INDIANAPOLIS — Four new corps earned the title of member organization in their respective classes at Friday’s portion of the DCI Annual Meetings, as the drum corps activity continues to experience notable growth across organizational categories.
In Open Class, Zephyrus (Tulsa, Oklahoma) and Memphis Blues (Memphis, Tennessee) were officially voted in as members. Within minutes down the hallway, Northern Lights (Muskegon, Michigan) and MBI (St. Paul, Minnesota) were officially approved as All-Age members.
“We’re thrilled on behalf of the corps who were voted into membership in their respective classes this weekend,” said DCI Open Class coordinator David Eddleman. “It’s been a joy to watch these organizations grow in recent years, and we’re excited to see what they have in store within the Open and All-Age Classes.”
Drum Corps International’s evaluation process — which has been further developed and refined since 2020’s COVID shutdown — is a progressive three-year plan, allowing corps to take guided steps toward competing in their classes in the second year and officially voted into membership in year three.
During that evaluation process, corps work hand in hand with DCI and its current member corps to develop healthy organizational practices, policies and plans that lay the foundation for long-term, sustainable success.
“We had an idea of how long it would take to build a drum corps, and we had no idea it would take this many years to build up the relationships and the infrastructure,” Zephyrus founder Aaron Morton said. “The slower we’ve gone, the more solidly those foundations have been laid.”
While all four corps had the opportunity to compete within their respective classifications on the 2025 DCI Tour as “affiliate members” — MBI and Northern Lights, largely thanks to their proximity, were able to attend the DCI All-Age World Championships in Indianapolis — their official approval for full membership marks the culmination of years of hard work.
For some, it’s been nearly a decade of planning; Morton noted that Zephyrus’ original founding took place in 2017, starting with several years in SoundSport prior to initiating the Open Class application process.
“This has been one of those big checkpoints we’ve been dreaming of since 2017 when we had our first board meeting,” Morton said. “This moment is really special, because it sort of marks what it took to make this happen.”
For others, this official approval marks — in a sense — a return of sorts.
Memphis Blues was founded as an independent organization in 2023, but serves as a “reboot” of the Memphis Blues Brass Band, a competing corps of the 1980s.
“It’s an incredible opportunity for us,” Memphis Blues corps director Stephen Cook said. “We’ve got great things going on for our program, lots of support, lots of excitement, and we’re just really ready to hit the ground running this year.”
MBI, formerly known as Minnesota Brass, was founded in 1948, and competed primarily in Drum Corps Associates, winning the circuit’s World Championship title in 2011. The corps went inactive in 2018, but made a return to the DCI World Championships as a SoundSport team before taking the field as a DCI All-Age affiliate last season, earning 11th place overall.
“We’ve been around for 80 years, but we’re excited to take this next step of formal membership into the All-Age Class within DCI, and really looking forward to a competitive 2026,” Minnesota Brass CEO Eric Molho said. “I think it looks very, very bright for both MBI and for the All-Age Class. It’s been remarkable to see the change.”
Northern Lights’ path to membership has been somewhat expedient; the Michigan corps, founded in the fall of 2022, spent two seasons in DCI’s SoundSport program while beginning their All-Age evaluation process.
“It’s a really great feeling,” Northern Lights director Misty Olmstead said, “to feel completely welcomed by the rest of the All-Age directors, and for us to have the opportunity to continue to take the stage with them and continue representing DCI.”
These four corps aren’t the only ones aiding the rapid growth of DCI participation. Three corps — Boise Gems, Arsenal, and Eclipse — are currently in the earlier stages of the Open Class evaluation process, while Hutchinson, Kansas’ Sky Ryders were approved to begin the process at DCI’s winter meetings.
The process behind DCI's evaluation process
Once groups apply and are approved to begin their evaluation period, highlights of the performance and competitive portion of the plan include:
Year 1:
Ensembles perform as part of DCI’s SoundSport Class with the respective distinction of “All-Age Class Candidate” or “Open Class Candidate.” Productions are evaluated/judged under DCI SoundSport guidelines.
Year 2:
Assuming the successful completion of year-one requirements, candidates advance to “All-Age Class Affiliate” or “Open Class Affiliate.” Performance duration guidelines are based on the minimum/maximum of the class pursuant to the DCI rulebook. Adjudication is under the All-Age/Open Class system in effect.
Year 3:
Assuming the successful completion of year-two requirements, affiliates advance to become full members of the All-Age Class or Open Class. Length of productions are based on the respective minimums/maximums of the individual classes pursuant to the DCI competitive rulebook. Adjudication of performances occurs within the current All-Age/Open Class system.
Other considerations:
In addition to the outlined performance procedures, ensembles working through the evaluation process also undergo an extensive organizational review led by DCI officials. This process includes IRS status compliance verification, a board of directors roster review, examinations of financial statements and overall fiscal health, and a review of instructional and performer rosters. The review also considers adherence to health and wellness standards, other administrative policies put in place to ensure a solid operational foundation, well-established business practices and an unquestionable focus on participant safety.
