Walter "Wally" Alesse
Although Mr. Alesse says he has little memory of the
beginning of his musical life, he does recall his mother telling
him that one night around midnight, she and his father were
awakened by the sound of the family piano.
She said she went to the parlor to find Wally playing the
piano. He was 3
years old. It had no
conformity to her, but in Wally’s mind, he was totally engrossed
in what to him created great musical satisfaction.
In kindergarten, Wally gravitated toward
the piano in the classroom.
He says he must have impressed his teacher as one day
after class, she took him to the auditorium to show him the
9-1/2 foot concert grand piano. Wally
said he sat at the piano and was so totally captivated with its
beautiful sound that he didn't notice a gentleman had entered
the auditorium. He learned later that the gentleman was the
school principal who, throughout Wally’s elementary schooling,
gave him encouraging compliments. Memories of Wally’s playing
continue in Junior High School in Brooklyn where he played
clarinet in the school orchestra. The JHS principal urged him to
study the string bass as the orchestra was lacking that
instrument. He
continued to study and perform on string bass until he
graduated. His
mother wanted him to continue his musical studies in high
school. However, at
that time, high schools in New York City lacked music
departments. Only the High School of Music and Art and the High
School of Performing Arts offered music courses. Wally
auditioned for the High School of Music and Art and was
accepted. That school prepared him well for college. After World
War II, he entered The
Manhattan School of Music, under the GI bill, where he majored
in piano and graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
The following year, he returned to earn his Masters Degree with
a major in Music Theory and Composition.
In 1958, Mr. Alesse
joined the Guy Lombardo
orchestra, performing at the Peter Stuyvesant Hotel in New York
City where the television performances were created for New
Years Eve. A year later, he left the band to return to college
to earn a Masters Degree in Education. In 1962, he
began teaching at the
West Babylon Senior High School where he remained until his
retirement in 1985.
Mr. Alesse said his years at West Babylon were most rewarding!
Working with the music students was a Joy!
Presently, Mr. Alesse is performing in Port
Jefferson in the Wave Lounge at Danfords Hotel and Marina. At
ninety-one years of age, he is still performing.
Mr. Alesse said he is always surprised when patrons
comment "you're ninety one years old and you’re playing the
piano”. His response
"musicians never die they just fade away” always gets a chuckle.