Mark Rymer wanted to be the principal trumpet player of the FullScore Chamber Orchestra, but he had some work to do before he auditioned, said the ensemble’s artistic director and conductor Ron Arden.
With diligent practice, Rymer, a graduate of Zion-Benton Township High School and Northern Illinois University, auditioned for and got the gig, only to pass away about a year later April 25, 2011, at the age of 34, Arden said.
But Rymer’s name and his talent are not forgotten. For the past several years, the FullScore Chamber Orchestra has presented a spring concert tribute to Rymer, which includes performance by the Mark Rymer Jazz Ensemble. The concert is funded by the Mark Rymer Tribute Fund, administered by Rymer’s family, Arden said, and it also pays for college scholarships to music students at Zion-Benton Township High School.
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The concert on Saturday at the Village Church in Gurnee will showcase music of Count Basie and Leonard Bernstein, both composers Rymer enjoyed, Arden said.
It will also include a piece, Rymer’s son, who is 7 years old, has selected, a medley from “Jurassic Park,” Arden said.
The concert opens with an orchestral piece, “Jubilee” written by Ron Nelson.
“It’s very brass heavy. I always start with a heavy brass piece at this concert in honor of Mark,” Arden said.
The jazz ensemble will then perform music of Count Basie.
“He’s the Leonard Bernstein of the jazz world,” Arden said. “Basie was a fantastic band leader, musician, composer and player. He was one of those jazz greats and everybody plays his stuff.”
The orchestra also will perform Bernstein’s “Symphonic Dances,” based on music from “West Side Story.”
“It’s very jazzy. There’s a lot of rhythmical diversity,” Arden said. “This concert is all about music that Mark liked.”
Scholarship students selected this year are flutist Ivette Enriquez and bass clarinetist Kalina Hull, who will study music in college next year, he said.
The winner of the first scholarship, David Godbolt, will perform bass clarinet with the orchestra during the concert. The Zion native received his music education degree and now teaches, Arden said.
Rymer played baseball, basketball and golf and took piano and trumpet lessons while attending Zion-Benton. He majored in music education at Northern Illinois University, where he became the drum major and also played with the jazz band and wind ensemble. He taught at Lake Bluff Elementary School, then returned to his alma mater to teach and start a jazz band. He also received a master’s degree in music education from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago.
Arden said teaching at Zion-Benton was Rymer’s dream job because he loved encouraging young people to pursue their passion for music. That is why establishing a foundation that provides scholarships to young musicians is so appropriate, Arden said.
Sheryl DeVore is a freelance writer.
FullScore Chamber Orchestra: Mark Rymer Tribute: Bernstein & Basie
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Village Church, 1319 Hunt Club Road, Gurnee
Tickets: $15 or $18 at the door; children ages 12 and younger free
Information: 847-746-3472; fullscore.org