattleboro, VT - Photo courtesy Herbert Meyer (Estey St. is named after the founder of the Estey Organ Co., Brattleboro, VT)

After leaving high school I didn't do much with music for a while. I sold my trumpet and got a trombone that I played for a short time. I had to give it up after an infection that caused me to lose all my teeth. Around 1984-85 I was playing around with an old organ and got interested in learning piano. Unfortunately I couldn't afford one at the time. But, I lucked out when our VT National Guard Armory decided to discard an old piano they had.

The piano had a story of it's own (pictured). It was a D.W. Karn & Co. built piano, made in Canada in the 1800's. It was owned by the U.S. Navy in N.C. and was taken overseas during the WWII. After it was brought back to the Piano states, the U.S. Navy gave it to the VT National Guard Armory in Brattleboro, VT (Co B, 2nd Btn 172nd Armored Div). The armory was moved to Westminster, VT in the late 1970's, if I remember right. It was used there for a few years for entertainment after weekend drills and such.

When they decided to get rid of it they pushed it down a flight of stairs causing the sound board to split in two and a large chuck of wood was torn off one side and 2 wheels were sheered off. My dad, the 1st Sgt at the time, asked me if I wanted it. Well of course I said yes. We picked it up from the armory and it rained on the way home, so much of the old varnish came off. So I spent 3 months stripping it down to bare pieces, repaired the missing chunk using some veneer plywood and refinished the entire thing. I had to repair a few hammers and strings, too. I tuned up as best I could by ear. Not bad for my first piano. It was a barroom style piano, and was really loud so I muffled it some with a blanket.

The first song I played on it was The Entertainer by Scott Joplin. In the next couple years I basically taught myself how to play, and composed a few songs along the way. Later I bought a Hyundai upright console. I also took some lessons at the Brattleboro Music Center for a few months with Luba Lischynsky, instructor/pianist. She was a good teacher but she had to put up with my stubbornness at times. I did learn some valuable things from her, though and I am very grateful for that. Some day I hope to return there and participate again.