Jack Bell Percussion

Rolf Legbandt was born Aug. 26, 1930, in Chicago, Ill., to mother, Helene Dora Klara Herzner Legbandt, and father, Alfred Heinrich Legbandt. Mother Helene emigrated from Hamburg, Germany, and father Alfred emigrated from Kiel, Germany.

Rolf graduated high school from Pasadena Junior College, Calif., in 1948 and in July joined the Marine Corps, hoping to use his musicianship in the Camp Pendleton Marine Band. In August of 1950, he landed with the First Provisional Marine Brigade at Pusan, Korea, and spent until May of 1951 as a machine gun squad leader, securing command posts from Pusan to the 38th parallel. During this tour of duty, he was wounded by shrapnel and briefly stayed in field and ship hospitals while the wound was treated. He was involuntarily re-enlisted for one year, during which he was first chair clarinetist in the Camp Pendleton Marine Band, and was discharged in July 1952 as a staff sergeant.

Rolf worked in aircraft factories for two years and then he began his schooling at the University of Michigan. He transferred to the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, where he received a bachelor of Music Performance degree in 1958 and a Performer’s Certificate of Clarinet in 1959. While a student there, he became principal first clarinet with the Eastman Philharmonia, as well as first chair clarinet in the Eastman Wind Ensemble, which produced some 13 recordings for Mercury Records during those three years. He also became a member of the Rochester Philharmonic at the invitation of his teacher for two seasons. He then returned to the University of Michigan to earn his master’s degree. While there, he received the “Oliver Ditson” award and was a member of the Toledo Symphony Orchestra.

After graduation in 1960, he was hired by Ball State University, Muncie, Ind., where he taught clarinet for 32 years. In 1974, he was invited to record the first in a series of recordings called “Artists in Residence” by the Coronet Record Co. in Columbus, Ohio, which received rave reviews. As a member of the Musical Arts Quintet (the faculty wind quintet), he toured over 40 states, culminating in a 1964 recital in Carnegie Hall to rave reviews. Legbandt was also the first teacher of winds in the performance department of Ball State’s School of Music to gain to the position of full professor. He was the principal clarinetist with the Muncie and Richmond Symphonies, as well as the Marion Philharmonic and was guest conductor for a performance with the Anderson Symphony. He performed regularly at BSU’s Chamber Music Festivals, Mid-America Music Clinics, and in faculty recitals and was guest soloist with many orchestras.

He retired in 1992 from BSU, and in 1993 moved with wife, Rose, to Lula, Ga., to a home he designed and helped build. Before his performance career came to an end because of throat cancer in 1999, he became first clarinetist in the Gainesville Symphony, was in the “Cake and Coffee” Woodwind Trio, the “Mountain Winds Woodwind Quintet” and appeared several times with the “Carolina Chamber Players at Clemson University.” He also performed often at First Presbyterian Church, and was an adjunct professor of Clarinet at Truett-McConnell College for five years.

The above YouTube video contains rare recordings of Rolf Legbandt performing clarinet pieces:

1. Introduction & Rondo, Op.72 by Charles Widor
2. Concerto by Eugene Bozza: Allegro Moderato – Andantino – Vif
3. Sonata by Francis Poulenc: Allegro Tristemente – Romanza – Allegro con Fuoco
4. “Au Clair de Lune” by Paul Jeanjean
5. Quintet for Clarinet & Strings by Mozart: Allegro Moderato
6. Introduction to Premier Rhapsody
7. Premier Rhapsody by Claude Debussy