Rock
of Ages Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, CO Somehow, even before
I was old
enough to understand that music didn't
just fall down to us from the sky, that it came from the pens of
creative grown-ups, I knew that I wanted to be a part of the wonderful
and magical phenomenon called "music."
My parents exposed me to good music early on and demonstrated that it
could be played, not just on the radio, but also on instruments. My
father loved playing the accordion and it fascinated me to watch him
and listen. He was also skilled on the violin. My mother sang and
played the mandolin. Both my parents had had a rough time in Europe
during WWII. My mother had endured extreme poverty. My father had been
one of many innocents held in interment camps. When he volunteered to
take on the role of camp bugler, this endeared him to the officials and
earned him preferential treatment. Quite possibly, because of this
happy circumstance, he was able to avoid the terrible fate that claimed
many others. My parents were fortunate to escape war-torn Europe and
finally settle in Cleveland, OH in 1951.
After my parents got married and I came into the picture, my mother
became the primary spiritual guide
in my life. She sang for many years in
church and community choirs. This inspired me to use the musical
talents God gave
me in His service.
At sixteen I started composing in earnest, refining the skill years
later in college. In the meantime, I convinced the organist at my
church in Brunswick, OH to give me organ lessons. By this time, I had
already been performing in church on the trombone and trumpet. My
desire to learn keyboard was actually a selfish one. It wasn't that I
aspired to be an organist. I just wanted keyboard skills to help
facilitate the process of composing -- it was hard to play more than
one note at a time on a trombone! She consented as long as I would be
willing to learn the Lutheran liturgy and play church services. I
agreed, but the arrangement would be short-lived. Two years later,
having graduated from college with an electrical engineering degree, I
moved to Colorado Springs with my parents.
After arriving in the Springs in 1978, I experienced three major
events: landing a job at Ampex Corp., finding a church that needed an
organist, and getting married. Since then, I've changed jobs
a few times, but I've held on to the same woman and I still play at the
same church. My wonderful wife Darlene has been my constant companion
since 1980, not only in life, but also in the musical activities of our
church, Rock of Ages Lutheran,
where
she
often
directs
the
choir.
The
Lord
has
chosen
to
bless
us
with
two
daughters,
both
of
whom
have
inherited
our
appreciation
and
talent
for
music
to
some
degree.
In the early 1990s one of my loftiest dreams became reality when a
publisher accepted some music I had submitted. Other publishers
followed suit over the years until I had organ preludes, choral music,
brass quartets and other instrumental music in publication. It was a
great feeling to be published, but dealing with publishers soon became
more frustrating than it was worth. Hence, the reason I created Wolf's
Music Den.
Today, even though my day job involves repairing pinball machines, I
continue to explore the wonderful
and magical phenomenon called "music."
About
Wolf 
