Return to Website

Norwood Park Imperials Alumni Forum

Alumni are welcome to post messages to each other, comment on experiences, or just tell everyone what you've been doing. The Topics with most the recent comments will always be at the top of the list.

If you click on the Message Topic (first column in the table below) then you will see all of the messages for that Topic. You can then add your own comment by clicking the REPLY button for any message.  If you click the QUOTE button on a message, that message will be copied into your reply so that it's clear what your reply is about.

You can start a New Topic as well. Just click the START A NEW POST link below.

All we ask is that you keep it neat, clean, polite, and reasonably intelligent.

Norwood Park Imperials Alumni Forum
Start a New Topic 
Author
Comment
More Sad News: Jim Fiduccia

Jim Fiduccia, former Imperials manager, passed away this weekend at the age of 81. Services will be at the Smith-Corcoran Funeral Home on Cicero Avenue (details available on their website). In my mind, Jim extended the life of the Imperials by almost a decade into the 1980s and never really received the credit he deserved. He began as the manager of the Cadets, and kept that group together while the Imperials went through some difficult and poorly-organized times. He then basically moved them up as a group to become the Imperials of the late 70s and early 80s. At a time when drum corps was changing rapidly, and we knew we didn't have the resources to compete with the DCI corps, our goal was to be the "best of the rest", and we accomplished that under Jim's leadership, winning the AL State Championship in 1979. And while that title may not have been as prestigious as in decades past (with the Cavaliers, Guardsmen, and Phantom not in attendance), it sure felt like a championship to us.

Jim honestly cared about every kid in the corps, and went well out of his way regularly to make sure we had the best experience possible. My first year as drum instructor and DM, he took me from Northwestern University to and from rehearsal every week during the winter, including a home-cooked meal at his house. He and his wife Diane really were the Mom and Dad of the corps, and we loved them for it.

I am glad to say we remained friends and in touch through the years, and visited whenever I was in Chicago. My thoughts and prayers are with Diane and Cathy. He will be remembered fondly by all of us who knew him, and we'll miss him terribly.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare; Drum Major; Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79