By EMMA LAUS
On November 2, Eaton Chapel was filled with community members and students alike for a set of lively jazz performances. The event was scheduled from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in honor of Beloit alumni, music instructor and musician Jack Farina. Farina was heavily involved in the Beloit music scene and community at large, performing and instructing for the majority of his life.
Beth Pohl, secretary of the Performing & Applied Arts department remembers Farina as a spirited and friendly colleague and friend. “Jack would always come to visit … [he] just loved to talk to people and I appreciated being able to spend time with him,” she says. “He would tell me these stories that I wish I’d written down. He’s had quite an eclectic life, but he chose to come back to Beloit.”
After graduating from Beloit College in 1956 where he studied music and education, Farina joined the army, performing in the Bagpipe & Bugle Band. Upon returning to Beloit, he began a 31 year career as a music instructor at Beloit Catholic High School, also teaching at other schools in the Beloit area. He also instructed and directed the percussion section of the Beloit College jazz band in the 80’s and 90’s. According to Pohl, Farina was good-natured and bubbly, but took teaching seriously, getting straight to business in rehearsals.
Beyond his passion for teaching, Farina also loved performing. In 1968, he started the Jack Farina Band, which continues to play once a month in downtown Beloit. The band has also performed in Rockford, Lake Geneva, Delavan and Janesville. “For years there were people in his band that were driving down from Madison to play with Jack and it wasn’t that they were getting paid a great deal, but they just liked to honor him,” says Pohl. “People just respected Jack and his gift [for music].” His band has played all over the Beloit community — on campus and off campus at charity events, fairs and summer concerts.
Farina’s love for music and teaching inspired many, making this a special event for both the college and larger Beloit community. “People far and wide have known Jack for a long time, that’s why we felt this has to be open to the community,” says Pohl.
The event included performances from the Beloit College Jazz Band, Beloit Turner High School Jazz Ensemble, Beloit Memorial High School Jazz Orchestra, and to finish out the night, the Jack Farina Big Band performed with trumpetist Tony Scodwell, the 2013 Beloit College Ferrall Artist in Residence, and longtime friend of Farina. Between pieces, fellow music instructors and bandmates shared fond memories.
This variety in performances represented the scope of Farina’s impact, bringing musicians and audience members together to honor Farina’s legacy and enjoy jazz.
Featured Image Credit: Beloit College Magazine
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