Bass, cello

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Mr. McGarry is a 1973 graduate of Neshaminy High School located in Langhorne, PA.  In 1981, he earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Temple University where he studied string bass privately with several members of the Philadelphia Orchestra.  In 1980 and 1981, he was principal bassist with the Temple University Symphony Orchestra.  After 33 years, he retired from public school teaching in 2020. In 1983, Mr. McGarry obtained a Master of Education degree from The College of New Jersey with an emphasis on Supervision and Administration in Public Schools.  He holds four Pennsylvania certifications:  Instructional II, Elementary Principal, Secondary Principal, and Supervisor of Music K-12.  

 

Mr. McGarry is an active musician playing both string and electric bass, and has been performing popular, jazz, and classical music professionally since 1972.  He is a former member of the Trenton State College Alumni Jazz Ensemble and has performed with the Main Line Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra Society, the New Hope Chamber Orchestra, the Guy Lombardo Orchestra and several big bands and numerous local bands in the Philadelphia and Bucks County area.  From 1988 to 2008 he was a member of The Spirit Band, a 7-piece wedding band that performed at hundreds of private affairs throughout the Philadelphia/Princeton area. Presently, he is bassist for the Newtown Arts Company performing several musicals each year at the historic Newtown Theatre and is a member of a local Jazz Quartet.  His past performance venues have included the Academy of Music and Kimmel Center in Philadelphia.

 

Many of his private bass students have successfully auditioned for the Bucks County Band and Orchestra [BCMEA] and District 11 and Region VI Orchestras which are part of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association [PMEA].  Several private students have been awarded scholarships to college and countless others have gone on to be professional musicians.

 

Fun Fact

In 1973, he played varsity basketball for Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, Pa where he holds a 50-year record for clutching a massive 29 rebounds in one game!