< Previous“Spring Preview”indoor concertReading Buccaneers’Saturday, May 11, 7:00 PMTwin Valley High SchoolElverson, PennsylvaniaPre-show performance by the Buccaneers’newest ensemble, Banner BrassReserved center section -- $17.00General admission outside sections -- $15.00Participating units:Reading BuccaneersNew York Skyliners AlumniBlessed Sacrament Golden KnightsReilly RaidersBelvederes AlumniBuccaneers AlumniPurchase tickets at www.readingbuccaneers.org/springpreviewPhoto by Raymond FudgeAll of us have watched as the Sacramento, CA, Mandarins have risen through the ranks of DCI’s Division III, Division II, Open Class and in to World Class in 2013 and over the last few years. They are past DCI Champions -- A-60 In 1987 and 1988; Division III Champions in 1992 and 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999; and Division II Champions in 2001. During the time the corps has been in World Class, their placements have ranged from 23rd and, of course, 10th last season!For many years Ray Mar was director of the corps. He retired following the 2013 season and he was also included among that season’s inductees into the DCI Hall of Fame (left, Ray Mar on the left with Gene Monterastelli) that same year. (Below, Dave Valvo)The corps’ movement into DCI Finals came in 2018 with their 10th-place finish. What an impression they made on the activity with their innovative “Life Rite After.” It was meant to take up where Igor Stravinsky’s 1913 ballet, An interview with CEO and Executive Director Jim TabuchiMandarins’ rapid growth . . . on and off the field!by Steve Vickers, Publisher (publisher @drumcorpsworld.com“Spring Preview”indoor concertReading Buccaneers’Saturday, May 11, 7:00 PMTwin Valley High SchoolElverson, PennsylvaniaPre-show performance by the Buccaneers’newest ensemble, Banner BrassReserved center section -- $17.00General admission outside sections -- $15.00Participating units:Reading BuccaneersNew York Skyliners AlumniBlessed Sacrament Golden KnightsReilly RaidersBelvederes AlumniBuccaneers AlumniPurchase tickets at www.readingbuccaneers.org/springpreviewPhoto by Raymond Fudge“The Rite of Spring” composition, left off and included material by Dmitri Shostakovich, Thomas Doss, Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg. One of the most striking innovations of the program was a large, rotating stage on which sections of the corps were featured during the production.I’ve been a fan of the Northern California corps since those days in the mid-1980s when the Mandarins started winning championships with as small a corps that DCI allowed when their membership was in the low 30s. Appearing in their pink satin blouses and then cadet uniforms, they were the “other” corps in Sacramento, somewhat overshadowed by the DCI Finalist Freelancers.But all of that has changed with the progression of the Mandarins organization. Even bigger things are in store for fans as the 2019 season rapidly approaches. So I wanted to check in with Jim Tabuchi to find out at least some of what the Mandarins are up to that will add to their long and exciting history.Steve Vickers: Tell me about your background with the corps and when you moved into the President and CEO position?Jim Tabuchi: To tell you the truth, I should never have been a Mandarin. Back in 1979, when I attended my first rehearsal, the Mandarins’ bylaws stated that all members had to be of Chinese descent. The corps director at the time said, “Tabuchi . . . that’s not a Chinese name. So, you’re not Chinese?” I told him, “No sir, my family is Japanese-American.”. He just said, “Shh, don’t tell anyone” . . . So I actually sneaked in as the first non-Chinese member.The Mandarins and the drum corps activity positively impacted my life. The critical life lessons enabled me to have a successful career in high tech. As a senior manager at Hewlett-Packard, I also learned about marketing, business development, organizational development and leadership, all disciplines that I can now apply to the non-profit and drum corps activity.When I returned to the Mandarins, after holding my dream job as a trumpet tech, I was demoted to become the corps director in 2009. And I was again demoted to be the executive director (now President and CEO) in 2013. I have since been demoted again to join the DCI Board of Directors and recently the vice-chair of the DCI Board. I refer to it as “demotions” because I believe in servant leadership and with each demotion I get the opportunity to serve more and more people. I am a volunteer for the Mandarins, so that means I don’t receive a salary. But all of us volunteers receive our pay through the satisfaction that we have impacted the lives of young people. We like to say that we are the highest paid volunteers around and if we do our jobs right, we will get a raise next year. SV: What was it like for you, your staff and your members to finally achieve top-12 status at the Drum Corps International Championship last summer? (Below, Russell Tanakaya)JT: Achieving a spot in DCI Finals was a long time in the making. Our focus from five years ago was not to make finals, but rather, to grow the Mandarins’ organizational capability and capacity. Our strategy was that if we developed the organization off the field, then good things could happen on the field. (Above, Chris Maher)The realization that we achieved our goal hit home when Brandt Crocker announced, “Please welcome to the field for the first time in finals competition, in their 55 year history, from Sacramento, CA, the Mandarins!” And then we received a standing ovation before we even #TeamDeMoulinwww.demoulin.comOfficial Uniform Sponsorperformed.SV: Who are the other key people on your management, design and teaching staff?JT: We have many geniuses on our staff. It begins with JW Koester who is our corps director. He has decades of experience running drum corps and he has achieved the highest levels of success in the drum corps activity. Our design team is led by Ike Jackson and Mario Ramirez who I believe are creative geniuses. They, together with amazing contributions from Key Poulan, Darren VanDerpoel, Brian Nungary and Peter Beckhart, come up with some of the most innovative and creative concepts on the big stage today. Our caption managers are Tim Snyder, Darren VanDerpoel, Joseph Hayes and Mario Ramirez. They take the show design, recruit and train the members, and make the magic happen on the field. (Above, John Matter)We are so fortunate to have a team of educators who embrace our Mandarins values AND continue to push our organization to excel on the field. (Right, Jim Claytor)SV: Can you reveal any of the plans for 2019, such as the theme or musical selections?JT: While we haven’t yet revealed our theme, what I can tell you is that our show will be emotionally exciting and entertaining. I would encourage all of our fans to just experience our show. Rather than trying to understand the program literally and intellectually, just let our show envelope your senses. You may not fully understand it the first time you see and hear it, but I guarantee that you will enjoy the experience. SV: I understand there may be plans in the works to build a headquarters for the corps in Sacramento. If that’s the case, will it be ALABAMAMillbrook • 7/13Dothan • 7/25Birmingham • 7/26ARIZONAMesa • 7/1ARKANSASBentonville • 7/15Little Rock • 7/24CALIFORNIAClovis • 6/21Stanford • 6/22Sacramento • 6/23Vista • 6/28Pasadena • 6/29San Bernardino • 6/30Sacramento • 7/5Bakersfield • 7/12Pleasant Hill • 7/13Riverside • 7/18Norwalk • 7/19El Cajon • 7/20COLORADODenver • 7/13Denver • 7/24FLORIDAOrlando • 7/6GEORGIAValdosta • 7/8Hoschton • 7/9Hiram • 7/14Atlanta • 7/27IDAHOBoise • 7/9ILLINOISRockford • 6/29Lisle • 7/5DeKalb • 7/13Belleville • 7/14TBD • 7/31INDIANAZionsville • 6/23Evansville • 6/24Muncie • 6/28Plymouth • 7/29IOWASioux City • 7/9Ankeny • 7/10Dubuque • 7/12Oskaloosa • 7/27Buena Vista • 7/29Cedar Rapids • 8/2KANSASEl Dorado • 7/15Olathe • 7/15LOUISIANALafayette • 7/22MARYLANDAnnapolis • 7/30MASSACHUSETTSLawrence • 6/29Lynn • 7/1Lawrence • 8/1MICHIGANDetroit • 6/20Adrian • 7/10White Lake • 7/27Plainwell • 8/2MINNESOTARochester • 6/30Minneapolis • 7/7Mankato • 7/9Farmington • 7/31MISSISSIPPIHattiesburg • 7/24MISSOURICape Girardeau • 7/26NEW HAMPSHIRENashua • 7/20NEW JERSEYEast Rutherford • 7/2Augusta • 7/17NEW YORKGlens Falls • 7/22Syracuse • 7/24Rome • 8/1Buffalo • 8/4NORTH CAROLINAWinston-Salem • 7/28OHIOMassillon • 6/22Hamilton • 6/25Centerville • 7/29Avon Lake • 8/3Akron • 8/5OKLAHOMABroken Arrow • 7/16OREGONAshland • 7/3PENNSYLVANIAPittsburgh • 6/26Allentown • 6/28Sheffield • 7/26Chester • 7/31PENNSYLVANIA (CONT.)Allentown • 8/2Allentown • 8/3Pittsburgh • 8/4Erie • 8/5SOUTH CAROLINALexington • 7/5TENNESSEEKnoxville • 7/11Memphis • 7/13Murfreesboro • 7/26TEXASBelton • 7/18Denton • 7/18Katy • 7/19San Antonio • 7/20Mesquite • 7/22UTAHOgden • 7/10Salt Lake City • 7/22VIRGINIASalem • 7/30WASHINGTONCamas • 7/5Renton • 7/6Tri Cities • 7/8WEST VIRGINIACharleston • 7/29WISCONSINMadison • 6/22Wausau • 7/2Cedarburg • 7/3Whitewater • 7/6Madison • 8/3WYOMINGCasper • 7/12Order Your Tickets Today! • www.DCI.org©2019 Drum Corps InternationalEvents and dates subject to change. rev 03/19AJOIN US ON THE 2019 DRUM CORPS INTERNATIONAL TOUR!2019 DCI WorldChampionshipsOpen Class Prelims - Marion, IN • 8/5Open Class Finals - Marion, IN • 8/6Prelims – Indianapolis • 8/8Semifinals – Indianapolis • 8/9SoundSport International Music & Food Festival • 8/10Finals – Indianapolis • 8/10LIVE!in CinemasDCI TourPremiereJune 20BIG,LOUD& LIVEfrom LucasOil StadiumAugust 8for your bingo operation or will it serve as a rehearsal facility during the off-season? JT: We are in the final stages of acquiring a building that we are calling the Mandarins Music Center. Believe it or not, our organization just turned 56 years old and we have never had a permanent place to call home. The new building will serve as our corps hall, bingo and event center, warehouse and music studio. It will be the foundation for moving toward our eventual 100th anniversary decades from now. SV: Is long-time director Ray Mar still involved with the organization, as a board member or an advisor?JT: Ray continues his involvement with the Mandarins as the executive director emeritus. He is the first person I consult with when I need advice or a dose of reality. I am also pleased to announce that he will soon be one of the first to be inducted into the Mandarins Hall of Fame, Class of 2019.SV: The corps began as an activity for the Asian young people of the city. Does your recent membership still have representatives of that population segment? JT: Yes, we continue to have members of Asian descent, as well as from many other ethnicities. We recently adopted our Mandarins Statement of Inclusivity that says, “We celebrate and embrace diversity in all of its forms, including gender, racial, sexual orientation, religious and socio-economic diversity. We believe that everyone brings their individual identity AND unites to create amazing musical ensembles.” Throughout the Mandarins, we strive to be the most welcoming and inclusive organizations in the activity.SV: What else would you like to include about the Mandarins and the organization’s future?JT: Watch for continued rapid growth of the Mandarins organization. While the Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps is our flagship program, it is actually the third largest in terms of participation. Our Mandarins Academy provides educational workshops in brass, percussion, guard, woodwinds and leadership. Our Mandarins Music Academy provides elementary school band programs to hundreds of students throughout the Sacramento Region and Mandarins Entertainment is seen by hundreds of thousands of people every year. The success that we are seeing on the football field is mirrored by the growth in our other large programs.(Previous page, left to right, top to bottom) 1991, Mark Tomczak; 1994, Sid Unser; 1978, unknown; 1999, Karen Sunmark; 1988, Orlin Wagner; (this page, left to right, top to bottom) 1988, Orlin Wagner; 2008, Francesca DeMello; 2011, Gail Langan; 2016, Russell Tanakaya; 2013, Chris Maher; 2018, John Matter.SV: I appreciate your willingness to take time to share some details about the corps and what fans can look forward to in 2019 and into the future. I’m pleased to be able to pass along this information to our worldwide readership and they no doubt look forward to the new season and seeing what the Mandarins will offer! n n n (Below, Richard Wersinger)Such was George McCloy’s Facebook conversation-starter on March 6 in the group “1960s drum corps.” It evoked a long series of fond remembrances from drum corps alumni far and wide, and as far back as the 1940s. What is it about the drum corps experience that evokes such visceral emotions from the imagery of a night on a competition field? Further, why do the outcomes of the experience transcend those few years of our young lives and shape us -- our behavior, our thinking, our sense of pride and excellence, our achievements -- well into our twilight years? My 12 years of junior drum corps competition surely framed a rich and rewarding life. From college and graduate school to the military and the worlds of work and family, every step of the way reflected what was imprinted in my being during those years. Camaraderie, hard work, striving for excellence, picking oneself up after a misstep -- or having that friend, teammate or colleague lift you up and dust you off -- are all woven into the fabric of my life; I have the drum corps to thank.I have found the experience to be common among those who are fortunate to have been bitten by the drum corps bug, regardless of era, style or the key of the brass instruments. As the 50th anniversary of my last drum corps competition approaches, my attention has turned to the young people who keep the spirit of the activity alive with their talent, energy and enthusiasm. Do they feel the same way? Do DCI and DCA drum corps and competition provide the same experience in the 21st Century? To answer these questions, I sought out four alumni of Carolina Crown who marched during the past 10 years and who are on diverse trajectories since aging out. Among the many questions I asked them are -- When did your interest in music/performance begin? What was your path to drum corps? What attracted you to Carolina Crown? How would you describe the Crown experience? What is your professional direction at this time? How has the Crown/DCI experience influenced your approach to life challenges, career, relationships, and more? What do you consider the highlight of your drum corps experience?Those I queried are Kevin LeBoeuf, a four-year veteran of Crown and professional musician who is now The Cavaliers’ brass caption head; Megan Dolan, a six-year veteran now on the visual staff of Spirit of Atlanta; Ryan Brennan, a two-year veteran who is employed full-time by Carolina Crown, supporting merchandising, warehousing, tour logistics and more; and Chris Clarkston, a two-year alumnus who is pursuing a degree and career as a veterinarian. Life’s crowning achievementsby Gary J. Dickelman, Drum Corps World staff (gdickelman@epsscentral.net)“Darkness sets in as the huge stadium lights turn night into day. The drum corps stands at attention, motionless, as evening breezes ripple large, colorful flags. The public address system comes alive with ‘On the starting line from . . .’ as the crowd applauds. Your corps name is announced and a deafening roar erupts. Then all becomes quiet with anticipation -- until the PA blares, ‘Are the judges ready? ‘Is your corps ready?’ The drum major’s piercing eyes telegraph, ‘Well, are you?’ You stretch to your full height, eyes focused, lips tight. Deep breathing is visible as the PA barks, ‘You may enter the field for competition.’ Smoldering embers are transformed to a raging inferno as the drum and bugle corps unleashes its fury on the field. Remember?”A Masterpiece of MarchingBeauty is in the eye of the beholder and for DINKLES®, a finely crafted marching shoeis the definition of true beauty.You might not think of a marching shoe worthy to exhibit in an art museum, but wesure do. DINKLES®, the only company dedicated to creating Masterpieces of Marchingfor bands across the country and around the world.1-888-dinkles • dinkles.comNext >