As a teenager, Tom
Tiratto didn’t go for that big band sound.
The Cleveland, Ohio, native, who enjoyed drama class and singing in the school
chorus, was a Beatles fan.
Years later he discovered the distinctive sound of the 1940s, including the big band orchestras of Glenn Miller and the Dorsey brothers, and their singers, including Frank Sinatra.
Tiratto will bring his tribute to the “chairman of the board,” to Arkansas State University’s Riceland Hall in Fowler Center on Friday, Sept. 23, 2005, for the first FacultyFest, a concert that benefits ASU’s Faculty Development Fund.
“I really like the sound and smoothness Sinatra had,” Tiratto said. “He had a great technique. I found myself learning that technique—I was phrasing like he did.”
Tiratto has recently been touring with Sandy Hackett, son of the late comedian Buddy Hackett, in “The Tribute to Frank, Sammy, Joey and Dean,” a musical show that pays tribute to members of the “Rat Pack:” Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin and Joey Bishop.
FacultyFest will feature Tiratto and his 12-piece orchestra playing a lot of Sinatra’s hits.
“I don’t act like or impersonate Sinatra,” Tiratto said. “But I do bring the essence of Frank to the audience.”
Reserved seating tickets for the 7:30 p.m. concert are $25 each and available by calling ASU’s University Development Office at 972-3940 or toll-free outside Jonesboro (888) 225-8343.
Dr. Rick McDaniel, ASU senior associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, said funds raised from the event will support educational and professional development opportunities for faculty members.
“Funds from this event could truly open new doors of opportunity for ASU faculty,” McDaniel said. “At times, faculty find that the specific area in which they teach and research has undergone a significant change since the faculty were trained. These funds might be used to upgrade faculty expertise in such cases to keep their teaching and research efforts current.”
“In addition to the problem of periodically upgrading one’s research, faculty are continually driven to find funding for their research efforts. Funding searches tend to be considerably more successful in some disciplines than in others. While these funds could provide ‘seed’ dollars for faculty seeking larger grant sources, they could also be used to level out the success rates among the disciplines.”
“"This is shaping up to be a great event," said Steve Watkins, ASU director of University Development. "Tom Tiratto and his orchestra are entertainers in the truest sense. The people of the ASU region are in for a real treat."
Sample clips of Tom Tiratto and his orchestra can be heard by clicking on any of the four photos on the FacultyFest website at http://support.astate.edu/tiratto.htm.
“I’m really looking
forward to coming to Jonesboro and Arkansas State University for the first
time,” Tiratto said. “Riceland Hall is a wonderful theatre. We’ll have a lot of
fun.”
