the cino paci band
Born in the Tuscany region of Italy in 1881, the boy who would become known as Cino Paci taught himself to play a number of instruments — including the trombone, euphonium, and baritone — using tips from local musicians. He would then practice his craft in the mountains of Northern Italy, becoming a true virtuoso of the brass instruments. Before emigrating to the United States with his wife, Paci had worked up an admiration for the Italian town band tradition, in which each village would be represented by its very own musical ensemble.
After settling in Exeter, Paci began teaching music to local immigrants. He played with the Alexander Band in Wilkes-Barre, and loaned his talents to different musical organizations and occasions. As part of his travels, Paci performed for many years at Princeton University’s commencement ceremonies. Back in Luzerne County, Paci saw the potential for a localized version of the Italian town band tradition. In that tradition, the Cino Paci Band was officially formed to represent Greater Pittston.
Many of the Cino Paci Band’s original members were residents of the City of Pittston, West Pittston, and Exeter. There is evidence to suggest that Paci had been organizing a band bearing his name as far back as 1912 in Italy, but the Cino Paci Band became official on American soil in 1923. The latter year has subsequently been recognized in the band’s anniversary celebrations.
While Cino Paci served as a staff sergeant concert director in World War II, his son, Adrian, took over the band until he was drafted to serve himself. Adrian, a Penn State graduate and music teacher, was killed in action in 1945. Upon returning home, Cino once again took over the baton, and carried it until turning over control of the band to Ross Tarantino in 1953. From there, the lineage of the Cino Paci Band’s leadership has remained incredibly steady. Tarantino, the chairman of the Wyoming Area music department, then handed power off to Joey Infantino, who, in turn, passed it along to his son, Charlie Infantino. “Joey I” and “Charlie I” were assisted by assistant directors Lino Marchetti and Jack Brogan, respectively.
Current directors Phil Ioanna and Nick Driscoll have kept many of the Cino Paci Band’s traditions alive. The band famously strolls rather than marches, and their ensemble still includes a combination of clarinets, baritones, saxophones, trumpets, trombones, tubas, and percussion. Depending on the event, the uniformed Paci Band is prepared to play with any number of musicians.
The Cino Paci Band officially kicks off their season around Memorial Day, and they stay busy throughout the year. They have long been staples of church bazaars in the Wyoming Valley. Their performances at St. Rocco’s Church, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, and St. Cecilia Roman Catholic Church are burned into the collective memories of community members, and some of their performances have coincided with the overnight “Midnight Serenade” tradition. In addition, the Cino Paci Band have played at countless parades, festivals, and private parties.
Some musicians have played in the Cino Paci Band into their nineties, but new members are still recruited. This cycle of recharging has allowed musicians of multiple generations to share in a common creative objective, which can truly only be achieved in the rare ensembles that contain the Cino Paci Band’s longevity and consistency. In the very recent past, there were still musicians in the Paci Band who had played with Cino himself.
The Cino Paci Band has the additional responsibility of preserving the songs that those past musicians have established as standards. The band plays Italian and American songs, and many of their symphonic marches were written or arranged by Cino Paci himself. They have pulled from operas like La Traviata, Aida, and The Barber of Seville, and their signature tune is the classic Italian concert march “Caderna.”
For over 100 years, the Cino Paci Band have served as a remarkably consistent musical group that have paid respect to an Old World tradition that truly resonates in Luzerne County. Their 100th anniversary concert in 2023 at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts was no farewell show; it marked the start of a new wave of interest in the Cino Paci Band’s legacy. La tradizione continua.