Roger Cichy
Biography
Roger Cichy (b. 1956, Columbus, Ohio) is an American composer, conductor and music educator.
Mr. Cichy has a diverse background as both a composer/arranger and a music educator. He holds Bachelor of Music and Master of Arts in Music Education degrees from The Ohio State University. Although both are in the area of music education, he has studied composition and arranging as a second area of concentration during both degree programs. His composition mentors include Edward Montgomery, Marshall Barnes, and Joseph Levey.
As a music educator, Roger was a very successful band director in Mars, Pennsylvania, covering grades 5 through 12 in instrumental music. After earning his master's degree, he served as associate director of bands at the University of Rhode Island, and at Iowa State University where he directed the marching band, concert band, and basketball pep band and taught various music courses on the undergraduate level. In 1995, he resigned his position at Iowa State University to devote full-time to composing and arranging.
As a freelance composer and arranger, Cichy writes for high school and college bands, professional orchestras, and the commercial music industry. He has over 275 compositions and arrangements accredited to his name. . His composition mentors include Edward Montgomery, Marshall Barnes, and Joseph Levey.
Cichy's works include Galilean Moons, commissioned by the University of Georgia Wind Symphony and premiered at the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) national convention in February 1997; Colours, a six-movement work commissioned by the Kansas State University Symphony Band, And make a joyous sound, commissioned by the Des Moines Symphony, BBC Forever!, commissioned by the Brass Band of Columbus; Wisconsin Soundscapes, commissioned by the University of Wisconsin-Superior Symphonic Band to honor the 150th anniversary of Wisconsin statehood; Bugs, commissioned by the University of St. Thomas and premiered at the North Central Regional Conference of the College Band Directors National Association; and First Flights, commissioned by the University of Georgia to commemorate the upcoming 100th anniversary of flight.
Most recent works include Festival!, T. Rex and Wizards, all commissioned works for wind ensemble. Roger has completed a new work, Sounds, Sketches, and Ideas, commissioned by the University of St. Thomas, and is in collaboration with his 12-year-old daughter, Rebecca. Roger has taken the melodies that Rebecca has created and employed them into a full symphonic work.
Works for Winds
- Amazing Grace (as arranger) (1779/2014)
- American Band Salute (2009?)
- and make a joyous sound
- Breakthrough (1994/2000)
- Bugs (2000)
- Centennial Fanfare (1990)
- Colours (1997)
- Divertimento for Winds and Percussion (1994)
- El Caballero (2000)
- Emblazoned Joy (2019/2021)
- Fanfare for a Festive Day (1996)
- Festival!
- First Flights
- Flowing Pens from Concord (2013)
- For Purple Mountain Majesties (2005)
- Galilean Moons (1996)
- Geometric Dances (2007)
- God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (as arranger) (2022)
- The Golden Baton March
- Hats Off (2016)
- In Exuberant Celebration (2009)
- Interpretations
- Le fée printemps (2025)
- Maestro
- New Millennium, Different World, New Beginnings (2004)
- Pandemonium (2006)
- POEtic Justice (2025)
- Quartets (2006/2012)
- Rachmaninoff Prelude (as arranger)
- Silhouette
- Sounds, Sketches, and Ideas (2002)
- T. Rex
- We Walked with Heads Held High (2006)
- Westminster Carol (1991)
- Windsicle (2006)
- Wisconsin Soundscapes
- Wizards
Resources
- Miles, Richard B. 2000. Teaching Music Through Performance in Band. Volume 3. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 468.
- Pilato, Nikk. "Flowing Pens from Concord." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 10, Compiled and edited by Richard Miles, 743-751. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2015.
- Roger Cichy website. Accessed 22 October 2016