New Stanton bugler heads to Gettysburg for Taps
A New Stanton bugler who has played at military funerals since he was in the eighth grade is set to play Taps Saturday at the Soldiers Monument in the Gettysburg National Cemetery as part of “100 Nights of Taps.”
Jay Copenhaver, 63, who plays for the Youngwood Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 211, is scheduled to play at 7 p.m. at the site of the pivotal Civil War battle.
“This is quite an honor. I was selected because I am a member of the Taps for Veterans,” Copenhaver said.
The “100 Nights of Taps,” which started on Memorial Day and will continue until Labor Day, is sponsored by the Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania, the National Park Service, and Taps for Veterans, Copenhaver said. In addition to playing on Saturday, Copenhaver said he intends to return to Gettysburg on Labor Day to participate in a group performance of Taps.
Copenhaver recently traveled traveled to Washington, D.C., with a concert band comprised of five community bands from Westmoreland County. They played concerts at the African-American WWII Memorial, the World War II Memorial, and the Veterans Home for Distinguished Veterans.
Copenhaver, a member of Bugles Across America, also was a member of two U.S. Army Bands and has been a member of the Scottdale Concert Band for more than 20 years.
He was a trumpeter with the Westmoreland County Community College Symphonic Band and its stage band, until the associate of fine arts degree in music was eliminated due to low enrollment in 2018.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.
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