I was an art major at Ryan in addition to being the band. Many times Mr. C asked me to help out making signs for the different Band Parents fundraising events.  I liked to do calligraphy and drawing so I remember doing a lot of those. Especially when they had the Jazz Band playing at the Beef and Beers.

I was a senior in November 1982 when we finally won a championship. There was talk of championship jackets and of course we were all very excited about the upcoming trip to Virginia in the spring.

Mr. C came to me about a week after the championship and asked me if I could design a patch for the jacket.  He wanted something that symbolized the entire band and could be used again through the years whenever the band won a championship.

I had no idea what to do; it felt like a really tall order for a seventeen year old. But I was very flattered that he asked me and I was going to give it a good try. Eileen Alexy was a junior and also in Art. She was in the band front and I asked her to help me.

I don’t remember how long it took to come up with the idea, but once it came to me it wasn’t very long to put it together.  Because the marching band show was all tied together with the music, the G-clef was the centerpiece and then the various pieces of band front equipment were woven in and out of the G-clef design. Eileen did the lettering around the edge that said Cavalcade of Bands Conference Champion and the year. We were proud of it.

Mr. C liked it and off to the design place it went.  They were delivered right before the Virginia trip. My fondest memories of the trip are seeing so many of us wearing our brand new championship jackets.

I really enjoyed wearing my jacket because I could be doubly proud of it. Not only earning the jacket by being in a championship band, but I also designed the patch. I’m sure like most of us from that band, it’s a treasured item I will always keep. I don’t even have my class ring anymore, but I know exactly where that jacket is.

Of course I was delighted when next November 1983, Ryan band won again in the Yankee Conference. The color was changed around for the next set of jackets. My little brother Billy was in the band that year, so we still have that jacket as well.

The years passed and a few years ago while I was still living [ ... ]

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Year  Circuit              Conference    Standing  Show Title


2008 Cavalcade              Independence 4th (Most Improved)Mood Swings


2007  Cavalcade              Independence Open 6th (89.5)  FORGIVEN: The Music of Igor Stravinsky


2006  Cavalcade              Independence Open 2nd (90.7, Most Improved)      Energia e Passione: A Celebration of Opera            


2005  Cavalcade              Independence A    4th (82.45, High Percussion)         Music for the Sun and Sky          


2004  TOB                  Group 2         N/A (86.25 Chapters)         Sandstorm!            


2003  TOB                  Group 2        20th (85.85)         Journey to Bethlehem                        


2002  TOB                  Group 2       16th (87.75, High Guard)       To The Summit            


2001  TOB                  Group 3       9th (93.25)         From Chaos to Glory            


2000  TOB                  Group 3       5th (95.45)      Carpe Diem            


1999  TOB                  Group 3       7th (93.4)      On the Edge of Time          


1998  TOB                 [ ... ]

"Marching Raider Band" Director Lineage

Eugene Ciccimaro: 1980 - 2005, 2008-present
Archbishop Ryan Marching Band Hall of Fame, class of 2007. Graduate of Archbishop Wood High School and Temple University. “Mr. C” presided over the band as it established itself as a competitive force, both outdoors and indoors. Under his tutelage, the band captured two conference championships (1982, 1983), and many top 5 finishes along with numerous indoor guard and percussion championships. During his first tenure as Director, the school constructed a new band room and a music technology lab. Between terms, Mr. C. continued to run the instrumental department at the school, along with the drama department. Mr. C. made his return in 2008 to continue the tradition of success that the Raiders have sustained for so many years.

Daniel Wierzbicki: 2005 - 2007
Graduate of Archbishop Ryan, class of 1991, Marching Band staff for 6 years in the 1990s and one of the founders of the Archbishop Ryan Marching Band Alumni Association. B.A. in Music Education from West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Created "Ryan Arts in Motion" in 2005, establishing the marching arts program as a pioneer and innovator in the indoor band arena. In his short career as marching band director, the band re-gained the status of an elite and competitive ensemble, improving from 4th in their division in 2005 to 2nd in their conference in 2006.

Robert Purdy: 1973 - 1980
Graduate of West Chester University of Pennsylvania. The band performed in its first competition in 1974 under Mr. Purdy’s direction.

Harry Tashjian: 1972 - 1973
Under Mr. Tashjian’s direction, the marching band program began to take shape. With the assistance of Joe Colantonio, the school purchased the first new band uniforms and many instruments for the marching band program.

James Richter: 1969 - 1972
The first director of the Marching Raiders, Mr. Richter’s reputation as a performer was intact prior to his arrival at Ryan due to his membership in the Philadelphia Orchestra as a French Horn player. His impact as an educator became quickly apparent as he became known among his students as a teacher who taught more than [ ... ]

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