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01/30/2019 07:30 AMWhat’s not to love about the cello? As one of the most versatile of the strings, it can soar to the highest notes and rumble through spine-tingling low tones. It’s certainly one of the reasons why Patricia “Patti” Smith-Romanski is excited to bring Joyful Noise! A Concert of Cellos to her community on Sunday, Feb. 10 at 4 p.m. at Guilford First Congregational Church.
“The cello can take the upper range, but it also has the bass and it has everything in-between, so the sound of a cello ensemble is really a beautiful sound,” says Patti, who will be joined by three equally gifted and talented professional musicians and friends: Ravenna Michalsen, Philip Boulanger, and Dr. Sara Bennet-Wolfe.
If you’re counting, that makes four—so why not call it a quartet?
“Musically, if you say quartet, most people think two violins, viola, and cello,” says Patti. “And that’s probably the most common quartet in the classical music realm. But it really could mean four of any instruments, so in this case, it’s four cellos.”
But in this case, there’s really no better way to describe the sonic range audience members will encounter on Feb. 10 than with the word “ensemble,” says Patti, who plays in the New Haven Symphony Orchestra.
Patti also plays as substitute cellist in other orchestras across the state, as well as with a couple of opera orchestras, including Opera Theater of Connecticut in Clinton.
As a faculty member at Neighborhood Music School (NMS) in New Haven, Patti collaborates with her friend and co-faculty member Michalsen to arrange music for a cello ensemble they’ve been gathering for about three years during a six-week NMS program, Summer Cellos. The program culminates with a multi-generational ensemble performance populated by 20 to 25 cellists.
When Patti and her pals come to play at First Church’s sanctuary on Feb. 10, they’ll bring music offering something for everyone to enjoy, Patti says. The concert mix will include a bit of Bach, a Mozart overture, Astor Piazzola’s “Libertango” (a collision of classic music-meets-tango), an opera set, and even some Disney tunes.
“I think it’s a really fun concert for sophisticated concert goers and enthusiasts or for kids who are maybe even just thinking, ‘What does a cello sound like?’” says Patti, who has been teaching cello to children from her Guilford home studio for 20 years.
The concert is supported by the Myrtha Licht Fund of Guilford First Congregational Church. Additionally, free-will offerings are accepted at the concert.
“There’s a really beautiful acoustic in there, and it’s a space that’s comfortable for audience and performer alike. It’s not too big, so there’s a personal connection. It’s a lovely place to perform,” says Patti.
Sharing her talent is wonderful way to contribute to her church, and Patti is happy to give back.
“For me, because I’m a member, I give to the church my music,” says Patti, who has offered Joyful Noise concerts in past years, as well. “I love playing in the church, because its giving back. That’s my connection, and a lot of others’ as well, like the choir. They meet every week—they’re a dedicated choir, just giving music to the church. So I’m like an auxiliary choir!”
Patti adds she’s honored to be playing at First Church with three remarkable, giving people in Michalsen, Boulanger, and Bennet-Wolfe. The ensemble of four formed up about two years ago.
“They’re just great musicians, and they’re really interesting, loving people as well,” says Patti.
Michalsen formed Dignity Music, a nonprofit providing free classical music to area homeless people.
“She raises money to pay musicians to come and play with her. It’s really rewarding, and people love it. It’s a very special program,” says Patti. “Philip [Boulanger] is the cellist in the Haven Quartet, which is sponsored by a non-profit called Music Haven—they provide instruments and lessons to New Haven kids who don’t have music programs. That’s an incredible program as well.”
Bennet-Wolfe, who specializes in Suzuki cello, directs Fairfield County’s CelloFest in Norwalk, an all-day celebration of the cello for children through collegiate/pro and adult amateurs. Some 85 participants were lined up to play the closing cello ensemble concert during this year’s festival at Norwalk City Hall on Jan. 26. Patti attended as teacher/participant.
A Musical Family
Patti grew up in a musical family and was encouraged to first try cello by her mother, a violinist and elementary school string teacher on Long Island. With her husband, Jim Romanski, Patti has raised a musical family of her own, including daughter Sydney, 23, a violin player; and son, Nick, 21, who plays cello.
Patti is happy to note that three generations—her mom, herself, and her two children—all currently play together as part of a multi-generational community orchestra in Old Saybrook, which performs two concerts per year.
“It was started by a violinist, because there is no [public school] string program in Old Saybrook, and she wanted her students to have an ensemble. So this is the perfect vehicle for kids who don’t have access, or adult amateurs who want to play in an ensemble,” says Patti.
Patti was thrilled when she first learned of the orchestra and delighted to have it welcome her son so he can experience ensemble play.
“Nicky has multiple disabilities. He has autism with intellectual disability and he also has a diagnosis of epilepsy. So it’s been a challenging road with Nick, but he’s a great kid, and he loves music. It’s one of his favorite things to do,” says Patti, who taught her son to play cello.
To help Nick learn, she customized lessons, came up with special arrangements of music, and guided practice sessions.
“It took a long time to develop the coordination, like fingers down on a string with enough force to get a pitch, but it eventually came,” she says. “Then, we took the giant leap to join the community group in Old Saybrook. I sit with him, and sort of prompt him and coach him through. And I actually got into arranging because I was arranging the cello parts which were too hard for him, so I’d kind of blend the cello and the bass parts into a part that he could play.”
She’ll also make some adjustments to help Nick dial back on difficult runs, such as those requiring rapid-fire 16th notes. For his part, Nick loves picking up the cello and playing with the community group.
“It’s just the highlight of his life to do this,” Patti says. “It’s nonverbal, but it’s expressive. And it’s doing something in a community. And everybody in the orchestra is just incredibly nice, and loves what they’re doing.”
Patti also thanks her son for helping her to grow as a music educator.
“When you teach a significantly disabled person, you have to kind of dig deep and figure out, ‘How can I get them to do something that’s maybe not easy, but so much easier for someone who has more typical capability?’ So I feel like it’s made me a better teacher,” says Patti.
For anyone interested in pursuing a career as a professional cellist, Patti’s advice is to be disciplined and practice, practice, practice. She looks for practice pieces students will relate to, as a way to help motivate them to practice on their own.
“It’s hard! It does take self-discipline,” Patti says. “But you have to practice, or you don’t get better!”
View a video clip of cellist Patti Smith-Romanski at play in her Guilford studio here
First Church presents Joyful Noise!: A Concert of Cellos on Sunday, Feb. 10 at 4 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Guilford, 110 Broad Street. The concert is supported by the Myrtha Licht Fund; a free-will offering will be collected. For information, call 203-458-9701.