Gary Press

Member-at-Large, Personnel Manager

Gary Press is one of original playing members of the South Jersey Area Wind Ensemble and has been its Personnel Manager from its beginning. Born and raised in northern New Jersey, he graduated from East Paterson High School in 1973 as an All State Tenor Saxophonist. He later earned his Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Kean University in 1978. There, he studied Oboe and English horn with the renowned English hornist from the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Englebert Brenner. Gary then earned his Masters Degree in Music Education from Montclair State University in 1982 while still studying with Mr. Brenner.

While in North Jersey, Gary performed with many ensembles such as the Ridgewood Wind Ensemble on Bass Clarinet and Baritone Saxophone and the Waldwick Community Band on Alto Saxophone. He also performed with the Suburban Symphony Orchestra in Cranford, New Jersey where he was the personnel manager as well as the featured English Hornist and 2nd Oboe. He was a regular in the pit orchestra of the Playhouse on the Mall in Paramus, NJ. A member of Musicians Union, Local 802, in New York City, he also could be heard on many early Lipton Tea commercials in the 70's as part of the ensemble hired to record the music on both Saxophone and Oboe. Also, Gary was a member of the Tony Guillio Big Band, where he performed on Baritone Sax.  Gary was the Band Director for Haworth Public Schools from 1978 though 1981 where he specialized in instrumental music from grades 4 through 8.

Gary moved to South Jersey in 1986 to pursue a retail career and is now the General Manager of Art Handler's Appliance Center in Pleasantville, New Jersey where he runs a very exciting and busy appliance and television showroom.

He is still very active musically, performing with the South Jersey Area Wind Ensemble and many high school musical productions. Gary lives in Egg Harbor Township where he resides with his lovely wife, Lisa and has two boys, Jeremy, 26, married and Robert, 19, a Journalism Major at Rowan University.