Alexander Lepak arranger

Alexander Lepak was born in a family of Polish descent and spent most of his life in Connecticut, living and working in Windsor since 1953. He began playing timpani, as well as composing and arranging, in the high school ensemble. Lepak's first concerts were at local clubs and hotels with John Mehegan's orchestra. During World War II, he served as the US Marines' 3rd Brigade Orchestra conductor stationed in Samoa, the Marshall Islands and Guam. After the war, Lepak settled in New York, playing with popular jazz ensembles and big bands, including Bob Chester And His Orchestra, Les Elgart's and Raymond Scott's orchestras. Around that time, he began theory studies with Henry Adler and Alfred Friese (1876—1971). Al Lepak returned to Connecticut to finish his degree at Hartt and graduated cum laude in 1950; he stayed at the faculty upon graduation and began teaching theory and percussion.