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10/23/2011 12:00 AMBeloved Daniel Hand High School (DHHS) music teacher Richard Fasano of Madison died Oct. 21 after a long battle against colon cancer.
Fasano began teaching music 38 years ago at Brown School and during his tenure taught at every grade level, settling at DHHS 20 years ago and retiring last year. During those 19 years, he has taught sectionals, stage band, concert band, symphonic band, and marching band. In addition, he had been the K-12 music program coordinator for 24 years.
At a 2010 awards ceremony, Hand Principal Barbara Britton said of Fasano, “It is magical to watch Richard conduct over 200 student musicians at one time…Over his tenure at DHHS, the number of students participating in band has dramatically increased from 89 to 247. The success of this program is directly related to his talents, attention to detail, love of music, and the relationships he builds with his students.”
Fasano was honored as the district's Teacher of the Year in 2006. As testament to his dedication as a mentor and model teacher, five of his students are now teachers in the district. In his remarks at the reception, Fasano said, “This was never work. For 38 years, I got the opportunity to do what I love to do.”
In his 2006 Person of the Week profile, Fasano recounted his response to learning he had colon cancer in 2005 and undergoing treatment at the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
“It was coming back to these kids,” he said. “Checking out of that hospital, changing those clothes to these, walking back into the band room, and getting the energy from those kids…That's my therapy.”
His funeral Mass is Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 10 a.m. at St. Margaret's Church, Madison.