Ken McCuskey was a recent visitor at the Little Falls Rotary Club when he told the members about the history of the Ilion Civic Band. The Ilion Civic band has it roots from the days when every city, town or village had a band. In the Mohawk Valley, one of the earliest was over 100 years when the Remington Typewriter Company band was formed. Still playing after fifty years, they regularly performed concerts in the lunch room of the Remington Arms factory during world war II.

Sadly, as factories closed or individual's commitments changed, many of these bands died out. In the mid-seventies, the Ilion Civic Band was created and has played a regular season of concerts in the summer at different locations in Ilion. The band is formed of people from all backgrounds, including many High School students, individuals who belong to larger orchestras.

Ken joined in 1992 and has been an announcer and researcher for every piece of music played at concerts. Ken Mc Cluskey, a native of Brooklyn and Long Island, earned his Bachelors Degree from Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. He received his Masters Degree from Colgate University in Hamilton, NY.

He is retired after teaching for forty years in Morocco, North Africa, and West Canada Valley Central School in Newport, NY. During his career, he taught French, English and Latin from grades 4 to First Year college. He was, for many years, head of the English Department at West Canada. In addition to teaching, he was also Production Stage Manager for events at West Canada, For fifteen years, he directed several plays and musicals at the school, and in his retirement, continues as Technical and Lighting Advisor.

In 1986, he was given a New York State English Council Teacher of Excellence Award. He has been published in The English Record as well as the New York State Journal of English Education.
In his retirement, he is a member and on the board of the Mohawk Valley Choral Society. He is the Master of Ceremonies at the weekly summer concerts of the Ilion Civic Band. He is webmaster for both organizations.

Pictured left to right Tony Carlisto, Ken McCluskey, Alan Vincent and Chris Farber.