Youngstown lost someone special

The announcement of the death of longtime Youngstown resident Esotto Pellegrini on Dec. 6. probably went unmarked by most of the Vindicator's readership, but "Pelli's" passing marked the end of a remarkable chapter in the history of music in the Mahoning Valley ... a more extensive history than people might realize.
Pelli, as he was known to everybody, was a trumpet player -- one of the greatest trumpet players of his generation, a generation that produced numerous superlative performers on the instrument. Pelli easily could have left Youngstown and made a successful career in New York City, or Hollywood, for he was that good. However, apart from a brief stint as a radio studio trumpeter in Cincinnati, Pelli returned to Youngstown. He chose to live and raise his family here.
For many years, Pelli was the senior trumpet instructor at the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University, and it is in recognition of this that the residents of Youngstown ought to pause for at least a moment to think of a man who brought both honor and a great reputation to this city.
For a period of time extending from the late 1960's until his retirement in the early '90s, Pelli showed innumerable trumpet students at YSU "how the thing was done." Trumpet students, both undergraduate and graduate, who were offered scholarships at renowned music conservatories and who could have chosen anyplace to go, picked Youngstown and Youngstown State solely because of Pelli. They wanted to have the opportunity to sit next to him in a lesson, listen to how he played, and hope that someday they might measure up.
Tough love
One of the kindest of men, Pelli wasn't always the sort of private instructor who would patiently tell a student "Do it this way." Rather, his attitude was entirely realistic: "If you want to play professionally, you'll have to play as well as I do, or better. Let's see what it'll take to get you to that point."
This attitude of unsurpassing excellence was contagious. The members of the brass faculty at the Dana School of Music were influenced by Pelli, and that influence spilled over onto the rest of us who were fortunate enough to be studying there at the time. Many, many Dana brass students from those days -- trumpet, horn, trombone, and tuba -- went on to professional careers throughout the nation and the world. The word got out in the music business that some very special things were happening in, of all places, Youngstown, Ohio.
Pelli's influence reached far, and will continue to do so. He wasn't the only trumpet instructor YSU ever has known, but to use an overworked clich & eacute;, he "raised the bar" pretty darned high for us, and in so doing, he made us better musicians. It never would have crossed his mind that he was doing such a thing, but he brought glory to the Dana School, YSU, and the city of Youngstown. We musicians always will remember him, and he will be missed.
Master Sergeant Jeff Bowell is a trombonist with the United States Air Force Band of Liberty. He and his wife, Shawn, live at Hanscom Air Force Base. He holds a bachelor and a master's degree from the Dana School of Music at YSU.