Community Corner

Concert Features Christmas Comedy, Father and Daughter Zagarias, and the NE Tenors

Some tickets still available for Christmas concert on Sunday, Dec. 22.

The following was provided by the Standing Room Only Concert Series: 

The Christmas comedy of Amy Cook and friends brings holiday laughs to a generous mix of heartfelt and seasonal songs by Holly & Patsy Zagaria and the New England Tenors on Sunday, December 22 in Wakefield. A few tickets remain for the Standing Room Only "Candlelight Christmas Encore" taking place on Sunday night, December 22 at 7:30 at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 326 Main Street, Wakefield, MA.

Pasquale “Patsy” Zagaria has lived in Wakefield his entire life and has worked as a band leader, solo pianist and piano and organ teacher for sixty years.  His students have been multigenerational, where sometimes three generations of students from the same family have grown under his musical tutelage. 

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Patsy Zagaria’s Orchestra was among the most popular dance bands in the region, and he played weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, school dances, proms and clubs.  In Wakefield he played the CSF dances, the Hartshorne House dances, and for the holidays at Wakefield Savings Bank, among many other venues.  He has played birthday parties for the Yawkey family at the Ritz, jobs at the Hasty Pudding in Cambridge, and political events for Massachusetts governors and local politicians. His band was the house band for eighteen years at the Ship Restaurant in its heyday. 

Patsy Zagaria subbed for Johnny Kiley as organist at the Boston Garden, and shortly afterward they offered him the job. He didn’t take it, but he “had a ball” playing Bruins games.  

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As a young musician, Patsy won six talent shows and placed second in four talent shows.  He played each week for three years on the radio at WMEX.  When serving in Korea, he was a respected band leader and pianist.  He was chosen for Special Services and played in the 121 EVAC Band in Korea.  Patsy himself was chosen to solo in front of 40,000 Korean and American troops in 1953. 

As a teacher, Patsy averaged eighty students per week.  Many of his students have become professional musicians.  He has a former student who plays in the Honolulu Symphony; another who was in the band Sha-Na-Na, and many others who are performers and teachers of music. 

Patsy and his wife, Sharon, are about to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

Tickets for A Candlelight Christmas Encore are $25 and $30 and are available online at www.sroconcerts.org or at Parker Florist in Wakefield. For more information call 339.203.9366.


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