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Jan Lescher
The first question people ask me when they learn about my musical hobby is “How did you (implied: a female) start playing the TROMBONE?” My answer is always the same; when I was in third grade they herded us into the school gym, sat us on the floor, and the two band directors for the district took turns demonstrating the different instruments. Phil Meyer played “Around the World in 80 Days” on the trombone, and I was instantly in love for the first time in my life – half with Mr. Meyer and half with the horn. Since Mr. Meyer was taken, I decided to take up the trombone, and had a great time with it for 5 years. I gave it up in high school and didn’t give it much of a thought until 30+ years later when my son started playing in 5th grade and I decided to see if I still could make a sound. It was weak and shaky, but still there, so I joined my first big band where I met Ross Mannina, a trombone/bass guitar player who also played with the Yorkville Band. Several years later he asked me to sub for him at a 4th of July gig in Yorkville, and the rest is history. Over the years I’ve played with the Music Makers, the Moonlighters, the Naperville Area Trombone Ensemble, the Concordia University Community Band, and a brass quintet. I am an inside sales rep for a steel company, have two wonderful kids who both graduated from the University of Illinois in Champaign, and a marvelous new husband who supports my addiction to big band music.