ST. MARYS – A benefit concert for Nicholas J. Sinibaldi held
here Saturday was a huge success, with 137 musicians coming
together for the love of music and their respect for Sinibaldi.

Greg Larson, a former student from Sawyer City, played coronet
and baritone for Sinibaldi almost 50 years ago.

“I haven’t played for 43 years, but this is just for him,”
Larson said.

Larson drove from Pittsburgh to attend the concert and share the
memories with other former students and colleagues. He brought
along a poster with photos, programs and other paraphernalia from
his years as a student.

“He had very high standards and expected very much from
everyone,” Larson said. “He gave his best and expected the same. He
had a good sense of humor. He was just a really nice guy.”

Pat Luckinbill, a music teacher and colleague of Sinibaldi’s,
echoed those statements, saying “He really loved teaching. He would
even take kids home to practice for his wife. He was amazing.”

Sinibaldi was involved in the music field for more than 52
years. He began his career at the Foster Township Elementary School
in Bradford, later moving on to Bradford High School. He is known
in Elk County for his career at both St. Marys Area and Elk County
Catholic high schools in addition to instructing at various
elementary schools. For more than 22 years, he was also involved
with summer band clinics at Clarion University. He did receive the
Phi Beta Mu outstanding band director in 1984.

“My best memory of Mr. Sinibaldi was he encouraged everybody,”
Larson added. “Everybody got a pat on the back. Your part was the
most important part in the band.”

Former student Sally Ridgway Boehner learned to play the
clarinet from Sinibaldi in St. Marys. She drove from Mars to
perform in his memory.

“We were outside finishing up marching band practice and his
oldest daughter and her little child stopped by,” Boehner said. “He
was standing up in front of the band giving a speech. The child got
away from his mother and came running yelling ‘Grandpa!’ Mr.
Sinibaldi turned around, scooped him up in his arms and never
missed a beat. I will never forget that.”

For her part, Nancy Wildfire-Arnold said “Once you played for
Mr. Sinibaldi, you could never not play for him. You always want to
play again.” Wildfire-Arnold played first chair flute.

“He taught most everybody here or their parents,” Marin Wyatt
Ridgway said. Ridgway played the flute during the concert.

All the donations collected at the concert went into the
Nicholas J. Sinibaldi Scholarship fund.