Music is hobby and vocation for Advocate player

By Vicki Stevens
Staff Writer

Mike Swaffar's parents weren't musicians, but the Advocate Brass Band member says they always encouraged him to pursue lessons and develop his talent.

As a boy growing up in Tulsa, Okla., Swaffar started out learning the piano, later took up the clarinet, and by junior high was playing the saxophone. In college, he took up ``everything else.''

``I quit playing for free in the seventh grade,'' says Swaffar, who lives in Lancaster. ``My first job was a three-hour dance, and it paid $4, total. I thought I was in seventh heaven.''

Since those early days, Swaffar has pursued his love of music both as a hobby and a vocation. He makes his living as a marketing and sales consultant for Yamaha corporation, traveling about 20 weeks of the year and calling on colleges, universities, retail music dealers, artists and sometimes public schools in Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri.

In his free time, he plays clarinet not only in the Advocate band but also New Columbian Brass Band.

Over the years, he's headed band programs at Transylvania University in Lexington and Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn., performed with the Barnum and Bailey and Shrine circus bands, played for the Ice Capades, and backed up big-name performers the likes of Bob Hope, Mel Torme, Andy Williams, Glen Campbell, The Temptations and The Spinners, to name a few.

Most of the performances have been right here in Kentucky, at large concert and convention halls such as Rupp Arena and Louisville Garden., with Swaffar playing saxophone and clarinet mostly, and sometimes the flute.

``You get a reputation as a player and a contractor will hire you,'' particularly if you read music well and understand style, he says.

Swaffar earned a bachelor's degree in music education at the University of Tulsa, playing bassoon in the school band and with the Tulsa Philharmonic Orchestra during his college days. After graduating, he taught band in Kansas for four years and, in an interesting sidebar, also was the assistant football coach.

Graduate work brought him to Kentucky where he earned his master's degree in music performance from Morehead State University. He played in various orchestras, bands, jazz groups, quartets, quintets -- ``everything I could play in,'' says Swaffar.

He started the band program at Transylvania University, where he taught in the music department and was director of the fine arts center. Along the way, he played with the Lexington Philharmonic and the Dave Parry Orchestra.

From Transy, Swaffar went to Austin Peay as director of bands. Though he taught some courses, he says his job was mostly to recruit students to the school's marching, concert, pep and jazz bands.

Later, after moving back to Lexington, he worked as an educational representative for a music store, calling on schools and selling musical instruments, music and accessories. That's how he met his wife, Phyllis, a teacher and guidance counselor at Garrard County High School who's now retired.

Martin McKay, the school band director, introduced the couple. Later, after McKay moved on to another job, Swaffar was hired to replace him and headed Garrard County's band program for a year.

Swaffar has worked for Yamaha for 17 years now. He used to travel four days a week, 50 weeks out of the year, and his territory included much of the eastern United States.

A collector of antique musical instruments, he has found some interesting pieces while traveling on the job. His collection numbers probably 30-40 instruments now, most of them saxophones, flutes and clarinets. One of the most interesting is a 1896 Conn Wonder Model flute, unusual because it's in the key of D instead of C.

Swaffar also serves on the board of directors of the North American Brass Band Association which he helped form 16 years ago for British-style brass bands. Each year, the association sponsors a competition for adult, amateur bands. The competitions are held across the country and in Canada.

He also finds time to teach clarinet at Centre College and sing in the choir and play occasionally for his church, First Presbyterian in Lancaster.

And then there's the Great American Brass Band Festival, an annual ritual each June. The Swaffars usually have house guests and make a weekend of the event. When Swaffar isn't on stage himself, he enjoys taking in performances by the other high-quality bands that make the festival what it is.

``It's a lot of fun. It's a good time,'' he says.