Patrick J. Henning taught, inspired thousands of young musicians
By Tim Hadac
Managing Editor
Managing Editor
Southwest Chicago Post
A man widely acclaimed as a giant among school bandleaders and teachers—not only in the Chicago area, but also in the Midwest—recently waved his baton for the last time at an emotional farewell concert at St. Laurence High School in Burbank.
Patrick J. Henning, who taught more than 10,000 student musicians during his 46 years in music, led an alumni orchestra of more than 100 former students from St. Laurence, Queen of Peace, Brother Rice and Mother McAuley High Schools, with considerably more than a hundred former students and their families, as well as colleagues, family and friends, in the audience at the event—dubbed The Legacy Concert--on June 7.
 |
| Patrick J. Henning conducts at his farewell concert. |
Henning is the son and protégé of the late Leo J. Henning, as much an acclaimed bandleader and music educator as his son, with a career that spanned from 1942 to his retirement in 2000, eight years before his death.
Like his father, Henning was renowned for building school bands that were “more than a band that plays the school song at football games,” as he said at the farewell concert, imparting class and sophistication to student musicians.
In written remarks reflecting on his career, the younger Henning gave much credit to his mentor father.
“My college buddies have proclaimed for 50 years, ‘Henning is the only one of us that has never had a job or worked a day in his life,’” he wrote. “I couldn’t agree more. How does one get up every day of his life and get to do what he loves to do, which is my passion for music and teaching, and call it work?
“Professionally, my life could not have been better,” Henning continued. "As I have said many times, one of the greatest gifts I have received in life was being able to work side by side with my father for 30 years.”
He also thanked Susan, his wife of 47 years—“the cute little percussionist Susan Farrell of the Quincy University Wind Ensemble”—for marrying him and being his “soul mate, rock, lover and best friend.” He also tipped his cap to his three children and six grandchildren.
The concert itself was classic Henning—an “old chestnut” like Franz Von Suppe’s “The Poet and the Peasant Overture,” challenging and ambitious works played beautifully (most notably John Mackey’s “A Hymn to a Blue Hour”) with a bit of pops thrown in (Sammy Cahn’s “Come Fly with Me”) to lighten the mood and get the audience smiling and swaying in their seats.
The concert program noted that in addition to having an impact on four high school bands (St. Laurence, Brother Rice, Leo and Little Flower), Henning’s work touched 20 elementary school bands, including St. Alexander and Incarnation in Palos Heights. He started band programs at six grade schools, including St. Al’s.
 |
| Henning (right) and Rich Daniels. |
Many of his students have gone on to careers and music teachers and bandleaders, including saxophonist Rich Daniels, who founded the famous City Lights Orchestra more than 40 years ago. Daniels was a featured soloist at the farewell concert.
In advance of the emotional sendoff, a number of Henning’s former students sent him messages of gratitude.
Several agreed to share excerpts with the Southwest Chicago Post.
“Words will never be able to express my gratitude for the amazing experiences that I was given as a member of the bands in which you were the director,” wrote Jenny Albright, a pre-kindergarten teacher and 1996 Mother McAuley graduate who grew up in Palos Heights and played in the Incarnation band under Henning. “’Thank you’ does not seem like enough for all that you have taught and done for me for the past 30-some years. You taught me how to try and play not one, but three instruments and were so patient when I got tired of one and moved to the next. Thanks for also helping my mom by letting me borrow a saxophone and clarinet, because she somehow knew I would change my mind.”
Palos Heights native Keirsten Sullivan Grant, a 1987 Mother McAuley graduate, echoed the sentiment.
“It has been a long time since you first put a flute in my hands at Incarnation and encouraged me to join the band at Brother Rice,” she wrote to Henning. “The experiences along the way were amazing. We managed to beat St. Rita at Music Bowl in 1984, win State of the Art for the first time in 1985, travel to Ireland in 1986, and win State of the Art again in 1987.
“I will forever be grateful for those experiences, but what I will remember most was the work involved in getting there,” she continued. “You and Leo not only taught us music, but shaped our character, as well. You both challenged us to do our best, and we learned that with hard work, discipline and practice, great things are possible. They can even be enjoyable along the way.”
A video of the concert is in editing and will be posted in the weeks ahead, according to a spokesperson for St. Laurence High School.
# # #
# # #
No comments:
Post a Comment