Marching 110 alumni will reunite at Tuesday’s memorial service to play one last time for their long-time director.
A service will be held in Aiken, S.C., for Ronald P. Socciarelli, director of bands at Ohio University from 1973 to 1992 and director of the Marching 110 from 1973 to 1990. Socciarelli died Thursday in hospice care in South Carolina.
“ ‘Caring,’ ‘inspirational’ and ‘devoted’ are words former students and colleagues use to describe a man who touched countless lives during his notable tenure,” OU President Roderick McDavis said in a statement. “He has left an indelible mark on our university and our School of Music and we are very grateful to him for this legacy.”
In 1976, Socciarelli directed the Marching 110 when it became the first college marching band to play at Carnegie Hall.
“He had a saying: ‘Be better than the best ever,’ ” said Richard Suk, the current director of the Marching 110. “It’s a saying that we still say. That was always the goal. He’s instilled it into students, and they really respect him for that.”
Kim Pretzer, a former OU band manager, recalled a particularly lackluster Marching 110 rehearsal. At Socciarelli’s encouragement, though, the band members played louder than ever before — and a tree fell across the Hocking River.
“I feel I really lucked out to have Mr. Socciarelli as my director,” Pretzer said in an email. “It changed my life forever. He was our director, our mentor, and above all, our friend. He taught us life’s lessons using music as his tool.”
Socciarelli was named director of bands emeritus from OU after his retirement and returned to OU in 2003 to conduct current and former Marching 110 members at the annual Homecoming game.
Many Marching 110 alumni said playing in the band under Socciarelli’s leadership was one of their best OU and life experiences.
“There was nothing I have done in life better than being in band,” said Steve Beall, who played alto saxophone from 1978 to 1982. “I have memories that will last a lifetime of the camaraderie of being in Marching 110 and being part of that life of OU. It was an amazing time of my life.”
Socciarelli was born in 1932 in Little Falls, N.Y. He attended the Navy School of Music, Ithaca College and the University of Michigan, according to his obituary.
Not long after Socciarelli’s death was announced, a Facebook group called “Memories of Mr. S.” was created. Additional mentions of Socciarelli on the Marching 110 Facebook page show the extent to which the former director influenced students, Suk said.
“He’s really touched the lives of students beyond the years he was director to reach these current students,” Suk said. “The Marching 110 family is sad to hear of his passing. We are praying for his family.”
Socciarelli is survived by his wife Cherry and daughters Kathy, Amy and Beth.
“In anyone’s lifetime, they can only hope and pray to have someone impact their futures and their souls the way Ronald P. Socciarelli impacted all of ours,” said Polly Krause, who played mellophone from 1982 to 1985, in an email. “He had a passion for his craft, for his students and for his band like none other we could ever imagine.”
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