In Room 404, you can find Mr. Fioravanti listening to music, practicing with his bands, or having conversations with his students. One thing that you may not know about Mr. F is that he actually is part of a band outside of our school, called the Tim Fioravanti Jazz Orchestra. The TFJO not only stars great musicians, but it also consists of well-known Waterford names, including Mr. Dan Seltzer, Mr. Aaron Robarge, and Mr. F’s daughter, Sofia Fioravanti.

In the most recent event the TFJO played at, which was on December 20, 2022, they performed at Filomena’s, a family-friendly outpost located around the corner from Waterford High School on Boston Post Road. Walking into the restaurant, you would have had your ears filled with jolly music along with the bustling family environment inside. Also, directly after walking inside, I was met by the owner, Mr. Buscetto, and his lively personality. In the background, a couple of Christmas classics could be heard, including “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” “Home For The Holidays,” “Let It Snow,” and “Silent Night.” All the pieces were performed with solos featuring some of the band members and put a jazzy twist on these holiday songs.

The band consists of a trumpet, trombone, alto sax, tenor sax, piano, bass, and drums. For a couple of the featured pieces, the band featured singers Sofia Fioravanti, Dave Sugrue, Mrs. Fioravanti, and more.

Throughout the two hours that the TFJO performed, the whole audience had smiles plastered across their faces during the entire performance. As people were eating, I had friendly conversations with many other adults and kids there. Mr. F, Mr. Robarge, and Mr. Seltzer even came to talk to me during intermissions. The experience as a whole was amazing and it wasn’t just a performance; it was also a time to connect with others who shared similar passions and interests as me.