A tribute to Patrick V. Renzi

The first concerts of the 2023-2024 season are presented in memory of and in honor of Patrick V. Renzi, a long-time member of the Schenectady-Saratoga Symphony Orchestra.  Patrick was born in Schenectady in 1934 and passed away at the Glendale Nursing Home on January 21, 2020.

Patrick attended and graduated from Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) in Albany and went on to earn both Bachelor’s and Master of Fine Arts degrees from the New England Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts. One of the finest classical trumpeters to emerge from the Capital District, Patrick studied under Roger Voisin, Principal Trumpet of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. While in Boston, Patrick was an alternate for both the Boston Symphony and the Boston Pops and was in line for full-time positions in both.  Unfortunately, his father passed away and Patrick returned to the Capital District to care for his mother.

He became a full-time Instrumental teacher at South Colonie High School and taught there for over thirty years.  South Colonie High School still presents an award in his honor for an outstanding senior instrumentalist.  Patrick was also a Tanglewood Music Fellow in 1963.  His musical accomplishments include playing for both John and Robert Kennedy, and in 1969 performing at the World’s Fair in Montreal, Canada with the Boston Pops.  Here in the Capital District, he played with both the Schenectady-Saratoga Symphony, the Albany Symphony, Whitney’s in Saratoga, and in the pit orchestra for many of the shows at Proctors Theater. Patrick joined the SSSO trumpet section in 1951, the 18^th season, while still a teenager. He quickly rose to the position of Principal Trumpet and played with the orchestra until he retired in 1992 after the 58^th season, playing with the orchestra for 41 seasons.  Patrick gave many private lessons to some of the best high school trumpet players and many of his students went on to become accomplished musicians.