… and he blew that room away!

The “mini-reunion at Steve Herseth’s home was a real blow-out

A group of alumni from the Class of ’69 and friends held a Chicago area mini‑reunion on February 9, 2019, at the River Forest home of Stephen Herseth and his wife, Mary Jo.

Attending were John Darrow and Jill Kirk, Terry Light and Holly Light, Mike Hummel and Ann Hummel, Dave Stretch and Cindy Goulet, and from Boston, Gary Fauth and Bo Fauth.

They were also joined by the Herseth’s daughter Carolyn and special guest John Hagstrom, Second Trumpet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

The guests enjoyed good conversation, good food, and a special presentation of the trumpet collection owned by Stephen, which he inherited from his father, Adolph “Bud” Herseth, who performed for 54 years as the First Trumpet of the CSO. Mr. Hagstrom, who is preparing a book on the life and music of Bud Herseth, presented a program featuring the trumpets used by Bud Herseth during the early years of his trumpet training, and his schooling at the New England Conservatory of Music and Tanglewood Festival, before his appointment as First Trumpet of the CSO in 1948.

The trumpets included the Cuesenon trumpet on which he auditioned for the CSO and the Vincent Bach trumpet he purchased to use at the start of his career in the CSO. Also on display were other trumpets used during Mr. Herseth’s virtuoso career, many of which were featured on performances with Fritz Reiner, Sir Georg Solti, Daniel Barenboim and other major symphonic conductors.

Mr. Hagstrom also performed excerpts from some of the better-known trumpet repertoire, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Stephen Herseth is planning to donate the trumpet collection to the Yale Museum of Musical Instruments, where they can be used by students at Yale and be available for study and viewing.

Adolph Bud Herseth – Mahler 5 (Opening)

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition + Encore / Solti Chicago Symphony Orchestra