The woodwind player Bob Ferrari, 105, died on Nov. 10, 2025. He had been a member of Local 802 since 1943.

There was music in Mr. Ferrari’s family growing up. “My uncle was a professor of music in Italy,” he told News 12 Brooklyn in 2022. “When he came over, he taught the family musical instruments and singing…that’s how I got started.”

Mr. Ferrari’s nephew Phil remembers that his uncle told him that he started playing clarinet at age 15. “He practiced every day, even when he didn’t have gigs,” Phil told Allegro.

Phil was always amazed that his uncle knew “two to three hours of music” on clarinet by heart. “I can’t believe he could memorize all of those tunes,” he said.

Mr. Ferrari loved music from the 1930’s to 1950’s. His nephew remembers “Sing, Sing, Sing!” being played a lot.

Mr. Ferrari played gigs all over and led his own band at one point in his career, which he named the Bob Roberts Band. The drummer in the band was his stepdaughter Karen. “The music was incredible,” she still remembers today, many decades later.

Mr. Ferrari also had the opportunity to play with Jackie Gleason, Burt Bacharach and others.

Mr. Ferrari later became a plant engineer in the Grumman aircraft company, a job he enjoyed for three decades. But even there, he found a chance to play music and formed a band with other Grumman workers.

Ironically, even though he worked in an aircraft company, he didn’t like to fly, remembers his nephew Phil. He traveled by bus quite a bit, and he especially enjoyed a tour to New Orleans. “He always wanted to go back there and play,” said Phil.

At age 80, Mr. Ferrari started conducting the Golden Tone Orchestra in Baldwin, Long Island. He held onto that gig for 22 years and only stepped down voluntarily when he turned 102 in 2022.

In 2021, the Long Island Herald wrote this:

Fifty-year Baldwin resident Bob Ferrari turned 101 last week, and he continues to direct a band made up of 21 older adults called the Golden Tone Orchestra. Ferrari, who has headed the band for a little over two decades, said he hopes to continue leading it and making music for as long as he lives. “Music is my muse,” Ferrari said. “I’m in another world when I play my instruments.” Ferrari said he was raised by a musical family. He has played the flute, clarinet and saxophone from the time he was a boy. “I’ve had wonderful music teachers,” he said. “My family, music and friends all keep me going.”

Mr. Ferrari said in 2022 that one secret to his longevity is “Being active with people, keep up with the news…take part in activities. Don’t just sit back and accept things, you can change things too.”

Mr. Ferrari is survived by his stepdaughter Karen, stepson Glen, grandchildren Justin, Matthew, Craig, Jesse and Noah; nephews Phil, John, John and Justin; nieces Lauretta, Rosemary and Mary; and many grand-nieces and grand-nephews. He was predeceased by his wife Eleanor.

p.s. We also found a 2012 Newsday article about Mr. Ferrari’s Golden Tone Orchestra here (for Newsday subscribers only).

Photos below courtesy Phil Fontana