- January 12, 2026
-
-
Loading
Loading
For pianist Bob Boguslaw, certain songs bring back memories.
When he plays “Rhapsody in Blue,” he is taken back to performing in the “President’s Own” United States Marine Band, when his whole family was there to cheer him on.
He began his 22-year career in the United States Marine Band in 1991. During that time he played for four different presidents (George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama).
“More than anything else, you live in the moment when you're playing music,” Boguslaw said. “If the music connects with people, I don't care what I'm playing. I'd rather play music that people respond to and are passionate about than just play what I like.”
Now 68, he began practicing "Rhapsody in Blue," that will be a featured presentation of the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble's 2026 season-opening series at Peace Presbyterian Church 2 p.m. Jan. 18. Tickets are $15 general admission and can be purchased at the door.
“It had been over 25 years since I played it,” said Boguslaw, who agreed to make a special appearance with the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble for this concert. “The muscle memory is still there but it takes a lot of dusting off to get it back to where it had previously been.”
Out of the nine pieces of music that will be performed in the Jan. 18 concert, Boguslaw will accompany the band for two of them — “Rhapsody in Blue” and “Children’s March: Over the Hills and Far Away.”
“It's a very challenging concert for the group,” said Band Director Joe Martinez. “What I'm trying to do is create a product, an ensemble in the area that is nowhere else to be found with the level of music and the level of musicianship.”
Boguslaw lives in St. Petersburg and was first introduced to the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble through two members that he is close friends with — Vince DiMartino who plays trumpet and Pete Barrenbergge who plays clarinet. He attended the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble's Veteran’s Day concert in 2024 and thought the musicians were talented.
“Both of these guys are retired and they would not be doing this if it wasn't at a high level,” Boguslaw said of his friends. “This group came highly recommended. They said, ‘We have a great conductor and a great band.’ They would otherwise just be staying home and being retired.”
Martinez said his band loves to get talented, established musicians who have entered retirement but want to continue playing at a high-level.
Bob Richards, a 75-year-old retired musician who lives in Lakewood Ranch, is also being featured in the concert. He plays trumpet and comes from a similar musical background as Boguslaw. Like Boguslaw’s 22-year career in the United States Marine Band, Richards spent 26 years in the United States Army Band. He retired from the band in 1999 and didn’t own a trumpet for 20 years prior to joining the ensemble.
“It’s very enjoyable to perform and play an instrument and at this point in my life, it sort of keeps you active and young,” Richards said. “It's always a challenge.”
Boguslaw only has a few rehearsals with the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble. Their first time sitting down together was in November.
“The precision of the rhythm in an ensemble like the President's Own Marine Band is so incredibly perfect that at least in the first five years I was in there, I just had no choice but to get better at that,” Boguslaw said.
Boguslaw has been a professional musician for more than 50 years.
“I'm incredibly blessed to have been able to have spent my life, my entire career, making music,” Boguslaw said.
He wanted to stress that the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble, for a community band, is very professional.
"This one is far above anything else in the area," he said. "If anybody's in Lakewood Ranch and if they enjoy a wind ensemble, or a concert band type of music, I would encourage them to come out and give it a shot.”
