Terry
Mizesko
F E AT U R E D W O R K
America the Beautiful
BORN: September 21, 1946, in Morehead City, North Carolina The beloved song “America the Beautiful” was arranged for the North Carolina Symphony by Terry Mizesko, who was bass trombonist for the Symphony from 1971–2017. He is a native of Morehead City, North Carolina, and a graduate of East Carolina University, where he studied composition and trombone.
FUN FACTS • Terry Mizesko was the North Carolina Symphony’s bass trombonist for 46 years. During his time with the North Carolina Symphony, he played for every music director except the founder, Lamar Stringfield. • The North Carolina Symphony has performed his compositions and orchestrations in classical, pops, and education concerts throughout the state. • He enjoys great art, good food, and spending time with his wife, who is a violist with the North Carolina Symphony, and their two children.
Mizesko has conducted the North Carolina Chamber Players, the Governor’s School Wind Ensemble, the Raleigh Youth Symphony, and the Duke University Wind Symphony. He also appeared as guest conductor with the North Carolina Symphony and with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra in education concerts. He taught trombone for more than 20 years at several area schools including Duke University, UNCChapel Hill, and St. Augustine’s University. He now devotes much of his time to composition and his family.
Melody
The main idea of the music... the line that you walk away singing