Richard "Rick" Marino
Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 8:25 pm
It is with a heavy heart that I announce that Loara's iconic band director Richard Marino has passed away. He was in hospice care for the past few months, and his family wished that his illness be kept private. Mr. Marino was just as adamant about people not making a "to do" about him ... he felt no one would remember who he was. Over the past few months, the Loara Alumni Association collected various cards, letters, photography, videos and remembrances which were posted to social media or sent to him directly or his family. Here is their response to his passing this morning:
R.I.P. Richard Marino
June 7, 1927 - December 9, 2014
Mr. Marino passed away at 7:30 am. on the morning of December 9, 2014. He was at home with family and had a peaceful end.
The family would like to thank everyone who sent cards and letters to Mr. Marino. He really enjoyed them and they were the catalyst for some great memories and conversations in his final days. They really meant a lot.
Mr. Marino really did not want any kind of service or flowers, etc. He suggested the Loara Band Boosters Club as a place to send any remembrance.
The Marino Family
From the "History of Loara" by Doug Hunt:
During the first year of the school, Richard Marino established the Saxon Band for 35 members. He had, in addition, an orchestra of 15 members. By the second year, he had 116 musicians in new uniforms of black and white with 14 inch white shakos. The first drum majorette was Margery Jo Black. The first big win for the Marching Saxons was in the Santa Ana Christmas parade with three trophies: first in their division, sweepstakes for the best band in the entire parade, and first place for Rick Hodge, the military drum major. Between January and April, Marino converted his marchers into a concert band. For 1966-67, Loara Band was named "Show Band of the Western States." Then the fall of 1968, Hall Hurwitz led the group to Sweepstakes in the All-Western Band Review, the State Championship, where competition was with 70 bands. That video can be seen on YouTube and is considered one of the most (admittedly arguable) perfect high school street performances.
George Beyer, newly graduated from California State University at Fullerton, was hired to assist Marino in 1973. Loara's band had the largest number of musicians in the District. The 1972-73 group had numbered 320 (240 band, 64 drill team, and 16 banners.)
The long list of impressive wins for the Saxon Band was highlighted with the prestigious honors of 1977-78: Sweepstakes at All-Western Band Review, Arcadia Review, Santa Monica Review, Tournament of Champions at Chaffey, La Mesa Western States Tournament of Champions.
Many fine musicians from Loara have made successful careers in music. Karen Tkaezyk was named the most outstanding trumpet player in Southern California, and Dana Sundene was named top oboe player in Southern California honor groups. Numerous musicians are in the professional field, while some are band directors in Southern California: Gary Eakens, Gary Hoffman, and Mark Lower, in addition to Ron Wakefield, Mike Pergola (deceased), and Kent Hannibal. (I know I am missing many others and my apologies in advance there.)
Two groups of girls on campus add much color and spirit to the band. They're the Valkyrie Drill Team and the Courtiers, flag and banner girls. Elaine Hess started the drill team in the fall of 1963 with 40 girls, who gave their first performance at the Anaheim Halloween Parade. By spring 1964, the girls presented the first in the long series of "Spring Shos." Jean Tomarelli organized the Courtiers in 1970 to march with the drill team and band as pageantry escorts.
From a personal fieldshowqueen perspective:
I played clarinet and sax (following my father's example who was a member of the RhythmAirs in the early 1950's) for Ball Jr. High under the direction of Mr. Pritchard, and I spent only one short semester in my 10th grade year on the field at Loara, and sadly left due to a severely torn ankle tendon. Despite only 20 weeks with the band during the summer and fall of 1972, the lessons taught by Mr. Marino are still engrained in my psyche: Don't do unless you do well. Go hard or go home. Winning is not the optimal solution; doing better than you did previously is the only reason we are here.
Rick was the VP of parade adjudication for SCSBOA for many years ... and my respect for him is never-ending, and as is that of those who were ever taught by him (which is literally thousands ... doing the math: 50 years of about 600 or so equals 30,000 people who have graduated from Loara, and about 12 to 15,000 of those were under Mr. Marino's tutelage. Loara had 200 band members plus 60 drill/flag team each year, so ... about 4,000 people were affected by him, not including their parents and the rest of the school).
I know people on WoP will understand it when I say, "Band" wasn't just something to do ... it was a way of life that many of us chose to follow, and we still do so. Loara Saxons will understand when I say "... may his memory always linger" ... it is a line from our Alma Mater* (which I can STILL play on my clarinet) that we take to heart each time we recite it at our games and pep rallies.
Godspeed Mr. Marino ... Once a Saxon, always a Saxon. And thank you for the lessons you've taught us about music and living life well balanced and to the fullest.
*Loara Alma Mater:
Hail Loara! School we cherish,
Built by Saxons loyal and true,
She provides a firm foundation,
which will last our whole life through.
May her memories always linger,
may traditions live long too,
red and gold will fly forever,
Loara we honor you.
Hail Loara! School we cherish,
built by Saxons loyal and true,
She provides a firm foundation,
which will last our whole life through.
(words by Molly Wampler;
musical composition by James Ployhar d. 2007)
R.I.P. Richard Marino
June 7, 1927 - December 9, 2014
Mr. Marino passed away at 7:30 am. on the morning of December 9, 2014. He was at home with family and had a peaceful end.
The family would like to thank everyone who sent cards and letters to Mr. Marino. He really enjoyed them and they were the catalyst for some great memories and conversations in his final days. They really meant a lot.
Mr. Marino really did not want any kind of service or flowers, etc. He suggested the Loara Band Boosters Club as a place to send any remembrance.
The Marino Family
From the "History of Loara" by Doug Hunt:
During the first year of the school, Richard Marino established the Saxon Band for 35 members. He had, in addition, an orchestra of 15 members. By the second year, he had 116 musicians in new uniforms of black and white with 14 inch white shakos. The first drum majorette was Margery Jo Black. The first big win for the Marching Saxons was in the Santa Ana Christmas parade with three trophies: first in their division, sweepstakes for the best band in the entire parade, and first place for Rick Hodge, the military drum major. Between January and April, Marino converted his marchers into a concert band. For 1966-67, Loara Band was named "Show Band of the Western States." Then the fall of 1968, Hall Hurwitz led the group to Sweepstakes in the All-Western Band Review, the State Championship, where competition was with 70 bands. That video can be seen on YouTube and is considered one of the most (admittedly arguable) perfect high school street performances.
George Beyer, newly graduated from California State University at Fullerton, was hired to assist Marino in 1973. Loara's band had the largest number of musicians in the District. The 1972-73 group had numbered 320 (240 band, 64 drill team, and 16 banners.)
The long list of impressive wins for the Saxon Band was highlighted with the prestigious honors of 1977-78: Sweepstakes at All-Western Band Review, Arcadia Review, Santa Monica Review, Tournament of Champions at Chaffey, La Mesa Western States Tournament of Champions.
Many fine musicians from Loara have made successful careers in music. Karen Tkaezyk was named the most outstanding trumpet player in Southern California, and Dana Sundene was named top oboe player in Southern California honor groups. Numerous musicians are in the professional field, while some are band directors in Southern California: Gary Eakens, Gary Hoffman, and Mark Lower, in addition to Ron Wakefield, Mike Pergola (deceased), and Kent Hannibal. (I know I am missing many others and my apologies in advance there.)
Two groups of girls on campus add much color and spirit to the band. They're the Valkyrie Drill Team and the Courtiers, flag and banner girls. Elaine Hess started the drill team in the fall of 1963 with 40 girls, who gave their first performance at the Anaheim Halloween Parade. By spring 1964, the girls presented the first in the long series of "Spring Shos." Jean Tomarelli organized the Courtiers in 1970 to march with the drill team and band as pageantry escorts.
From a personal fieldshowqueen perspective:
I played clarinet and sax (following my father's example who was a member of the RhythmAirs in the early 1950's) for Ball Jr. High under the direction of Mr. Pritchard, and I spent only one short semester in my 10th grade year on the field at Loara, and sadly left due to a severely torn ankle tendon. Despite only 20 weeks with the band during the summer and fall of 1972, the lessons taught by Mr. Marino are still engrained in my psyche: Don't do unless you do well. Go hard or go home. Winning is not the optimal solution; doing better than you did previously is the only reason we are here.
Rick was the VP of parade adjudication for SCSBOA for many years ... and my respect for him is never-ending, and as is that of those who were ever taught by him (which is literally thousands ... doing the math: 50 years of about 600 or so equals 30,000 people who have graduated from Loara, and about 12 to 15,000 of those were under Mr. Marino's tutelage. Loara had 200 band members plus 60 drill/flag team each year, so ... about 4,000 people were affected by him, not including their parents and the rest of the school).
I know people on WoP will understand it when I say, "Band" wasn't just something to do ... it was a way of life that many of us chose to follow, and we still do so. Loara Saxons will understand when I say "... may his memory always linger" ... it is a line from our Alma Mater* (which I can STILL play on my clarinet) that we take to heart each time we recite it at our games and pep rallies.
Godspeed Mr. Marino ... Once a Saxon, always a Saxon. And thank you for the lessons you've taught us about music and living life well balanced and to the fullest.
*Loara Alma Mater:
Hail Loara! School we cherish,
Built by Saxons loyal and true,
She provides a firm foundation,
which will last our whole life through.
May her memories always linger,
may traditions live long too,
red and gold will fly forever,
Loara we honor you.
Hail Loara! School we cherish,
built by Saxons loyal and true,
She provides a firm foundation,
which will last our whole life through.
(words by Molly Wampler;
musical composition by James Ployhar d. 2007)