Mark Teofilo RIP

[stein456]

Dear friends. It is my regettabile task to inform you that Mark Teofilo has died.

Mark passed as the result of an apparent heart attack, Saturday, December 17 at Flushing Hospital in Queens, NY.

Mark was a snare drummer in the Emerald Cadets of Connecticut and also was a member of the remarkable Bayonne Bridgemen snare lines of the early eighty's

This is crushing news for everyone that knew him. He was a kind and gentle soul and a very talanted percussionist and teacher.

May God bless him and keep him. Rest in peace Mark... you will be missed. stein

[hurcwave]

Mark was a great guy. I met Mark when he was with the Conn Classics and I was the snare tech back in the late 70's., He then went on to march in the GREAT Bridgemen drumlines from 80-82

RIP Flea!

[cabalumnidrummer]

Bob Steinhilber and Vic Kulinski were longtime friends and colleagues of Mark Teofilo. Many on here did not know him at all. I hope Bob and Vic will indulge me and not mind if I post my comments here from the Mark Teofilo Tribute page on Facebook. More corps folks should know about his legacy at St. Francis Prep, and the hundreds, if not thousands of young lives he enriched during his 25-year tenure there. He started out as a 'drum corps guy' but he went on to do so much more as a percussion educator and performer. Many others knew him far better than I did, but these are my personal reflections that I posted upon his passing. Rest in Peace, "Mr. T!"

I first met Mark Teofilo in the summer of 1991. Our son Peter began his first band camp that August. At the time I was teaching drums at St. Clare's and St. Joseph's parish drum corps in Queens, and had recommended to several of my drummers that they go to Prep because of the excellent music program. Mark and I knew and respected each other's work before we ever met.

During Peter's years there, I began to offer to help with the marching band drum section as a 'band parent,' and Mark graciously allowed me 'into his world.' At first I helped repair and tune the drums and assist loading and transporting the percussion equipment when they went to band contests. Eventually, he asked if I wanted to help instruct, and I became his informal, part-time snare tech, helping whenever I could be there. I was simply a drum corps drummer, but Mark was so much more. He may have begun drumming in drum corps, but he went much further, becoming an accomplished musician, an extremely talented percussionist.

Our daughter Caroline started during Peter's senior year, and I continued to help with the marching drum section through her senior year. Six years later, our daughter Kristin arrived at Prep, and she, too, played in the percussion ensemble and marching band pit. She was thrilled that he picked her to play the tympani parts for the "Hallelujah Chorus" at the Christmas Concert. He could have done it himself, but he chose to let her have the chance to perform it. She considers that one of the highlights of her years at Prep and has kept that music to this day.

Mark's work at SFP was far more than the marching band drum section, of course. Throughout the years, his Percussion Ensemble continued to grow and excel under his instruction and leadership. We would often talk about drum corps, but it was clear his interest was far wider than just marching percussion. He delighted in having his percussion ensemble become proficient enough that they were made a part of the annual winter jazz band concert. This year's Christmas Concert was the first we had seen in several years, and we were thrilled that the ensemble was part of it, and how good they were. He was clearly proud of them and pleased with their performance as well. I am glad I had the chance to talk to him that night. Little did I know it would be our last meeting.

For the past twenty years, I have admired Mark's Teofilo's work, his dedication to his students and St. Francis Prep, and his overall professional demeanor. He was always an extremely respectful individual. For years, I told him to please call me 'John,' but he always greeted me as "Mr. Smith," right up to our final meeting on December 9. Come to think of it, I always called him "Mr. T" or "Mr. Teofilo," such was my respect for him and what he did for my own children as well as all his Prep students. He will be sorely missed by his friends, colleagues and students.

I join with Bob, Vic, his Bridgemen friends and his St.Francis Prep colleagues in mourning the passing of their friend, Mark Teofilo.

[ironlips]

I extend my deep condolences to Mark Teofilo's family, many friends and hundreds of students. Rest assured he did much good in his lifetime.

Frank Dorritie

Band Director, St. Francis Prep, 1973-76

Brass instructor, Bayonne Bridgemen, 1982-83