A Little Drum Corps History

Drum Corps International (DCI) fans, rejoice! 

If there wasn't a military, there would be no such thing as DCI.

The first drum corps started out as drummers and fifers sending alerts and signals for the Army.  A company of 100 men would have about two fifers and two drummers each - partly to sound signals and alarms, but also to play music when they marched so the men wouldn't get bored. The fifers and drummers from the different companies marched together at the head of parades, playing popular songs from home. 

Finally, in 1890, the last American military group stopped using fifes and drums in formations.  Musical ensembles descending from these popular military drum units were created by veteran organizations. They got the surplus equipment from signaling military units when they became obsolete. Classic drum corps can be traced to these old veteran organizations. Soon corps were created by more groups, such as Boy Scouts of America and Police Athletic Leagues.

In the late 1960's, the rivalry between corps started the competitive path to DCI. The Veteran of Foreign Wars (VFW) and American Legion (AL) both ran successful competition circuits until 1970. The VFW and AL had meeting halls where veterans formed musical ensembles to entertain. The Golden Age of  Drum and Bugle Corps was between 1960 and 1970. After 1970, there were some arguments about how the competitions were run by the veterans' organizations. The differences between the Veteran of Foreign Wars and American Legion were subtle, but the pressure increased to find a common judging system. In 1972, Drum Corps International was founded.

Now, in 2009, Drum and Bugle Corps has become a great sport, not only in America, but also internationally.  DCI only allows people between the ages of 13  and 21 to participate. After a performer has completed his or her final year, they usually participate in an Age-Out Ceremony after their last show, and then can move on to better and bigger things. They could become an instructor for a drum corps, or maybe they would march in an all age corps in the Drum Corps Associates (DCA) circuit.

The Age-Out ceremony is conducted in a fun and caring way. The people too old for another year of DCI gather in the middle of a circle formed by the rest of the corps, and they play the field show from that year ... just for them. Most likely there are other ways to perform this ceremony, too.

This sport brings all of us together in one place. A place where music and love can be together. A place where families can gather, and friends can become family. This place is the Drum Corps International World Championships, held sometime in the first two weeks of August. Drum Corps from all over the world come to compete against one another; a tradition dating back to over 40 years ago. There are some corps that date back to an era before that, such as the Boston Crusaders (Boston, MA), originally known as the Most Precious  Blood Crusaders. Some corps are totally new to the scene, or have come back from being disbanded. One of those reincarniated groups are the Velvet Knights from Pasadena, CA.  The original group, from Anahiem, CA, left the performance field in 1997. They, along with the many other Drum Corps from California and across the nation are now holding auditions and clinics as they prepare for the new season and this year's journey to the DCI World Championships.

So - pick up your mallets and drum sticks. Raise your horns and flags.

Rejoice! The 2009  Drum Corps' season is here!