Nicholas John Perrini
January 6, 1932 - June 20, 2019
Nicholas John Perrini, age 87, passed away Thursday, June 20, 2019. He was born on January 6, 1932 in Columbus, Ohio to Nicola Modesto Perrini and Christina Agriesti Perrini. He graduated from Columbus Central High School and received his Bachelor's degree in Music Education degree from The Ohio State University and a Masters in music theory from The Ohio State University. He also served two years the United States Army as a First Lieutenant in the tank corps, including a 20 month tour of duty in Germany serving as Platoon Leader of the Sixth Armored Cavalry.
His incredible accomplishments in the music field began as a piano student of Edith Pedrick whom he often identified as the most influential teacher in his life. Late in his sophomore year of high school he was introduced to the horn which became his lifelong love and passion. He joined the band at Columbus Central High School in his junior year and went on to OSU where he performed in the concert band and orchestra as principal hornist but also was proud to have spent three years playing in the marching band, TBDBITL.
When he returned to Columbus after serving in the Army, he was hired in 1958 by Capital University to teach horn. He went on to serve in the same job at the same place for 53 years, a remarkable record for anyone. During that time, he also taught trumpet, tuba, brass pedagogy, all levels of theory, including counterpoint, orchestration, form and analysis, and music history and he conducted the Concert Band, Marching Band and all opera/music productions from 1979-2002. He was especially proud of developing the horn program from one student in 1954 to as many as 26 students in the studio in 1973 and hosted 26 horn festivals. His horn choir performed twice at the prestigious Heldenleben Horn Competition and he was also chosen to serve as a judge for the competition. He also developed the orchestral program from what started as 16 university performers in 1973 to a large university/community orchestra (up to 70 performers) and upon his retirement became Conductor Emeritus. Nick's students have gone on to study and/or teach in the nation's most prestigious academic institutions and to play in outstanding musical ensembles throughout the country.
As a performer, Nick gave 50 faculty recitals, founded the Capital Brass faculty brass quintet and played many years with the Capital Winds faculty woodwind quintet. He not only performed and conducted in his career, he was also a published composer.
Nick was also active as a performer in the central Ohio area by performing as Principal Horn in the Columbus Symphony Orchestra for 22 years and was in the section an additional 13 years before that. He was also the first collegiate student to be hired to play in the Columbus Little Symphony, which later became the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. Two of his most memorable moments were being featured as soloist with the orchestra twice. He gave many other performances throughout Ohio and he performed with the Wheeling Symphony, Springfield Symphony, Lima Symphony, Mansfield Symphony, Licking County Symphonic Orchestra, Lancaster Festival Orchestra and Central Ohio Symphony Orchestra.
In 1973 Nick was honored with the Ohio House of Representatives Musicians Award and was inducted into The Columbus Senior Musicians Hall of Fame in 2003 and named Professor Emeritus at Capital in 2011.
In any spare time, Nick enjoyed fishing, wine-making, reading, listening to music of all types and spending time with his family.
Those surviving who will cherish Nick's memory include his wife, Janet Perrini; children, Elisa Fitzmartin (Michael), Justine "Tina" Baker (Chip), Catherine Rice (Jeff) and Cynthia Fox (Aaron); 9 grandchildren, Megan Fitzmartin, Victoria Fitzmartin, Sean Fitzmartin, McLean Fitzmartin, Marcella Thompson, Zachary Hartsell, Haley Bok, Cameron Bok and Olivia Rice. Also surviving is one sister-in-law, Irene Perrini, nephew, Ed Perrini and niece, Chris Castle and their families plus many cousins and other relatives. In addition to his parents, Nick was preceded in death by his brother, Edward Perrini.
Visitation will be held 1-4 pm and 6-8 pm Sunday at Schoedinger East Chapel, 5360 E. Livingston Ave., where the funeral service will be held at 11 am Monday, June 24, 2019. Private family interment to follow at Lithopolis Cemetery. Rev. Drew Tucker, officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Nicholas J Perrini Scholarship, Capital University, 1 Main St., Columbus, Ohio 43209.
Nick was a member of the marching band from 1951 through 1953, He played Alto horn.
