Reading Buccaneers Announce 2009 Brass Staff
The Reading Buccaneers Drum & Bugle Corps announced today its complete brass design and instructional staff for the 2009 season.
“The staff we’ve assembled represents some of the best and brightest in the drum corps activity,” said Staff Coordinator Carl Ruocco. “I am thrilled that very talented members of the 2008 staff will be returning, and we welcome Dan McGrogan back to the Buccaneers. We will continue to build on the championship-caliber brass program the corps has delivered in recent years. Our members will benefit from some great design and instruction, and we will put a challenging, exciting and emotional horn book on the field in 2009,” said Ruocco.
Jay Bocook returns to the Buccaneers for his second season as Brass Arranger. A celebrated composer and arranger, Bocook is currently Director of Athletic Bands at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, where he previously served as Director of Bands. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Furman and a Master of Music from Northeast Louisiana University. He has written for many ensembles, including school bands at all levels and the United States Marine Band, as well as the nine-time Drum Corps International world champion Cadets, where he also currently serves as Brass Arranger.
Gino Cipriani returns to the Buccaneers as Brass Caption Head for his third consecutive year. From 1990 to 1999, he was a brass instructor for the eleven-time DCI world champion Blue Devils. He served the Cadets as Brass Caption Head in 2000 and 2001, and held the same post for the Magic of Orlando in 2002 and 2003. He held that post for the six-time DCI world champion Santa Clara Vanguard in 2004 and returned to the Cadets as Brass Caption Supervisor in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. His DCA resume includes work with the Brigadiers and Hawthorne Caballeros. He joined the Buccaneers brass staff in 2007, and led the corps to a brass caption title.
Michael Britcher returns to the Buccaneers for his fifth consecutive season, and his second as Assistant Brass Caption Head and Mellophone Technician. Britcher holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education degree from West Chester University and a Master of Arts in Instrumental Conducting from Southern Oregon University. He has also completed doctoral work in music education at Temple University. Britcher is currently on the Department of Applied Music faculty at the West Chester University School of Music, where he works with the marching and concert bands, teaches marching band techniques, and supervises the student teacher program. Britcher headed the Buccaneers trumpet program in 2006 and 2007, and was a consultant in 2005. He has been a marching member of the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps and is the former band director of the award-winning Phoenixville High School band.
John Molloy returns to the Buccaneers staff for his second season as Trumpet Technician. Molloy has marched with the Sunrisers (1998-2004), the Bushwackers (2000), the Hawthorne Caballeros (2005-2006) and the Cadets (2001-2003). Prior to joining the Buccaneers staff in 2008, he was a clinician and teacher of trumpet, soprano and brass for the Sunrisers (2004), Santa Clara Vanguard (2005) and the Bridgemen Alumni (2008), as well as the Montville (NJ) High School Mustang Marching Band (2006-2008). Molloy is currently completing his bachelor’s degree in music performance at Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ, where for the last three years he has represented Montclair State as the lead trumpet for the New Jersey Intercollegiate Jazz Band. Molloy is a frequently performing freelance musician and private trumpet teacher.
Adam Freeman returns to the Buccaneers for his second season as Baritone/Euphonium Technician. Freeman holds a Bachelor of Music with an education certification and euphonium concentration from William Patterson University. Freeman is currently Director of Bands at Hackettstown (NJ) Middle School. He also serves as Assistant Director of the Hackettstown High School Marching Band. Freeman was a marching member of the Hawthorne Caballeros (2000-2003) and the Cadets (2004-2005). He was with the Hawthorne Caballeros as a brass technician in 2006 and assistant brass caption head in 2007 before joining the Buccaneers in 2008. Freeman has also taught, written and consulted for numerous bands in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and is a marching band adjudicator for the U.S. Scholastic Bands Association.
The Buccaneers welcome back Dan McGrogan, for his fifth season with the Balance in Blue, as Tuba Technician. 2009 marks McGrogan’s 25th consecutive year in the drum corps activity. He began his drum corps career with the Steel City Ambassadors, and then continued with the Pittsburgh Golden Lancers, Westshoremen, Bushwackers, Buccaneers and Hawthorne Caballeros. McGrogan earned his undergraduate degree in music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and his master’s degree from the American Band College at Southern Oregon University. He is currently band director at Chambersburg Area (PA) Middle School and is also assistant director of the Chambersburg Area Senior High School band. He also coaches several student brass quintets and ensembles in Chambersburg and is a member of the Hagerstown (MD) Municipal Band.
McGrogan returns to the Buccaneers brass staff with much enthusiasm. Said McGrogan, “I’m thrilled to be a part of the Buccaneers world-class brass team again for 2009. The Bucs have established a standard of excellence over the last six decades, and the corps’ goal every season is to raise the bar even higher. I know that this brass staff is not only up to the challenge, they thrive on it.”
On Sunday, November, 30, 2008, the Buccaneers will host Membership Day 2009, at Twin Valley High School, Elverson, PA. Registration begins at 11:00. All persons interested in learning more about the Reading Buccaneers and being part of the 2009 corps are invited to attend. Please visit the corps’ web site at www.readingbuccaneers.org for more information, or email Membership Manager Elizabeth Miller Fretti at membership [dot] manager [at] readingbuccaneers [dot] org with questions.
Founded in 1957, the Buccaneers are a non-profit, education-oriented musical organization. The Buccaneers are a charter member of Drum Corps Associates and won the first-ever DCA world championships in 1965. Additional titles followed in 1968, 1979, 1980 and, most recently, in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 — all four undefeated championship seasons.
The Buccaneers are sponsored in part by Ray A. Master American Legion Post 217, Topton, Pennsylvania
For more information, visit www.readingbuccaneers.org.
