Band Staff
Ronald Parsons, Director
Ronald Parsons is the director of the high school band program which includes marching band, concert band, jazz ensemble and percussion ensemble. The high school band has grown from 35 students to over 150 students.
The Danvers High School Band is the first Massachusetts band to have appeared three times in the Tournament of Roses Parade (2001, 2006 & 2010). The band was selected to represent the state of Massachusetts at the 53rd Presidential Inauguration on January 20, 1997. The band is also a two time grand champion at Music Fest Orlando, and has performed in such parades as the NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and the Citrus Bowl Parade in Orlando, Florida.
Under the direction of Ronald Parsons, the band continues to grow in size, quality and popularity. The band is in demand for performances around the world having received invitations to perform in Hawaii at the 65th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor and in Beijing, China as part of a yearlong celebration leading up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Ronald Parsons is a freelance trumpet player who received a Bachelor of Music Education and a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Lowell. He also is a certified instructor for the Technology Institute for Music Educators and Salem State College. This year marks his 23rd year as director of the high school band.
2007
Bob Mulvanity (Visual Designer – Marching instructor)
Bob is currently in his 8th year as the Visual Designer and Marching Instructor for the Falcon Marching Band. An alumnus of Danvers High School, Bob has been designing shows for college & high school marching bands, drum & bugle corps, and winter color guards at home and abroad for some thirty years. During these thirty years, Bob has designed more than 300 shows, many resulting in Gold Medal and/or championships for the more than 60 schools and organizations that he has designed for. Be it a half time show for Boston College, a competitive show for a NESBA, DCI, or WGI caliber team, or preparing the Danvers High School Falcon Marching Band for a Rose Bowl Parade performance, Bob brings an enthusiasm and commitment to excellence that has been shared by the more than 9,000 students that Bob has designed and instructed for over his career.
Frank Grelle, Percussion Instructor
Frank Grelle has been the Percussion Instructor for the Danvers High School Falcon Marching band for 8 years. Frank was inducted into the Massachusetts Drum Corps Hall of Fame in 1998, having been involved in the drum and bugle corps activity as a participant and an instructor for over forty years. Frank began his high school percussion instruction in 1975. During his instructing career, he has taught numerous drum corps and bands, including the Spartans Drum Corps, the Boston Crusaders Jr. Drum Corps and the Boston Crusaders Sr. Drum Corps, as well as the following high school bands: Danvers, Beverly, Andover, Reading, Malden, Methuen, North Reading and Plymouth Carver High School Marching Bands. He led many of these high school percussion lines to gold medal status in the New England Scholastic Band Association (NESBA), a competitive high school circuit, and was instrumental in the NESBA championships of Andover and North Reading high school bands. He not only helped to prepare the Danvers High School Falcon Marching Band for their two appearances in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California and their appearance in the New York St. Patrick's Day Parade, but marched alongside the band at all these appearances.
Bridget Mulvanity, Color Guard Instructor
Bridget is in her 1st season as the color guard instructor for the Falcon Marching Band. Bridget started marching in 1986 and competed in St. Catherine’s color guard from 1986-1994. She then went on to march in the Emerald Marquis color guard from 1994-1999. She also marched 3 years with the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps. Bridget has been designing color guard shows locally for high school marching bands and winter color guards for the last 13 years. Bridget has been a part of many championships both locally and nationally! Bridget is excited to be working with the staff and members of the Falcon Marching Band.
