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JohannContact: e-mail |
"Coco" |
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| Johann Merkel-Griffith is a retired middle-school teacher and public
librarian. In 1996 he realized there was not enough Light, Love, Laughter,
and Music in his life so he started playing the Euphonium. Soon he was
playing euphonium in the Kalamazoo Concert Band, Kalamazoo College
Community Band , Kellogg Community College Band, Marshall Community Band,
Blue Lake Adult International Community Band, "Ein Prosit"
German Band, Kalamazoo Valley Community College Band, the Grand Rapids New
Horizons Grand Band and Band Too, Holland American Legion Band, and
Western Michigan University's Tuba and Euphonium Ensemble. He has traveled
four times to Europe with the Blue Lake Adult International Community Band
and one time to China with Windiana, a professional community band
associated with Valparaiso University.
Johann was introduced to the alphorn by his friends Karl Beck and Tracy Sonneborn in 2003 while playing in "Ein Prosit," a traditional German Band that plays only happy music which he and his wife founded. He started playing the alphorn in 2007 and now owns his own horn named Coco because she is trimmed with Coco Bola wood from Central America. With his Alphorn, Euphonium, wife Christine, and many good friends, his life is now filled with Light, Laughter, Love and Music. Johann and "Coco" are now in demand by local dairy farmers. He has composed an alphorn call to milking ballad, "Milk Milk Moo-Ma", that brings the cows into their stalls ready to let down. When Johann stays to serenade the cows during milking, milk production spikes 7%. He claims that there is a local heard of Swiss Golden Cows that has increased its production by 15% after one session of Johann and "Coco's" alphorn music. The Goldens now serenade their calves with "Milk Milk Moo-Ma" in 4 part harmony! Johann is presently recovering from injuries sustained in a stampede of Llamas who pummeled, trampled, and spit at him when he tried to serenade them in their field near his favorite pub. Fortunately, "Coco" escaped unscratched. |
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