Columnists
Musical bolt from the blue
Posted:  11/20/2009 1:52 AM

Sometime during the Citadel-Wofford game on Saturday, folks in the stands will be serenaded by piano music from the heavens. In more ways than one. Andy Solomon, El Cid's associate athletic director, says it probably will be the first time classical music has ever been played at a college football game. But even more interesting is the story behind the music. You see, it was composed by Dr. Anthony Cicoria, class of '74, who's in town for his 35th reunion. Cicoria was an interesting, accomplished guy even before he started playing classical piano: A former defensive lineman at The Citadel, he earned All-Southern Conference and All-State honors in 1973. He got his medical degrees from MUSC and is now an orthopedic surgeon in New York. But here's the real kicker: Cicoria started playing piano and composing classical music shortly after he was struck by lightning. A flash of light It sounds like a superhero's origin story: Cicoria was manning the barbecue at a family reunion in 1994 when he went to call his mother on a pay phone.