Tom Mroczka
Born: Cleveland, Ohio
Tom Mroczka, is a graduate of James Ford Rhodes High School in the "Old Brooklyn" area and The Ohio State University
and was a member of both the concert and marching bands. Graduate work was done at Case-Western Reserve University.
While at The Ohio State University was inducted into Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Honorary Fraternity. A music teacher and band director in the public school system for 30 years, 28 of which were in Bedford, Ohio, a southeast suburb of Cleveland, Tom had the opportunity to teach instrumental music to Halle Berry at Carylwood Elementary School. He taught instrumental music exploration to her in the fifth grade, (a class for students to learn about and try all common instruments so they could best choose an instrument suited for them). Halle chose the French horn and took lessons on a school instrument through the semester. That year there were more beginners on horn than horns available so he had to give Halle an Alto horn and unfortunately for the band, she chose to stop playing it at the end of the semester. Tom currently teaches music privately on the following instruments (trumpet, trombone, clarinet, flute, saxophone and violin) at the Bedford Music Center in Bedford, Ohio (southeast suburb of Cleveland).
Besides trumpet, he played tuba one year in high school band and accordion in the "Broadview Music Accordioneers."
This group, directed by his father, Alex, went to a different city every summer to perform in contests against similar groups from northeaster U.S. and Canada. The highlight was performing in Chicago's Soldiers Field before 80,000 people with a 1,000 piece accordion band one year. In 1992 a unique addition to the band was made: Buster, the peach front conure (a small green parrot) joined. Buster helped the band play his favorite songs: "The 'Birdie' Song", "Green Parrot Polka," "La Paloma" (The Dove" except Buster called it "La Parrot") and any other song with a bird theme. Unfortunately Buster met an untimely death in 2003 when a hawk swooped out of the sky and grabbed him when Tom had him in his back yard. However, there are now four replacement birds: Buddy and Bubbles, two peach front conures and Bunny and Sunny, two sun conures who join in on songs like "You Are My Sunshine" and Let The Sun Shine In."
In addition to performing with and leading The Music Box, Tom plays keyboard in another band (Stepping Out specializing in 20's to 60's music) and also fills is with Al Nowak and Joe Wendel, two German bands in Cleveland. He also performs at nursing homes and assisted living centers in the Cleveland area as a solo performer. Tom's father, Al, was also a band leader, playing accordion and piano while owning and managing the Broadview Music Studios in the Old Brooklyn area of Cleveland. Tom is a member of: Alliance of Poles, Polish National Alliance, Parma Polish-American League, Elyria United Polish Club, Brooklyn Polish American Home, Inc. (Ampol Club), Cleveland Polka Association, United States Polka Association, International Polka Association and the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame (lifetime member). Tom also participated in Toastmasters International for three years achieving the Advanced Leader Bronze level before having to discontinue because of time limitations. He now resides in Broadview Hts. Ohio.
Theodore (call me Ted) Bunevich
Born: Cleveland, Ohio
Ted has played accordion since he was eight years old (took lessons from Tom's dad). He competed in many contests throughout school years (Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, Sandusky, Zanesville). He attended: Lincoln High School in Cleveland and graduated from Parma High School where he played French Horn in the marching band. After attending Baldwin College in Berea, Ohio he joined the 83rd Division Army Reserve Band. He graduated from the American School of Banking and the worked for Society National Bank (now Key Bank) as assistant manager, Bank Ohio as manager, and National City Bank as manager for 30 years total.
Member: Cleveland Accordion Teachers Association, Cleveland Realtors Association, Founding and Charter member of Christ The Savior American Orthodox Church in North Royalton, Ohio, and a Founding member and Secretary of North Royalton Rotary Club. Ted lives in North Royalton, Ohio (suburb 15 miles south of Cleveland) and is married to Eileen (had four children... all grown now).
Ray Gonet
