This is Dr. John Marcellus, conductor of the Chautauqua Lake Pops Symphony Orchestra with Sharon Owens who performed on the floating stage last summer in Mayville as Barbra Streisand. She truly takes on the Streisand persona in voice and in appearance each time she takes the stage! John took over the Pops conductor position as music director from 2012 to present after the late Bruce Morton Wright conducted the orchestra for many years. Prior to becoming the conductor Dr. Marcellus played trombone in the Pops orchestra.
Dr. Marcellus is currrently Emeritus Professor of Trombone, Eastman School of Music During his career he was a trombone musician and teacher. He was Professor of Trombone at the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester, and past Chair of the Woodwind, Brass and Percussion Department. In addition to his trombone teaching responsiblities at Eastman, Marcellus was the conductor of the Eastman Trombone Choir, Eastman Bionic Bones (jazz trombone ensemble) and the trombonist with the Eastman Brass. Dr. Marcellus joined the faculty of the prestigious Eastman School in 1978 and was named the Kilbourn Professor from 1982-1983. He succeeded the famous trombonist and teacher, Emory Brace Remington who served as Professor of Trombone at Eastman for 49 years from 1922-1971. As a trombone teacher Remington was affectionately known to his students as "The Chief". He was fond of singing and during his lessons he would sing along with the student's trombone sound.
John "Doc" Marcellus' proteges and former students can be found playing in the many philharmonic orchestras around the world. These include many military bands and the renowed Glenn Miller Orchestra.
Professor Marcellus retired in 2014 after 37 years at Eastman and is currently Emeritus Professor of Trombone.
Marcellus holds a B.S. degree in Music Education from the University of Maryland. Since 1979, he has taught at the Chautauqua Institution and served as the Principal Trombonist with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and has been a guest musician at the Chautauqua School of Music. He served as a guest conductor at the National Music Camp in Interlochen in 1982 and has performed as a soloist with the U.S. Navy Band in Washington D.C. In 1997, he was given the Mu Phi Epsilon Musician of the Year award. Mu Phi Epsilon is a co-ed international professional music fraternity with over 75,000 members in 227 collegiate chapters and 113 alumni chapters in the US and abroad. The fraternity was found on November 13, 1903 at the Metropolitan College of Music in Cincinnati Ohio. Their motto is Seeketh not its own.
I took the top photo after the Chautauqua Lake Pops Labor Day concert last summer. After posing for the photo, Sharon shared with me that John was her step-father. A few years ago when Sharon performed her Streisand show at a Bemus Bay Pops concert Dr. Marcellus and Sharon were asked to join the Dalpra family for dinner on the deck of the Italian Fisherman. During dinner Sharon told John her mother would "be a perfect match for you, John". She eventually called her mother and set up a FaceTime session for them .. and the rest is history.
Be safe.
Pat Locke
Maestro Muse
