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Front Cover

Front Cover

From the Publisher

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ince the release of the October issue with the enhancements offering readers the ability to view the issues responsively and accessibly, including on mobile phones and tablets, we’ve received encouragement from the people who are on our e-mail list, some never before. The mobile version, with the ability to translate on-the-fly, has fostered new readers around the world. We’re pleased that this addition has been received well and that the number of Drum Corps World subscribers has grown substantially...Read More

Remembering John Simpson

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t is with great sadness to report of DCI Hall of Fame Inductee and Master Educator John Simpson passing on February 14 in Rochester, NY.
First and foremost, John Simpson was a teacher. Whether he was standing in front of the Sky Ryders, the Bridgemen, Star of Indiana, the USAF “Blue Eagles” or a junior-high band in Kansas, his priority in music was sound first—beautiful tone, honest intonation, and music that meant something...Read More

Getting the Most From DCW Mobile

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his article provides details about our new DCW responsive and accessible version—perfect for desktop and mobile devices—including options for device and browser settings to enhance your reading experience. While you need not do anything to enjoy this edition of DCW, there are optional settings for Text Size, Light/Dark Mode, Read Aloud (your device will read articles to you), and Language Translation...Read More

Michael Carlson, DCW Staff

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onsidering a season in drum corps? This is the time of year when auditions are just kicking into gear or are well underway. As you can see below, audition opportunities are available at all performance levels throughout the United States. For new performers, some organizations host a “drum corps experience” event to introduce the activity fundamentals. Attending these training sessions goes far in helping decide whether auditions are for you....Read More

Nine Books on Kindle

Nine Books on Kindle

DCI Dates

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t’s been just over two months since the final moments of the 2025 Drum Corps International Tour, but the first whispers of the 2026 season are already growing more and more audible. With many corps’ recruitment season beginning to enter full swing and many more scheduled auditions to come in the near future, all signs are leading toward the 2026 DCI Summer Tour. ...Read More

Stanbury Uniforms

Stanbury Uniforms

Keith Griffin

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he Warriors Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps, Inc., hosted an individual and ensemble competition in the South Bronx of New York City on November 8, 2025. Approximately two hundred competitors from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and the surrounding metropolitan area met in a friendly, local contest to the delight of area fans...Read More


Dinkles Footwear

Dinkles Footwear

Brian Tolzmann, DCW Staff

Gentlemen start your engines!

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he city of Nazareth, PA, held a 1969 homecoming parade to honor native son Mario Andretti, who won that year’s Indianapolis 500. It seems like Nazareth really knew how to put on a parade, since 10 senior corps and 16 junior corps marched that day....Read More

ChopSaver

ChopSaver

Mandarins

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acramento, California – October 30, 2026 – Mandarins Performing Arts has announced that the Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps will take a hiatus from the 2026 Drum Corps International season as part of a comprehensive strategy to strengthen organizational infrastructure, enhance member experience, and ensure long-term sustainability amid evolving economic conditions affecting the performing arts nationwide...Read More

Fred J. Miller, Inc.

Fred J. Miller, Inc.

Gary Dickelman

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he year was 1959. It was a tight competition for the top spot among the most seasoned corps in National American Legion competition. The prelims had Chicago Cavaliers on top with a small margin over the venerable Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights of Newark, NJ, the favored corps that held six National titles since 1954, vying for its seventh. BSGK would prevail in the finals...Read More

Drill Master

Drill Master

Jane Boulan Photos

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ane Boulen documented drum and bugle corps through her amazing photography, particularly during the 1970s, featured in Drum Corps World and the Drum Corps Xperience Museum. These historical photo archives represent an important part of drum corps' enduring legacy and its future...Read More

Band Shoppe

Band Shoppe

Catherine Float

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e’re heartbroken to learn of the passing of Catherine Float, an innovator, educator, and composer whose influence helped shape the sound and spirit of the Blue Devils. Catherine reimagined what a front ensemble could be, expanding its sound, its size, and its expressive power....Read More

Pearl Percussion

Pearl Drums

Austin Thorup

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he gradual flow of innovations introduced in the 1970’s increased to a torrent during the 1980’s, a decade that saw Gail Royer’s Santa Clara Vanguard turning the pages of drum corps history and Don Warren’s Cavaliers quickly returning to elite status after years of struggle. Two major factors in 1982 laid the groundwork for the Cavaliers’ resurgence: the establishment of a financially beneficial partnership with Rosemont, IL, Mayor Donald E. Stephens which resulted in the corps moving out of Chicago to their current home to the new Village of Rosemont and the appointment of rising drum corps star Steve Brubaker as visual designer....Read More

Friends of DCI

Friends of Drum Corps International – Encourage & Experience Achievement at a Higher Level

Drum Corps Planet Logo

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am writing today to let you know that, after 20 years of stewardship of Drum Corps Planet and the DCP community, I am stepping away from the site. In the time since I purchased the site around Thanksgiving 2005 we have seen a lot of change in the DCP community, the social media environment and the very activity we’ve supported.....Read More

Jakarta DCI

Jakarta DCI December 2025

Jeff Knupp

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ur dear friend Jeff Knupp passed away on Sunday, October 19, 2025, in Madison, WI, at the age of 78. Jeff was born in Warren, PA, on November 14, 1946 and lived a life full of creativity, service, laughter and friendship. Jeff’s love affair with the drum corps world began back in the late 1950s and early 1960s when he marched bass drum with the Cornplanters from Warren, PA, and later became drum major for the Twin City Imperials from Franklin, PA. Even then his talent and charisma stood out—how many drummers, after all, go on to lead as drum majors? It was clear Jeff was made to inspire others....Read More

Marching Pageantry Arts Museum

DCX and MPAM

Jimmy Piccolo

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he New Jersey Drum Corps Hall of Fame held its 27th Annual Induction luncheon on Saturday October 4, 2025 at the Columbian Club in Avenel, NJ, where 14 were inducted, including three posthumously. The class of 2025 represents a total of almost 600 years of drum corps experience and 481 of those years in the state of New Jersey alone! The New Jersey Drum Corps Hall of Fame is dedicated to honoring those individuals who have made lasting and significant contributions to the development of New Jersey drum corps. ...Read More

Style Plus Band Shoes

Style Plus Band Shoes

Jersey Surf

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ersey Surf is proud to announce the election of three distinguished alumni -- Courtney Laub, Rob Wiltbank and Jennifer Umberger -- to our board of directors. Each played an important role in the organization’s formative years, helping to shape the foundation upon which decades of excellence and innovation have been built...Read More

Fruhauf Uniforms, Inc.

Fruhauf Uniforms, Inc.

Kevin Russell

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uly 6, 2025 – Sacramento, CA. It’s early morning here on the West Coast. This East Coaster is up and ready. After a necessary reset, I am back on my 2025 DCI tour. Last night in Sacramento was my first live DCI show of 2025. My original plan was to hop, skip and jump from Vermont to Michigan for the North Country Trail meeting, then on to Colorado for “Drums Along the Rockies” then on to California for a three show swing....Read More

Drum Corps Digest, December 1971

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n this issue from December, 1971: 7 Years of Digest, Colorado Comments, Uniforms Groups Congress of the American Legion. This was the AL Congress that was arguably one of the final elements toward organizing Drum Corp International...Read More

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he popular Drum Corps World history, art, and photo books are now available on Amazon Kindle, including A History of Drum and Bugle Corps v.1 and v.2, The art of drum corps world, plus six seasons of drum corps photos by our renowned photographers that have never appeared in any issues of the magazine....Read More

Cavaliers Shape | Shift

Cavaliers Shape | Shift

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atch up on the latest corps team annoucements, including staff, caption heads, program coordinators, visual and color guard instructional leaders, design staff, educators, directors / assistant directors, arrangers, administrators, creative teams, and...Read More

Carl Latchaw

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storia is a port city in the northwestern corner of Oregon. It was Founded in 1811 as the fur trading-post of John Jacob Astor called “Fort Astoria.” It is the oldest city in the state and is the oldest American settlement on the west coast. Its average population has been approximately 10,000 since 1930. The city’s nickname is the “Sunset Empire.”...Read More

We Scan Files

We Scan Files

Artwork of Don Daber

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rum Corps World is proud to display vintage artwork by the late Don Daber, who left this world on April 4, 2019. Don had a tremendous impact on drums corps with his artwork that appeared throughout activity publications...Read More

DCX

The Drum Corps Experience (DCX)

Anderman, Stephan Lewisburg, TN
Bates, Scott 📸 Chandler, AZ
Baysinger, Ron 📸 Evansville, IN 47725
Bergeron, Bruno Clearwater, FL
Burdett, Adam Pittston, PA
Butz, Joseph 📸 Wayne, NJ
Carlson, Michael Dayton, OH
Chinn, Donald Tacoma, WA
Claytor, Jim ✎ 📸 N. Hollywood, CA
Davison, Dean Louisburg, KS
Dickelman, Gary Boynton Beach, FL
Dunlap, John Biloxi, MS
Eckert, Larry ✎ 📸
Fudge, Raymond 📸 Silver Spring, MD
Gamin, Kevin Medina, OH
Garcia, Rich Fremont, CA
Goudey, John Everett, MA
Griffin, Keith Saratoga Springs, NY
Haw, Richard 📸 Pudsey, West Yorkshire, U.K.
Hoeffner, Christine Solana Beach, CA
Jones, Rich 📸 Sedona, AZ
Kearney, Fr. Timothy Beverly, MA
Kloppert, Hans ✎ 📸 Dordrecht, Netherlands
Latchaw, Carl Seattle, WA
Maher, Chris 📸 Media, PA
Maroudis-Dempsey, Christina ✎ 📸 San Jose, CA
McCrobie, Lawrence Elizabethtown, KY
Russell, Kevin Waitsfield, VT
Scholl, Arjen 📸 Vlaardingen, Netherlands
Scott, Dave Murray, KY
Tanakaya, Russell ✎ 📸 Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Tolzmann, Brian Forest Lake, MN
Unger, Daniel Glastonbury, CT
Wells, Eric Arthur, IA
Wyatt, Ron 📸 Avenel, NJ

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