Richard Viglucci conducts the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” for a Capitol Concert on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building. Courtesy photo.
Captain Richard Viglucci conducts the UNL Wind Ensemble during a rehearsal on May 2 during Honors Day Weekend.
By Kathe C. Andersen
“I feel a real honor, for most all of the faculty that I worked with are still here, and for them to recognize the professional work I’ve done feels very special,” Captain Richard Viglucci said of his Alumni Achievement Award in Music. “It was a surprise, too. I didn’t know I was being nominated for the award.”
A native of Albany, New York, Viglucci earned his D.M.A. from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln as a Hixson-Lied Fellow and graduate teaching assistant.
“Dr. [Diane] Barger was recommended to me by a previous teacher. Not only is she one of our field’s great clarinetists, she also is very well connected in our community and a leader pedagogically,” he said. “I wanted to learn more about the profession of collegiate teaching.”
He appreciates having the opportunity to stay connected with Nebraska.
“Sometimes when you leave an institution, you never go back or you lose the connection with the professors, but at UNL, I didn’t,” Viglucci said. “The faculty here are so caring and so professional at what they’re doing, they’ll stay in touch with their students and help them continue to learn and thrive years after graduation. I’ve been able to reach out many times, ask for recommendation letters or review my professional materials.”
Viglucci now serves as the Commander of the United States Army School of Music in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where its mission is to train, educate and develop Army musicians who are capable of promoting the Army and national interests through musical performances that connect with the American and international audiences.
“I was really nervous to take command because when you’re in command, you have a lot of legal and financial responsibilities, so I was a bit like ‘Am I up for the challenge? Am I going to succeed in this role?’ It was a bundle of emotions.”
He oversees 80 soldiers with around 1,200 students attending the school annually.
“I really enjoy the problems of command,” Viglucci said. “You’re at the top of the pyramid, so a lot of really interesting problems percolate up. How do you get 80 faculty members with a rotating cast of students to all work in sync, solving current problems, identifying new problems and creating a positive environment where everyone can thrive? Keeping the machine running has been fun, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to command.”
He began his military career in 2013 as principal clarinetist in the U.S. Army Ground Forces Band. In 2015, he earned his commission from Officer Candidate School and then served as executive officer and associate conductor of the TRADOC Band at Fort Eustis and later at the 1st Calvary Division Band at Fort Cavazos. In 2020, he was selected as The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” associate bandmaster and associate conductor of the Concert Band.
Viglucci said that music is an important bridge and connector in society.
“It absolutely is, particularly in my job as a military musician,” he said. “In military ceremonies, in concerts, we’re using music functionally to bring people together to connect audiences with a story or a message. Music helps bridge cultural gaps of language and customs or connects a community with their Army and country.”
Viglucci said his reasons for becoming a military musician were practical, at first.
“Every time I get asked, ‘Why did you join?,’ I sometimes don’t know how to respond because it wasn’t for patriotic reasons. I really just needed a job with great benefits,” he said. “But soon I came to understand what it means to serve your country, and the great impact military music has in serving our country. I feel lucky to have stumbled upon a career where my musical skills are serving a much larger purpose than I could have ever expected.”
Some of his military achievements include conducting several performances at the White House, Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery for two U.S. Presidents, foreign Heads of State and senior military leaders. He conducted the U.S. Herald Trumpets at the 2022 Summit of the Americas where they provided all Heads of State introductory fanfares and opened the event’s ceremony for President Joseph Biden.
“When you’re at the White House, there’s no other word than cool. It’s just really cool,” Viglucci said. “The White House is filled with all sorts of historical memorabilia, so you’re walking down some corridor, and you come upon the famous Nancy Reagan portrait painting, and you’re just like, ‘Wow, that’s the real thing.’ And then you’ll walk into another room, and there’s Hillary Clinton’s portrait. And then there’s all the photos of various presidents meeting with dignitaries in the Rose Garden. It’s pretty cool.”
On the other hand, performing at Arlington National Cemetery is “nerve-wracking,” Viglucci said.
“What makes it nerve-wracking is the type of job you’re doing,” he said. “If you’re at Arlington National Cemetery, you’re doing one of two things—you’re perfroming an honors ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier or a burial ceremony for a service member and their family. You have an obligation to honor the significance with the highest integrity, and everyone performing is taking their role very seriously. So you can’t mess up. You just can’t. Plus, the news media could be there, and you wouldn’t want a mistake to find its way into the news. Nobody wants that.”
They also have to do their job, no matter what the weather is doing.
“Another fun fact about Arlington National Cemetery jobs is it could be sleet and freezing rain or 95 degrees and 90 percent humidity,” he said. “It’s got to go on. You have to do the job no matter the weather.”
But it’s also very rewarding.
“In this job, you get to be part of many historic events in our country,” he said. “I never imagined I would get to do so many interesting things, and it’s been a lot of fun.
Richard Viglucci after becoming the Commander of the United States Army School of Music. Courtesy photo.
Richard Viglucci conducts the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” at the Rose Garden at the White House. Courtesy photo.