Local musician in the Miller mood
The (Pottstown) Mercury/August 27, 2000
By C.D. Six
Mercury Graphics Editor
Most college graduates will take their first job as a means to bigger and better things.
For 23-year-old Pottstown graduate Dylan Schwab, it was no different, except that that job is playing trumpet for the Glenn Miller Orchestra.
"It's not like a real job," jokes Schwab. "We play 300 concerts a year, it's pretty much a different town every night. You learn to live out of a suitcase and hotels, but it pays the bills. It's mostly younger people in their 20s playing. It's a stepping stone, you meet so many people."
Schwab, who graduated last December from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN., with a degree in music, was contacted last year by a friend who was leaving the band and was trying to find someone to fill his spot.
"It's all who you know," says Schwab, coining another old job hunters addage.
An audition tape later, Schwab found himself making his debut with the orchestra on New Year's Eve in Iowa.
He's been on the road almost nonstop since.
"I've been all over the country, except for the west coast," said Schwab.
A quick glance at the band's itinerary reveals stops in places as far reaching as California, Texas, Wisconsin and finishing the year in Florida. In between is a scheduled cruise, and the band just got home from a tour of Japan.
" We just got back from a tour in Japan," he said. "The Japanese people are more reserved and clap politely, but we had a concert every night and they were all sold out."
Late July was the first time he had been back in his native area for any real length of time since starting with the orchestra, and except for a short vacation the band has scheduled at the end of September, Dylan expects to be on the road for a good portion of the rest of the year.
"We had a week off over Easter, and another at the end of September," he said. "If we don't play a Christmas gig we will have that."
It's not all fun and games. The 17-piece, two-vocalist orchestra plays nearly 300 concerts a year, making it one of the most active "ghost bands" still touring. On the road almost nonstop since Miller's untimely disappearence in World War II, the band has collected some 300 to 400 tunes in it's songbook Schwab has become adept at reading new charts and honing his skills.
Still, Schwab knows that there are certain songs that will be in every concert.
"We have to play "In the Mood," "Moonlight Serenade" and "Chattanooga" every night, or people would be upset," he said. "but we have a lot of araingements from other bands as well."
Working hard at his music has never been a problem for Schwab, who began taking trumpet lessons in Pottstown schools in fourth grade from Mike Snyder. His school music career saw him play in district, region and state jazz bands, spend four years as a camper and one as a counselor at the New England Music Camp with Pottstown music legend Porter Eidam, and participate in a percussion, brass and dance group while at Indiana.
Schwab is quick to credit the teachers who inflenced his playing. As a student he took lessons from Snyder, Kevin Rosenberry, Ken Brader, John Romel, Ed Cond and Bill Adam.
Like most young trumpet players, he was introduced to jazz by band directors.
" Mr. (Chuck) Dressler pretty much got me into jazz," he said, crediting the Pottstown band director "He was a great jazz band director."
Schwab is enjoying the chance to play in a famous orchestra, but his musical taste is not limited to creating the unique style which has become the signature "Miller Sound."
"I like that style," he says. " Everyone likes the music, but not necessarily the style. Many prefer playing in smaller groups. I like playing all kinds of music. I kind of miss playing classical, even the wacky 20th century stuff."
"I like anything with trumpets," he continues. "I'm a big Maynard (Ferguson) fan. Especially his big bands of the '50s."
Schwab is by no means ready for his own "Moonlight Serenade" with the orchestra, he is content to develop his skills with the band for the forseeable future, continue to meet people and earn his bill money doing something he loves..
"If I want I can get a real job," he says. "but it's a good time to do something like this, when there is no house, no car payments, and you are not tied down to anything."
The (Pottstown) Mercury/August 27, 2000
By C.D. Six
Mercury Graphics Editor
Most college graduates will take their first job as a means to bigger and better things.
For 23-year-old Pottstown graduate Dylan Schwab, it was no different, except that that job is playing trumpet for the Glenn Miller Orchestra.
"It's not like a real job," jokes Schwab. "We play 300 concerts a year, it's pretty much a different town every night. You learn to live out of a suitcase and hotels, but it pays the bills. It's mostly younger people in their 20s playing. It's a stepping stone, you meet so many people."
Schwab, who graduated last December from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN., with a degree in music, was contacted last year by a friend who was leaving the band and was trying to find someone to fill his spot.
"It's all who you know," says Schwab, coining another old job hunters addage.
An audition tape later, Schwab found himself making his debut with the orchestra on New Year's Eve in Iowa.
He's been on the road almost nonstop since.
"I've been all over the country, except for the west coast," said Schwab.
A quick glance at the band's itinerary reveals stops in places as far reaching as California, Texas, Wisconsin and finishing the year in Florida. In between is a scheduled cruise, and the band just got home from a tour of Japan.
" We just got back from a tour in Japan," he said. "The Japanese people are more reserved and clap politely, but we had a concert every night and they were all sold out."
Late July was the first time he had been back in his native area for any real length of time since starting with the orchestra, and except for a short vacation the band has scheduled at the end of September, Dylan expects to be on the road for a good portion of the rest of the year.
"We had a week off over Easter, and another at the end of September," he said. "If we don't play a Christmas gig we will have that."
It's not all fun and games. The 17-piece, two-vocalist orchestra plays nearly 300 concerts a year, making it one of the most active "ghost bands" still touring. On the road almost nonstop since Miller's untimely disappearence in World War II, the band has collected some 300 to 400 tunes in it's songbook Schwab has become adept at reading new charts and honing his skills.
Still, Schwab knows that there are certain songs that will be in every concert.
"We have to play "In the Mood," "Moonlight Serenade" and "Chattanooga" every night, or people would be upset," he said. "but we have a lot of araingements from other bands as well."
Working hard at his music has never been a problem for Schwab, who began taking trumpet lessons in Pottstown schools in fourth grade from Mike Snyder. His school music career saw him play in district, region and state jazz bands, spend four years as a camper and one as a counselor at the New England Music Camp with Pottstown music legend Porter Eidam, and participate in a percussion, brass and dance group while at Indiana.
Schwab is quick to credit the teachers who inflenced his playing. As a student he took lessons from Snyder, Kevin Rosenberry, Ken Brader, John Romel, Ed Cond and Bill Adam.
Like most young trumpet players, he was introduced to jazz by band directors.
" Mr. (Chuck) Dressler pretty much got me into jazz," he said, crediting the Pottstown band director "He was a great jazz band director."
Schwab is enjoying the chance to play in a famous orchestra, but his musical taste is not limited to creating the unique style which has become the signature "Miller Sound."
"I like that style," he says. " Everyone likes the music, but not necessarily the style. Many prefer playing in smaller groups. I like playing all kinds of music. I kind of miss playing classical, even the wacky 20th century stuff."
"I like anything with trumpets," he continues. "I'm a big Maynard (Ferguson) fan. Especially his big bands of the '50s."
Schwab is by no means ready for his own "Moonlight Serenade" with the orchestra, he is content to develop his skills with the band for the forseeable future, continue to meet people and earn his bill money doing something he loves..
"If I want I can get a real job," he says. "but it's a good time to do something like this, when there is no house, no car payments, and you are not tied down to anything."