Latest News
11/28/21
THE 2022 READING BUCCANEERS DRUM & BUGLE CORPS
PRESENTS:
ALTERED: EGO
The Reading Buccaneers’ highly anticipated return from a two-year COVID hiatus and the corps’ 65th anniversary presents a unique opportunity to take a fresh approach to program design in DCA, and yet remain true to what has become the hallmark of Buccaneers programming – a ‘total team’ effort featuring excellence in all sections and captions, entertainment, a challenging and rewarding journey for our members, and being ‘fashion forward’ and breaking the mold of what’s possible in all-age and weekend-only drum corps.
The 2022 Buccaneers are thrilled to present ALTERED: EGO, in which we both redefine ourselves and stay true to our core identity. The program will open in classic Reading format, literally: big, loud, technically beautiful, and classical. We’ll then shatter that image with the chaotic, fast, loud and perhaps experimental as we alter our ego. We will be stepping out of our comfort zone and we invite you to go along with us. We’ll pause for some reflection while still driving forward, ultimately choosing to accept our new reality; we respect who we were, but understand who we are now. We close the production in a triumphant celebration; we’ve assumed our alter ego and we’re proud of it.
The music book will be varied and exciting, and will feature works by Sergei Rachmaninoff, Danny Elfman, Michael League, Thomas Doss, and Kurt Cobain, and will also feature original music by Buccaneers designers Mark Lortz, Andrew Rubano and Andrew Monteiro.
A transformative journey awaits. Be part of it!
11/24/21
BUCCANEERS WELCOME MIKE ARENA AS COMMUNITY OUTREACH MANAGER
The Reading Buccaneers Drum & Bugle Corps is proud to announce the addition of Mike Arena to the corps’ administration team in the newly created role of Community Outreach Manager. In his multi-faceted position, Arena will take a leadership role in the organization’s efforts to build, maintain and deepen relationships among local organizations, government entities, music educators and other partners. Drawing on his extensive experience in drum corps and the marching arts, Arena will also lend support to the corps’ operational and logistical efforts.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mike back home to the Buccaneers, and we look forward to his contributions to the success of our organization as we move forward,” said Corps Director Lou Tierno. “Mike brings a deep resume and a diverse skill set to our team, and we can’t wait to tap his expertise and draw on his experience.”
“It’s great to be back home with the Buccaneers,” said Arena. “I’m looking forward to working with Lou and the entire organization to help build upon the corps’ success over the past 65 years and chart a great path forward.”
Mike Arena is a graduate of West Chester University of PA where he majored in Music Business. Since then, Mike has devoted his professional career to advancing Music Education in a multitude of ways. He has been actively involved in the marching arts as an educator and designer for several programs in southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey over the last 20 years. Mike also had the pleasure of working with some of the finest educators in the country through his time as the Assistant Director of USBands and continues to serve the southeastern Pennsylvania music educators as the Director of School Services for Zeswitz Music in Reading. Most recently, Mike served as Director of the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps and navigated a tour through DCI’s return to the field during the height of the pandemic in 2021. Mike marched in the Buccaneers’ horn line in 2015. He currently resides in Coatesville, PA with his wife Jessica and 3 sons Alex, Matthew and Logan.
Welcome, Mike!
11/3/21
MEET THE 2022 BUCCANEERS COORDINATORS!
In our final staff announcement of the fall, we are pleased to introduce you to the coordinators who will lead our design and instructional program for 2022.
We are proud to announce the appointment of KEVIN WRIGHTSTONE as Staff Coordinator and the elevation of PAUL CULLEN to the Ensemble Coordinator role and NICHOLAS TAVARES to the role of Artistic Coordinator.
All three bring extensive and acclaimed experience in pageantry to these roles. And we are especially pleased that Cullen’s and Tavares’ deep experience in the Buccaneers’ instructional and design program has prepared them well for their roles.
We are seeking members in all sections for our 65th anniversary voyage! It all gets started on Membership Day 2022 - Sunday, November 28 at Twin Valley High School, Elverson, PA.
To register and to access 2022 instructional packets, visit www.readingbuccaneers.org/register.
10/26/21
MEET THE 2022 BUCCANEERS COLOR GUARD STAFF!
We are thrilled to introduce you to the extraordinary team of designers and instructors that will lead the 2022 Buccaneers color guard program!
NICHOLAS TAVARES - Color Guard Designer & Caption Head
SHANNON HALL - Designer & Lead Choreographer
TYLER LEYNES - Choreographer & Technician
MITCH MEUSSNER - Technician
BRIAN ROSA - Technician
Seeking members in all sections for our 65th anniversary voyage! It all gets started on Membership Day 2022 - Sunday, November 28 at Twin Valley High School, Elverson, PA.
To register and to access 2022 instructional packets, visit www.readingbuccaneers.org/register
10/21/21
MEET THE 2022 BUCCANEERS VISUAL STAFF!
We are thrilled to introduce you to the extraordinary team of designers and instructors that will lead the 2022 Buccaneers visual program!
STEVE RINDA - Visual Designer
LYDIA BARANOSKI - Visual Caption Head
JACK BEAM - Visual Tech
CHRIS HOUCK - Visual Tech
LOU ZANINE - Visual Tech
KATIE MCFADDEN - Visual Tech
MIKE MCNEILL - Visual Tech
Seeking members in all sections for our 65th anniversary voyage! It all gets started on Membership Day 2022 - Sunday, November 28 at Twin Valley High School, Elverson, PA.
To register and to access 2022 instructional packets, visit www.readingbuccaneers.org/register.
10/19/21
MEET THE 2022 BUCCANEERS BRASS STAFF!
We are thrilled to introduce you to the extraordinary team of designers and instructors that will lead the 2022 Buccaneers brass program!
MARK LORTZ - Brass Arranger
MIKE TANZOS - BRASS Caption Head
BRAND DAVIS - Trumpet Tech
DAVID BONILLA-GARCIA - Mellophone Tech
AARON SOBEL - Baritone Tech
DANIEL HIGGINS - Tuba Tech
Seeking members in all sections for our 65th anniversary voyage! It all gets started on Membership Day 2022 - Sunday, November 28 at Twin Valley High School, Elverson, PA.
To register and to access the 2022 brass technique packet, visit www.readingbuccaneers.org/register.
10/12/21
MEET THE 2022 BUCCANEERS PERCUSSION STAFF!
We are thrilled to introduce you to the extraordinary team of designers and instructors that will lead the 2022 Buccaneers percussion program!
ANDREW RUBANO - Percussion Caption Head and Arranger
ANDREW MONTEIRO - Front Ensemble Caption Head and Arranger
JIMMY TOOHEY - Battery Technician
CONNOR HORWATH - Battery Technician
KENNEDY ZIMNIK - Battery Technician
KATHLEEN BALLARD - Battery Technician
WILLIAM RIDDELL - Front Ensemble Coordinator
SEAN McWILLIAMS - Front Ensemble Technician
NATALIE DiTOMMASSO - Front Ensemble Technician
ZACH SNYDER - Sound Engineer
Seeking members in all sections for our 65th anniversary voyage! It all gets started on Membership Day 2022 - Sunday, November 28 at Twin Valley High School, Elverson, PA.
To register and to access the 2022 battery and front ensemble technique packets, visit www.readingbuccaneers.org/register.
9/16/21
BUCCANEERS ANNOUNCE 2022 STAFF LEADERSHIP, DESIGNERS AND CAPTION HEADS
The Reading Buccaneers Drum & Bugle Corps is excited to introduce you to the staff leadership,
designers and caption heads who will lead the corps’ 65th Anniversary production and instructional
program for 2022:
STAFF COORDINATOR: Kevin Wrightstone
ENSEMBLE COORDINATOR: Paul Cullen
BRASS ARRANGER: Mark Lortz
BRASS CAPTION HEAD: Mike Tanzos
PERCUSSION ARRANGER &
CAPTION HEAD: Andrew Rubano
FRONT ENSEMBLE
ARRANGER & DIRECTOR: Andrew Monteiro
VISUAL DESIGNER: Steve Rinda
VISUAL CAPTION HEAD: Lydia Baranoski
COLOR GUARD DESIGNER &
CAPTION HEAD: Nicholas Tavares
COLOR GUARD DESIGNER: Shannon Hall
“The Buccaneers are committed to providing our members with a world-class experience in which they
are taught by and perform a show designed by some of the best our activity has to offer,” said Corps
Director Lou Tierno. “And this year’s staff nucleus certainly fits that description. We can’t wait to see
what this team has in store for our members and fans this year.”
Each person on the team brings to the table a deep resume in the activity, with virtually all having
extensive experience in the Buccaneers organization as both performers and instructors. Some are new to their roles, yet each brings a demonstrated understanding of and commitment to “the Buccaneer way” of total-team excellence in every section and every caption, in the context of an exceptional member experience.
Stay tuned for additional staff announcements in the coming weeks.
The Buccaneers express their deep gratitude and appreciation to Christopher Feist, Bobby Jones, Victor Cummings, Mark Thurston, Johnny Trujillo, Grant Butters and Dave Caravella for their outstanding
contributions to the success of the Buccaneers’ programming.
Join us for MEMBERSHIP DAY 2022 and be part of our 65th Anniversary voyage! It all gets started on
Sunday, November 28, 2021 at Twin Valley High School, Elverson, PA. Registration begins at 11 a.m.
Program from Noon to 6 p.m.
Register at https://buccaneers.knack.com/bucs#register/ and join our 2022 Facebook interest group at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/bucs2022/
It’s going to be extraordinary! Be part of it!