If you have one that made it worthwhile,or if there's
a few more let's here about them,everyone is welcome
to join in.

What did you do in the Corps? French Horn

What years were you a Corps member? 1957-1963

1. 1976 DCI prelims with the Guardsmen

2. 2002 Royal-Airs performance at semi-finals at DCI

3. My first show with the Imperials in Streator, IL 1972

4. Watching DCI finals in 1972

What did you do in the Corps? french horn

What years were you a Corps member? \'72 - \'73

Rich’s question is a tough one.

For me there were memorable times on the field:

1. The Imperial Cadets AMVETS State and National championships in 1961

2. VFW Nationals in 1962 (the corps manager wanted to cancel our trip to Minneapolis because he didn’t think we’d make the finals--came in 5th in prelims right behind Sac and 7th at finals)

3. 1963 Dream Contest and the crowd reaction as we did the sunburst formation

4. The rebuilding year in 1964

5. The 1965 and 1966 seasons when we won or finished second in half the contests we entered

However, the real highlight of my drum corps career was the association with all of the people in the corps and the friendships I developed.

Rich: great question! and hard to answer!

some which come to my mind:

1. with NP: attending all Nationals .. and alwqay making finals. Especially 1962 .. a great year for us. 1958 was great for me .. my FIRST ... and we were 7th.

2. again with NP: participating in the DREAM contest in 1963. A special show!

3. again with NP: having sooooo much fun with corps members in many ways.

4. with NP: learning from some drum corps greats: Dick Brown, Frank Arsenault, Rick Maass!

5. with NP: being an instructor (with my good friend Bill Strauts, and later with others). Great fun, a way to "repay" and learn.

6. with CSJA: spent 26 years being a drum judge, a music judge and a GE judge. Again.. great fun, a way to help and to help keep the activity "for the kids"! Also brought MY kids along for many years and had a LOT of fun!

7. Mostly.. all the great PEOPLE I have met and worked with!

What did you do in the Corps? drummer 1958-63, assistant instructor 1964-71, quartermaster 1964-66

1) First parade with Norwood Cadets in April, 1970

2) Moving up to the 'A' corps in 1972

3) Winning State Fair in 1973

4) Winning VFW Nationals with Cavaliers in 1974 &1976

5) Making DCI finals for the first time (1974)

6) Winning AL State with Norwood in 1979

7) Placing 4th in corps and tying for 1st in drums with Spirit of Atlanta 1980

Watching my Dad march with the Kilties last summer!

9) ALL of my New Orleans drum corps trips (1973, 1978, 1979, 1980)

10) As stated before, the best highlights are the friends that I made, and still keep to this day.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73, 78-79

I would have to agree with Bob about winning 1979 American Legion State and the trip to New Orleans. I will also throw in 1979 State Fair....even though we finished second in finals I would have to say the Corps performance itself was as "tight" as we ever got it...even with the track as a handicap.

I think that another big highlight is about to happen in two weeks in Oswego. That is one of the cool things about marching again...you can just add on.

What did you do in the Corps? 2nd Sop

What years were you a Corps member? 1979

Here I start a new topic to make it a little interesting for everyone and you would think I would
be the one to start it off with my highlights.When I
thought about this question to ask everyone it was
late,and I only had time to send it out,and I thought
that I put in mine,the next day,but than things
became a little busier than I thought and be before
you know it you can't find the time,well now I have some time to do this.I have a few that I can mention
1.When I moved up to the "A"Corps and I had my
first practice with them.
2.Being at 58 Natl's and coming face to face with
with the eastern corps,especially when we went to
Central Park for inspection,getting off the bus and
seeing ST.Kevins lining up for inspection,seeing
Blessed Sac and those black and gold uniforms they wear,and I think Garfield was there to,those corps
were very intimidating,because of their reputations.
3.When I changed from soprano to french horn,that was great,french horn players always seemed to be in
world by themselves,only kidding.
4.And probably the best of them all and what a way to end my drum corp career,to be in the Dream in 63.
One year I was there I was just a spectator seeing it
and feeling the atmosphere that the Dream generated,
among the corps that were there.And than competing in
it,hearing the annoucer with his eastern accent introduce each corps,their instructors,managers,drum
majors,he made each corps sound special,and the way he introduced us.That contest will always stand out
in my mind.

What did you do in the Corps? French Horn

What years were you a Corps member? 1957-1963

Rich: I share TWO of your "highlights".,

1. the inspection at 1958 VFW in Central Park! WOW! Seeing all those corps lining up and watching. Blessed Sacrament was awesome. Ditto for Garfield (Holy Name then)and St. Kevin.

2. the 1963 Dream! What a rush! Wish that we had been in major shows like this more often .. we wouldn't have been so nervous!

What did you do in the Corps? drummer 1958-63, assistant instructor 1964-71, quartermaster 1964-66

I know Dave just how you felt being in th Dream,that was the Creme de la Creme.

What did you do in the Corps? French Horn

What years were you a Corps member? 1957-1963

Hmmm....Difficult Question.

Well, here goes.

1) Winning my first State Championship in Michigan with the Royal Lancers.

2) Marching my first show with the Kilts. We beat Cavies, Madison and Des Plaines Vanguard and I was in drum corps heaven.

3) Winning World Open in 72 with the Kilts.

4) Making Finals in 1976 with Guardsmen. Seeing all of the happy faces was the greatest!

5) Winning both states with Imperials.

6) Imperials Competing at DCI in Montreal

There are alot of great memories through the years that I am probably overlooking, but these 6 stick out in my mind as very very significant. They are in no particular order, just in the order I thought of them.

I would have to rate winning World Open and The Guardsmen making Finals in 76 at the top.

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Arranger & Corps Manager

It's funny, I really don't relate winning with my highlights. I forgot we won state in 79. That also was the same year we lost alot of my closest friends to the Cavies. That was an awesome year. My highlights in drum corps include, but are not limited to:

1. New Orleans trips.
2. "Touring" with Madison in the 75 Cadets (It was more like three shows).
3. Ted Kontopoulos' basement.
4. The beautiful women of drum corps.
5. Returning to Senior Drum Corps in 87 after not marching for four seasons.
6. Winning the best drum major award at DCM in 1993.
7. The all star drum corps trip to the Fiesta Bowl in 1990.
8. Playing at I&E at DCA last year (Actually all of DCA last year)
9. Finding my old friends from the Imperials on the Internet.
10. More to come....No doubt!

What did you do in the Corps? Soprano

What years were you a Corps member? 70-75 Cadets, 76-81 A Corps

Jim,

How could you forget winning state in '79 - and the party at Pete Lambesis' afterwards? I'm not sure HOW I drove home that night, but in the morning my car had been towed and Fiduccia had to come pick up myself, Brad Abbott, George Roberts, and who knows who else to get to the parade - great example for the drum major/instructor to set, huh?

But I DEFINITELY agree with you on the New Orleans trips...I went in 73, 78, 79, and 80 with different corps and had a ball every time!

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73, 78-79