Vincent A. Bruni
Visitation for Vincent A. "Mr. B." Bruni, longtime director of the Empire Statesmen senior corps who died on Aug. 29, will be today and tomorrow, Sept. 3 and Sept. 4, at the Profetta Funeral Chapel, 1650 Empire Blvd. (at Plank Rd.), in Rochester, N.Y. The funeral service will be held on Friday 10 a.m. at St. Ambrose Church, at Empire and Culver Roads, in Rochester.

Vince Bruni was a United States Navy veteran and a lifetime educator. He was involved with the drum and bugle corps activity since the late 1940s. His drum corps career included the following achievements:
  • Directing the Rochester Crusaders to national American Legion championships;
  • Founding and directing the Rochester Statesmen, Alpine Girls, Pardee Pacers and Little Americans to provide supervised music activity for Rochester area boys and girls;
  • Founding the New York/Canadian Association drum corps circuit to provide regular competitions for organizations in New York State and Ontario, Canada;
  • Founding and serving as president of the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame, Inc.;
  • Founding and serving as director of the Rochester Empire Statesmen, four-time Drum Corps Associates (DCA) champions, and the only corps to win the DCA, American Legion and World Show Band titles in a single year;
  • Teaching or advising drum and bugle corps in Ontario and Quebec, and across the Northeastern United States;
  • Organizing and participating in local and regional charity events to help support youth activity in various communities;
  • Advising Rochester area high school marching bands, to help raise the performance level of marching musicians;
  • Introducing international tours to Europe, the Caribbean and South America to help expand performance opportunities for drum and bugle corps.

    Bruni is survived by his children Debi Bruni, Cindy Lauria, Laurie (Ronald) Cheesbro, David Bruni and Rochelle (Joseph) Scuderi; grandchildren Tony Nucci, Danyelle Munger, Bradley Cheesbro, Adam Cheesbro, Carli Cheesbro, Sebastian Scuderi, Lexiana Scuderi and Chloe Scuderi; and sister, Terry Salem. Bruni's Final Resting Place will be Riverside Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to The Empire Statesmen Drum and Bugle Corps, 341 East Ridge Rd. Rochester, N.Y. 14621, or The Eastview Kidney Dialysis, 120 Victor Heights Pkwy., Victor, N.Y. 14564 Contact David Hobart at 585.232.5080 or the Empire Statesmen at 585.266.2232 for further information.