Strictly Nowhere

This piece was written by my father, Edward J. Vokurka, when I believe he was still in high school. He was an accomplished trumpet player throughout his school years and later performed professionally with local wedding bands while I was growing up. When he was drafted during the Korean War, he became a member of the U.S. Army band. If I remember correctly, the band also performed this composition. My father was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, in the early 1950s. The story he shared with our family was that when the time came for his unit to be sent to Korea, he was pulled from the line and kept stateside. Because of his talent as a composer, a superior officer who recognized his musical abilities intervened and arranged for him to remain at Fort Lewis. Looking back, it is very possible that this composition saved his life. I only wish I knew more about the story behind this work and why he chose the title Strictly Nowhere. After my father's passing in 2016, I carefully preserved his original handwritten score but wasn't sure what to do with it. Fortunately, I found the Songburd Music, whose restoration of this piece has allowed me to preserve it for the future.

From Jennifer Strzelczyk, Daughter of Edward J. Vokurka