Narducci Takes his Leave at Winds Concert

At the spring concert of the PUC Symphonic Wind Ensemble, band director and music professor Kenneth Narducci gave his farewells to a packed Paulin Hall Auditorium.

After 24 years of contributing leadership, excellent teaching, and some of the campus’ most charismatic music, Narducci and his wife, Julie, are heading to Southern California. Narducci will be the director of wind and percussion studies at La Sierra University. “It’s just time on a couple different levels to try something somewhere else,” said Narducci, who has been teaching at the college since shortly after graduating from PUC. “But the heart will always be here.”

Midway through the May 20 program, band members showed several minutes of video clips with messages of thanks and farewell from students, faculty and friends of Narducci. It was really no surprise to hear students say, “I’m who I am today because of you,” “You are the teacher who has had the most impact on my life,” and “Doc, you are my hero.” Faculty and community members thanked Narducci for his commitment to excellence, his initiative in starting the PUC Jazz Band, and his ability to bring students to a level of musical ensemble performance that exceeded their own expectations.

Audiences have come to expect excellently performed foot-tapping music from the Wind Ensemble, and Saturday night’s concert fulfilled expectations with works ranging from Eric Whitacre’s “Cloudburst” to Sousa’s “The Washington Post March.” The program was followed by a crowded farewell reception for Narducci, provided by the music department.