Donald L. Ambler

Donald Ambler, musician and teacher, died peacefully on May 9, 2013 at his home in Lakewood, Colorado. Born with a twin brother, Dale, on July 24, 1928, Mr. Ambler spent his childhood years in a Lafayette, Indiana orphanage and his high school years in foster homes. His brother died at age 9. Finding an early interest in music and a particular instrument, the clarinet, Donald began the studies which brought him from his high school band to the Lafayette Citizens Band to an eventual music scholarship to the Vandercook College of Music in Chicago, Illinois. In 1953, he graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Music Education. While at Vandercook, he played with the Chicago Civic Orchestra and the CYO Band of Chicago. After moving to New York City, he delivered groceries for four years to support himself. He then worked for two years as doorman at a posh hotel on Park Avenue, gathering stories about famous people which he happily shared with his students and friends for years after. Ever growing in his mastery of music, he formed a fine chamber orchestra that played primarily in the city's Town Hall. He also helped organize the New York Orchestral Society, acted as its personnel manager, and performed with the group from 1960 to 1962. In April 1962, he auditioned before Saul Caston, the conductor of the Denver Symphony Orchestra. Maestro Caston named him bass clarinetist with the orchestra, now known as the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, a position he held for 30 years. On occasion, he also played bass clarinet with the Central City Opera and the Colorado Ballet Company, judged student music competitions, gave master classes, and made solo appearances in concerts with numerous bands and orchestras, playing both the bass clarinet and the B-flat clarinet. During this same period, and also after his retirement, he taught clarinet and bass clarinet to students from elementary schools through area colleges and beyond. For many years, he gave lessons without charge to students in need and provided additional support and instruments on a pro bono basis. Some of his students went on to play in various community orchestras, the Boston Symphony, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, and the President's Own U.S. Marine Band, as well as the New York Philharmonic and the Air Force Band. He organized the Colorado Clarinet Choir, a group of professional players that were invited to perform in London at the International Clarinet Society Convention in 1984. He also organized and managed a Clarinet Choir of students and working adults that has been invited by the Colorado Symphony Society to perform at its Christmas concerts. Listed in the International Who's Who in Music (1975), Men of Achievement (a Cambridge publication) 1977, the Dictionary of International Biography, and an officer in Kappa Kappa Psi fraternity, he always wished first to give credit to those who taught him or in other ways shared their knowledge of music with him. His lists of these persons included Clark Brody, former principal clarinetist of the Chicago Symphony; Anthony Gigliotti, former principal clarinetist with the Philadelphia Symphony; Maury Bennett, clarinet and saxophone; William Schumacher, member of the Indianapolis Symphony; Paul Howland, bass clarinetist with the New York Philharmonic and the Edwin Franko Goldman Band; and Robert Priest, former conductor of the Lafayette Citizens Band and principal of Oakland Elementary School in Lafayette, Indiana. He also listed his experience playing with the Virginia Symphony, the National Orchestra Association, and the North Carolina Symphony. A statement he wrote in response to a request for biographical data portrays him in the way his students and friends fondly think of him: ""1 have reached several goals that I have set for myself, and now I am helping young students to reach their goals."" A Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2013, 11:00 AM, at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 3101 South Wadsworth Boulevard, Lakewood. Interment to follow at 3:00 PM, Crown Hill Cemetery, 7777 West 29th Avenue. Memorial Service and Reception will be held on Monday, May 20, 2013, 11:00 AM at St. Philip Lutheran Church, 7531 South Kendall Boulevard, Littleton. Memorial donations may be made to the DONALD L. AMBLER TRUST, P.O. Box 270043, Littleton, CO 80127. The purpose of the trust will be to provide financial assistance (scholarships) to young clarinetists pursuing an education in music. It will also support the ongoing existence of the Colorado Clarinet Choir, founded by Mr. Ambler. Please share your memories of Donald and condolences with his family by signing the guestbook below.