2024 Falcone Festival Donors

August 1, 2023 - July 31, 2024

Prize Underwriters
Tom & Joyce Broka : Emil & Doris Ellis Family Foundation : Cecilia Falcone
Douglas & Jane Goodrich : William & Doris Kooyer : Family of Seymour & Faye Okun
Philip & Carolyn Sinder : Roger & Nadine Weyersberg

Donors
Dr. Paul Carson : Dr. Chris Combest : Don Little : John & Anita Muller : Scott & Barbara Myckowiak
Ron & Sunny Newman : Jonathan & Robin Rowe : Dave Topping : Laura Topping : Sue Topping

In memory of Lance LaDuke
Dave Cleland

The Ed Livingston Tribute
First Prize for Tuba Students
Mark Drake : Martin Erickson : Sharon Huff : Tim Loehr : Rex Martin : Dr. Jerry Young : David Zerkel

 About the Ed Livingston Tribute

Edward Allen Livingston (1935-2012) was a professional tubist and music educator. Ed’s first professional gig was at the age of 17, when he subbed as solo tubist with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Ed received his Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Tuba Performance and Music Education degrees from Western Michigan University. He served as tuba soloist with the United States Army Field Band in Fort Meade, MD. He studied tuba and instrument design at London’s Royal College of Music on a Fulbright Scholarship. While there, Ed studied conducting with Leonard Bernstein, performed with the leading European bands and orchestras, and was selected to solo for the Queen of England. His tuba design features, still evident in many European instruments, and his practical approaches to the design of tubas were the direct result of his many years as teacher and performer.

Ed became the first Tuba/Euphonium professor at Illinois State University (1968), served as Director of Bands (1977-1984), founded the Big Red Marching Machine (the world’s largest college marching band at the time), and established the State of Illinois High School Invitational Marching Band Championship, which continues as the premier state marching band competition to this day. After his retirement from ISU in 1997, Ed continued teaching and mentoring tuba and euphonium students. Today Ed’s students can be found performing in the military bands and professional orchestras, and teaching in public schools and universities around the world.

In 1984 Ed left ISU; he taught private students, adjudicated music festivals, and presented master classes. As tuba soloist, he performed under the batons of Leonard Bernstein, Sir Adrian Boult, Merle Evans, Paul LaValle, and Arthur Fiedler and was a performer in numerous Broadway shows, studio recordings, and chamber brass groups.

“Ed Livingston never sought the spotlight for himself, but pushed his students forward and gave all of us the most precious commodity of all: the gifts of his time and support from the start. All of us are STILL reaping the benefits of that gift.“ ~Marty Erickson

Several of Ed’s former students (see above) make annual contributions in his honor to support First Prize for Tuba Students in the Falcone Festival Competition