alumni celebrates 42nd anniversary

8/13/2019 Alumni Celebrates 42nd Anniversary

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Alumni celebrates 42ndanniversaryBethany J. Royer

Piqua Daily CallOriginally published Sept. 11, 201

P!"#$ % &hey ta'e to the (ield, positions i))ediate and in per(e*t align)ent, +ithinstru)ents at the ready as the announ*er gies an introdu*tion-Ladies and gentleman,

presenting the oldest active high school alumni band in Ohio, your pride of Piqua, thePiqua High School Alumni marching Band.

Cheers e*ho o(( stadiu) blea*hers by (ans o( the PS $lu)ni Band +ho +ill ta'e to the

(ield (or the /2nd ti)e this riday at $leander Stadiu) during the hal(ti)e sho+ o( thePiqua !ndians ersus i)a Senior (ootball ga)e, their presen*e a testa)ent o( a loe (or

)usi*, *o)radeship, and a (ondness (or tradition.

&o get to 'no+ this unique *o)ing together o( ages and their reasons (or doing so, is ta'e

an opportunity to hear three stories that puts a (a*e to those +ho return year a(ter year %or are 3ust starting to get their (eet +et% su*h as 2004 PS graduate 5atrina Clar'.

67hen the stress o( li(e get to )e, )usi* )a'es )e (orget it all,8 eplains Clar' o( +hat

initially dre+ her to playing an instru)ent and her 3oining the s*hool band during the

(i(th grade year. Originally, she +anted to play the saophone but the instru)ent +as tooepensie (or her (a)ily to a((ord at the ti)e so she optioned to play the (lute. $nd by

9th grade, a(ter )ar*hing during a ga)e +ith the high s*hool band, she had set her sights

on be*o)ing a part o( the Pride o( Piqua :ar*hing Band.

Clar' +asn;t disappointed.

6! )et so)e o( the greatest people through )y )ar*hing eperien*e,8 said Clar' +ho

eentually traded her (lute (or the pi**olo in her senior year, an instru)ent she *ontinues

to play in the PS $lu)ni Band. $nd no+ as a 2/


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tro)bone players, e)phasi=ing +ith a *hu*'le that so)e saophone4? alu)ni )e)bers has +hittled oer the years, an

approi)ate 2 to in an esti)ated 0 )e)bers, 7illia)son says they;e a large supportnet+or', +ith +ell oer 1@0 on their )ost re*ent )ailing list.

6! al+ays en3oyed )y high s*hool and this is a +ay to gie ba*',8 said 7illia)son, +ith

the alu)ni band;s ulti)ate goal to support the high s*hool and instru)ental )usi* that

in*ludes s*holarships and in a shi(t o( gears oer the last (e+ years, the pur*hasing o()usi*al instru)ents, +hile also haing, 6un at the sa)e ti)eA8

Randy Cissner had si)ilar eperien*es as 7illia)son and Clar' to share, as a 1>94 PS

graduate and dedi*ated snare dru) player (ro) his (resh)an to senior year o( high s*hool

during +hat he *alls the glory years o( band. sti)ating so)e 200 plus )e)bers split

a)ongst 1?0 to 1?@ instru)ents, 2 drill tea) )e)bers, t+o (ield *o))anders and t+o(eature t+irlers along +ith alternates.

67hat got )e in is )y sisters +ere in band,8 said Cissner in a reerse o( 7illia)son;s

(a)ilial eperien*e, +ith t+o elder siblings, both (lute players, and his (ather an a*tieband parent.


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ien the (a)ily a*tiities it +as natural (or Cissner to be*o)e a part, along +ith beating

pots and pans as a 'id, 6! (ell right into it and dru)s +ere al+ays a thing (or )e. !;e

been playing dru)s as long as ! *an possibly re)e)ber.8

$s his sisters +ere graduating and he +as 3ust *o)ing into high s*hool, Cissner states

Piqua +on their (irst per*ussion trophy, an eent that *hanged the sense o( the bandoerall, the popularity gro+ing and +ith it, *ontinued *ha)pionships.

6&hat is +hat started so)e o( the glory years,8 eplained Cissner o( the earlier re(eren*e,+ith the (ootball tea) (ie and (ie, and a slightly di((erent *ulture at the ti)e playing a

large part.

$s to be*o)ing a part o( the alu)ni, it too' a (e+ years. $(ter graduation, Cissner +ent

into the :arine Corps, and +as the (irst person (ro) the Piqua post to be a**epted intothe :arine Corps )usi* s*hool. $(ter that, he +as essentially a+ay (ro) )usi* playing

until his son, 7illia), *a)e into the syste). &he latter the beginning o( a steady return

(or the elder Cissner, in*luding be*o)ing the dru) instru*tor at the s*hool and in turninole)ent +ith the alu)ni.

ast year +as the (irst ti)e Cissner too' to the (ield +ith the alu)ni, a surreal )o)ent

*oupled +ith his son haing graduate this past year and no+ an a*tie alu)ni )e)ber,

too. &he *ul)ination an en*ourage)ent to sti*' +ith it or +hat he re(ers to as, 6$ ni*elittle )arriage,8 +ith s*hool *onta*ts a((ording hi) the opportunity to en*ourage

graduates to be*o)e a part.

or no+, the e*ite)ent epressed by the three alu)ni bands is about the i)pending

hal(ti)e sho+s.

6&his year;s band is going to blo+ people a+ay, +e are going to surprise so )anypeople,8 said Cissner. 6!;) loo'ing (or+ard to it, it;s going to be a great sho+.8

Join the Piqua igh S*hool $lu)ni Band at $leander Stadiu) this riday as they honor

the (ollo+ing band )e)bers +ho hae passed this year- Sa) Shie, Darlene Petty, 5en$leander past *hair person (or @ yearsE.

or )ore in(or)ation isit- http-FFphsalu)nibnad.org OR

https-FF+++.(a*eboo'.*o)FgroupsFPiqua.$lu)ni.BandF

alumni celebrates 42nd anniversary

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