Contorno, Nick, 1938-2014

Nicholas J. Contorno, Jr. was born in Wisconsin on July 20, 1938. According to his obituary in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, he began playing the saxophone at age four after hearing it on the radio, and he went on to play cornet and flute as well. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, and a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He taught at Dominican and Kettle Moraine high schools, and led the Kettle Moraine band to play at the Cotton Bowl, the Indianapolis 500 parade, and the Orange Bowl. He joined the faculty of Marquette University in 1983, where he served as director of music programs until his retirement in 2007. Throughout his career, Contorno remained active as a musician and bandleader in big bands and numerous other ensembles in the Milwaukee area, amassing a sizeable collection of scores and parts alongside his own compositions. Contorno also performed with the Milwaukee Symphony accompanying Linda Ronstadt, Natalie Cole, and Mel Tormé, among others. Contorno died on February 2, 2014.