The Wishing Well – A Tribute
At the end of December, the Harborfields High School Wind Ensemble
premiered a composition dedicated to the late Bob Domencetti, one of the
district’s beloved past band directors.
“When Bob suddenly passed away in 2014, we wanted to find a meaningful
way to honor him through music,” said Harborfields High School Band
Director Allison Scilla.
Many of Domencetti’s family, friends and former students, taken with the
idea, helped fund a commission penned by world renowned composer
Rossano Galante. Using knowledge shared about Domencetti’s life and
work, Galante crafted and completed an encomium entitled “The Wishing
Well” in the summer of 2018. The high school wind ensemble began
rehearsing the piece in the fall.
A week prior to the premiere, Galante traveled from California to
Harborfields High School to work with the band. He spent the day
teaching and rehearsing with students, and he shared the good news that
this composition will be published by G. Schirmer in 2019.
“Through publication and giving other schools the opportunity to
perform ‘The Wishing Well’ Bob’s legacy will live on and grow,” said
Harborfields K-12 Music Department Coordinator Daniel Bilawsky.
About Bob Domencetti
Robert V. Domencetti was a native Ohioan and a graduate of
Baldwin-Wallace College and Kent State University. He studied with
conducting legends William Revelli, Fredrick Fennell, Frank Battisti,
Fredrick Ebbs and Kenneth Snapp. During his 14 years of teaching in
Ohio, his bands consistently received the state's highest ratings. After
establishing himself as an educator of note in his home state, Mr.
Domencetti moved to Greenlawn, NY, becoming the driving force behind the
band program in the Harborfields Central School District. He became a
valued member of the community, raising his children there, and went on
to become the district's Director of Music. He continued to work as both
a band director and administrator there until he retired in June of
1999. Bob was a friend and mentor to everyone he came in contact with
during his years in the education profession and beyond. He is sorely
missed by those who knew him.