Santa Clara chases high standards
set by co-founder
by Chris Hollenback, DCW Editor
When Gail Royer, co-founder and director of the Santa Clara Vanguard for its first 25 years, passed away in 1993 after battling cancer, the storied corps that had given the activity so many memorable moments was thrust into a challenging transitional phase.
"It was definitely difficult," said Dan Vannatta, SCV General Manager, "because Gail had that image -- he was Santa Clara. It was a transition period because at the same time as he died, Jack Hurt retired." Hurt was the corps' longtime business manager who leant his accounting expertise. "Bud Romo managed the fleet and facilities and he retired shortly after. It was a complete changeover from the people who ran the corps for its first 25 years. It was a complete transition for five or six years."
In some ways, a lot has changed since '93. Royer's brass arrangements and knack for designing brilliant impact points has been missed. The Royer era included the Bottle Dance, the instant pants color change in '86, disappearing members, then a disappearing corps during the Phantom of the Opera show and a closing note from the tunnel in Buffalo. The staff has changed dramatically. The uniforms have been tweaked.
Yet the tradition Royer started remains. The Vanguard star. The felt hats. The red/green/white color scheme. The energy. And since 1999, the corps has strung arguably three strong shows together, melding the sophistication and crowd appeal that made the Royer corps famous.
Could SCV be entering another golden age in its "New Era?"
"Absolutely," Vannatta said. "Drum corps goes in cycles. We went in a down cycle. Now we're in an uprise. The staff is staying together. The kids want to come back. We have 400 to 500 people scheduled to try out this year."
Certainly the brass line is enjoying one of its most successful runs. The guard, boosted by an off-season dance program the last few years, is strong. While the drum line probably wasn't as talented in 2001 as it was in 1999, Jim Casella's drum parts are adored by fans and critics alike and the SCV Cadets had a powerhouse 10-person snare line last summer, loading the corps with future talent to pick from.
"I believe the fans never lost respect for the Santa Clara Vanguard," Vannatta said. "Gail had the respect from other directors and the judging community because of his talent and achievements. Gail told us at the beginning that 'it will be easy to get to the top. The hard part will be staying there.' Our rise to the top happened so fast and made such an impact on the activity, it would be difficult for any organization to maintain that level of 'larger than life.'"
(Photo by Ron Walloch)
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