GABRIEL NEVOLA

Gabriel Nevola was my conductor at Clinton Place Jr. High, then my first and most important violin teacher from the time I was 12 until I graduated High School. He convinced my mother to spend the $3 a week, no easy task. He came to our house each week and spent about an hour and a half guiding me, inspiring me, teaching me the violin repertoire, and showing me what a good and decent man looked like. My own father had been hospitalized with a brain tumor during all of this time, and Gabriel...

There will never be another Gabe Nevola. He gave of himself unstintingly. He told the worst and yet the most memorable jokes. His deep understanding of and love of music inspired so many of us to go on to musical careers. One outstanding moment happened years after he'd been my violin teacher. I was already a sophomore at New England Conservatory of Music, and we had a sight-reading exam in which we were asked to sing the most dreadful atonal stuff, lines of notes which we had never seen....

Gabriel Nevola was my first violin teacher, and the greatest. He sang every phrase in his head and his heart before he played it, and taught me to do the same. My love of music, my career as a violinist, violist, singer, composer, and conductor are all due to him. My violin is named Gabriel after him. His kindness and generosity helped me to survive a terrible family situation, and his love for his wife Juanita and his children inspired me all of my life. He was a saintly, talented, brilliant...

We are praying for the Nevola family. Mr. Nevola was a great person and teacher! He was a blessing to my life in the Newark All City Orchestra in the 1970's. He encouraged me to keep playing the oboe and I loved him; he had a great gift for humor. I will always remember him, he was a real teacher and helped the children of Newark Public schools strive for excellence! God Bless his family. Oscar Petty Jr, Arts High School, Class of 78'.

We are very sad to hear about the passing of Mr. Nevola. He was the music teacher at Sacred Heart School when I taught there.He also helped my son Frederic in learning the basics of guitar playing. Our thoughts and prayers are with the whole family.

Helena Jimenez (from London, England)

My condolences to the Nevola family. Mr Nevola was my high school music teacher. In a world of high school craziness in the 70's, he was a peaceful man that gave me a special gift. The love of music! God Bless

Mr nevola was a wonderful kind teacher at vailsburg. I played violin so. He helped all of the string players. I loved watching him play.so glad he had a long wonderful life.

It was my pleasure to have been a colleague of Mr Gabe Nevola in The Newark NJ Public Schools for many years and it was a great pleasure to work with him at Vailsburg High School the years 1977- 1981, he being Orchestra Director, me band Director! We shared together many excellent musical programs with our students! Mr Nevola was always funny, professional and very caring in his working with the students. Not only did he bring out the musical best in the students, he always placed much...

I sadly did not keep in touch but he was a motivational reason why I became a music teacher - and kept his jokes alive.