07-04-2009
11:49

Corps news and announcements

by Drum Corps International

The Academy’s utility vehicle and trailer used to move instruments on and off the field for performances was stolen on Monday in Tempe, Ariz. In a year when support and donations are down for many organizations, Academy Executive Director Mark Richardson said, “We’ve cut our spending budget everywhere we could without compromising our members’ experience. Replacing the vehicle and trailer would cost about $12,000 that we simply don’t have.”

The Blue Devils put on two successful “System Blue” percussion camps in California last month, giving more than 70 young musicians from around the country the opportunity to learn from and play with corps members and staff. The corps will host three more similar camps this season.

The Blue Knights will host the first Rocky Mountain “Throw Down,” an entertaining competition between some of Colorado’s outstanding high school drum lines, in conjunction with the Drums Along the Rockies competition July 11 in Denver, Colo. The event will begin at 4 p.m. at the south end of INVESCO Field at Mile High.

“Throw it Down,” a feature length movie about the Bluecoats, is having a big impact on the film festival circuit this summer. See it at the Indianapolis Film Festival on Friday, July 17 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art or the Oxford, Ohio Film Festival on July 26.

Get to know a corps member and see where former members or staff are now in new installments of “Member of the Week” and “Where Are They Now?” Check back each week for updates.

Learn what the Jersey Surf is up to as they compete as a World Class corps for the first year. Terri Ives, Surf’s volunteer coordinator, wrote this update after the corps received a standing ovation at their first World Class competition earlier this week.

Get the real inside scoop on the 2009 Phantom Regiment tour by reading “Treuman’s Travels,” a journal kept by baritone player Daniel Treuman. Want to know every detail about food, housing and rehearsal? This is the blog for you.

Santa Clara Vanguard CEO Jeff Fiedler was featured on “Annie & Burl Live!” on BlogTalkRadio Wednesday night. Hear him discuss what has changed in the 35 years he has been involved with drum corps, how corps members don’t live up to stereotypes, and more.

Dorothy Chaffee, a longtime friend and volunteer of the Racine Scouts, passed away Monday afternoon after a long illness. Dorothy was involved with the corps for approximately 46 years as a volunteer. In 2005, DCI named her the “Volunteer of the Year.”

Corps news and announcements

The Academy

Blue Devils

Blue Knights

Bluecoats

Boston Crusaders

Jersey Surf

Phantom Regiment

Santa Clara Vanguard

Racine Scouts