Description

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When little Vanessa started playing the clarinet, the only thing on her mind was having it make funny and sometimes pretty sounds. Little did she know that Clara, her Clarinet, would give her more than the "Gift of Music". After squeaks, squawks, and years of diligent practice, a beautiful friendship formed and the two became inseparable. Clara began taking Vanessa on exciting and amazing journeys. After joining the Air Force Bands and moving to Europe, they lived a fast-paced life. They traveled from country to country, from concert to ceremony and from military base to opera hall playing beautiful music and seeing many sights. Follow Clara, Vanessa, and the Air Force Band as they step off on a tour across Eastern Europe right after the fall of communism. Explore with them a mysterious and once forbidden land. Their passage into to Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, marked a turning point in the lives of the band as they were welcomed as unsung heroes. Why were the people of Pilsen so thankful to Americans? Join Clara and Vanessa as they experience more than the joy of playing an instrument in a traveling band. Live through a moment in history that had been silently waiting 45 years to happen.

About the Author

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Vanessa Lawicki Vache was born and raised in the Cleveland Ohio area. She is the daughter of watercolor artist Phyllis Lawicki and was taught by her Mother as she was growing up, however her love of music over shadowed her love of painting. She received her Bachelors of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music and her Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School studying with notable professors, Leon Russianoff and Charles Neidich. During that time she attended the Bowdoin Summer Music Festival and the Spoleto Festival. Following completion of college she took a position as Principal Clarinetist with the Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional de la Republica Dominicana, in Santo Domingo. After returning to the United States Ms.Vache served with the Air Force Bands living in New Hampshire, Germany and Warner Robins GA. Because of traveling demands while raising two small children Ms. Vache decided to peruse a teaching career. So teaching music along with playing was the next stage in her professional life. Ms.Vache moved to Florida where she has been teaching PreK-2 through eighth grade music while free-lancing on the Clarinet, Saxophone and Recorder. She performs in many musical groups including The Walt Disney World Orchestra, local symphonies, concert bands and various other music ensembles, and holds a position as Clarinet Professor at Valencia College. It was during her teaching career that she realized the need to share the story of Pilzen and the Military Heroes of World War II with her students."It was many years later that I realized what an extraordinary life changing adventure we had. Just telling my students about it in class didn't do the experience justice. Also I wanted to have a book that would discuss life as a musician from the beginning to help and encourage young musicians." Ms.Vache lives with her Jazz Clarinetist husband Allan Vache. She has a Son and Daughter that are percussionists.