Description
From a young age, Dr. Gary Fienberg displayed a talent for music. He embarked on a musical journey starting at age 5, and through innate talent and dedication to his music, became a skilled and artistic trumpet player. Dr. Fienberg 's passion for big band, jazz, and brass band music was evident throughout his life. He performed in prestigious concert halls in Europe and graced the orchestra pits of Broadway and shared his talent at thousands of gigs in between. In addition to his performances, Dr. Fienberg was a cherished music professor at The College of New Jersey, where he taught many popular music courses and coached many talented musicians and groups over his 20+ years there.
Dr. Fienberg’s presence always made every event better; his humor, storytelling prowess and genuine interest in talking to everyone in the room was a skill he mastered with ease. He remained bosom buddies with friends from every stage of his life and made a lasting impact on old and new friends alike.
His educational journey was marked by his dedication to learning. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Carnegie Mellon and received his Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from the University of Pittsburgh.
Dr. Fienberg loved teaching, and his students loved the compassion and mentorship that he offered. He made music accessible and exciting and would want more than anything for more students to be able to listen to, learn from and perform great music at TCNJ.
The Department of Music inspires students to be creative and skillful musician educators and performers, guided by the philosophy that performing, creating, teaching and thinking about music are inseparable. Join us in honoring Dr. Gary Fienberg with a gift to TCNJ’s Department of Music for a scholarship for a deserving music student. Thank you!
On November 4, 2023, Old Heights Brewing Co. will be launching a new drink called Band Practice in memory of Dr. Gary Fienberg.