Alumni Spotlight – Rick Anderson ‘66

For Rick Anderson, a proud member of the Class of 1966, there was never a question about what he wanted to be when he grew up.  He remembers, “I knew I wanted to be a band director since the eighth grade.”

Indeed, music occupied most of Rick’s time at Susquehannock. As a brilliant young trumpeter, he performed in the marching band, concert band, orchestra, dance band, and brass quartet, earning chairs in district and state regional band competition. He also served as student director for several performing groups in his senior year and was a member of the mixed chorus and boys’ quartet. Identified as a trumpet prodigy, he played in York’s famed Spring Garden Band and the York Symphony.

Outside of music, Rick was active in student government serving as a member of the prom and homecoming committees, and as Junior Class Vice-president. He was a member of the advertising committee for the school yearbook, but admits that his primary motivation there was an interest in its editor, Marjorie Stermer ‘66, whom he eventually married.

Rick was active in athletics, lettering in baseball and basketball. He gave football a try, but after getting his front teeth knocked loose, he realized he needed to make a decision between football and trumpet; he chose the latter.

After graduation, Rick went to the College of Wooster in Ohio, graduating in 1970 with a Bachelor of Music Education. While there, he continued to perform in student and professional groups and was encouraged to pursue studies in trumpet performance, which he did at Oberlin College.

His first job was as a music teacher and band director at Spring Grove Junior High School, eventually moving to the high school position. During his teaching career, he continued his education at West Chester and Towson State and earned a Master’s degree.  He performed professionally and founded the show band Kaleidoscope. The band’s success was such that Rick decided to quit teaching and take the group on the road full-time, but after three successful years, decided to return to teaching. “I’m glad I did it,” he says. “It’s a performer’s dream to travel the country fronting a band and I got it out of my system. But I had a wife and three children and realized that I genuinely loved teaching.”

He returned to York County, this time as Director of Music and Bands and Music Department Chair at the York Suburban School District, a position he held from 1984 to his retirement in 2007. Under his leadership, Suburban’s music program was among the county’s elite. With a student body of around 800, Rick’s marching band participation averaged an astonishing 150, nearly 20% of the student body. “The band was a focal point of the Suburban school culture,” Rick explains. “I worked with coaches and other activity advisors on conflicts and made sure everyone who wanted to be in the band had the opportunity.” Rick was inducted into the national bandmasters’ fraternity, Phi Beta Mu, and named the 2006 Band Director of the Year by the Cavalcade of Bands and entered their Hall of Fame in 2008.

No doubt his experience with Susquehannock guided his approach and style. “I remember Susquehannock as a place where students were encouraged to pursue their interests, wherever it took them. And it was a warm and friendly place. Every teacher knew every student by name.”

Ambitious band trips were a staple of the Suburban band experience and Rick is proud that over the years his groups marched in nearly every major holiday parade in the country. Rick was also active with the Pennsylvania Ambassadors of Music and Youth Music Abroad cultural exchange programs and directed student musical groups in several European countries.

In his retirement, Rick continues to be active in music. He performs and instructs with the Hanover Lancers Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps and is the music director/conductor of Opera Lancaster (where wife Marje is also the accompanist.)  And he purchased an R.V. and is spending as much time as he can – between playing, directing, and watching his grandchildren during the school year – traveling the country. Winding down is hard for Rick, but he looks forward to the motor home experience with Marje. “This is finally our time,” he says.

Thanks to Rick Anderson, Class of 1966, for making us Warrior Proud