Norwood High Senior Embarks on Tour of Great Britain-August 1, 1971

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Jeffrey Chesebrough, a senior at Norwood High School and an accomplished baritone player whose musical interests span everything from classical pieces like Tchaikovsky to rock music, spent part of his summer on an international concert tour of Great Britain. Selected as a member of the 65-student Massachusetts Youth Wind Ensemble, directed by Frank L. Battisti, Jeffrey Chesebrough traveled to England and Scotland in June to present five formal performances. Among the tour’s highlights was an invitation to perform an evening concert at the prestigious Usher Hall in Edinburgh after earning high ratings at the International Festival for High School Bands.

The son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred C. Chesebrough of 20 Heather Drive, Jeffrey Chesebrough grew up in a deeply musical household. As his mother noted, every member of the family plays an instrument—except for his youngest sister, Judy, who was soon to begin piano lessons, and sister Janet. While Mrs. Chesebrough required all her children to take at least a year of piano, Jeffrey Chesebrough gravitated toward brass instruments starting in the sixth grade, eventually mastering the baritone, trombone, and tuba. His musical dedication earned him spots in the Norwood High concert, marching, and stage bands, along with selection to the Southeast District Band, the All-State Band, and a recommendation for the All-East Band. Reflecting on the international tour, Jeffrey Chesebrough remarked, “The kind of music we play and the way we are taught to play it makes you really proud to be a member of the band,” adding that audiences abroad were far more receptive than he anticipated, particularly responding with vigorous applause to Sousa marches. With plans to major in music at Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio, and pursue a teaching career, Jeffrey Chesebrough credited much of his success to the robust training received through the Norwood High music department and hoped to rejoin the ensemble for future international trips. (Reporting by Greg Foster; Photography by Kenneth F. McLean).

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger