Some photos from a stone bugler

Pete Bredow has sent me a couple of photos from 1977 or 78 (if someone knows when please comment). In the second one we see the origins of the Ambassabear of 1979. Although at the moment I have no photo of the bear him or herself.

Three Canadian Corps on tour!

Drumming up business By CONNIE DORNFELD/Staff Reporter

There are still some competitive Canadian juniors around! Pity the reporter can't spell Stentors.

Plus ça change...

Those of you who marched with the Ambassadors in 1979 may identify with this letter writer in the Red Deer (Alberta) Advocate: Complainer an embarrasment

The group in question, the Red Deer Royals Drum Corps, seems to be a junior corps from Red Deer Alberta with a familiar problem with their rehearsals.

Photos of Ambassadors 1976 and 1977

Doug Smith, official ODCA photographer in 1976 and 1977 has sent me some pictures of the Ambassadors from 1976 and 1977. It will be a little while before I can get them on the web site proper so here they are for your viewing enjoyment until then.

The first image is Karen Salmon in 1976, the rest are from 1977.

Click on the images to see the original extra-large version. This is good for recognizing faces in the crowd. I think I see Stirling and Wolfie already.

A Canadian corps returns...

Les Stentors of Sherbrooke are returning to competition:

Approved to compete in the Atlantic Division:

* Les Stentors of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada (Division III)

Evaluators approve new competitive and exhibition units for participation in 2007 Summer Music Games Tour (dci.org)

Northstar Youth Organization’s 30th anniversary events: May 26th and July 8th

2007 is the Northstar Youth Organization’s 30th anniversary and we are planning a few special events for our alumni. We hope that as many past members as possible can join us at one or all of the events.

Both events will occur in Kitchener, Ontario. See http://www.dutchboydrumcorps.com/anniversary.html for more information.

Ontario Drum Corps Reunion, May 2008

As posted on the Alumni Events blog:

I have been contacted by John Jones, president of the Drum Corps Alumni Toronto organization about an Ontario drum corps reunion to happen in the first week of May in 2008. That's not a typo; you are getting more than a year's notice on this one.

I will be one of the contacts for the Ambassadors on this so there will be more information as it is available. Hopefully John will set up a web page just for the event. In any event I will keep posting about it here.

DCI 2006 Championships available for viewing... maybe

Beginning March 1, ESPN360 - the signature broadband service from ESPN, will be available to all U.S. consumers with a broadband Internet connection, regardless of their service provider, as part of ESPN360 All-Access presented by Cisco. The special trial period will be highlighted by live online coverage of 61 men’s college basketball games from the top conferences in the nation as part of ESPN’s Championship Week coverage, and will also enable fans of the 2006 Drum Corps International World Championships to view both of the one-hour segments of the program on-demand.

I don't know if this will work if you are connecting from an ISP in Canada, but it's worth a try.

Links

dci.org article

http://www.espn360.com/

Kiwanis Kavaliers break-in

We are asking that if anyone hears or sees anyone selling any Dynasty Horns (Contras, Baritones, Mellos, Euphs, Trumpets) and Dynasty Battery Equipment (7 Black 14" Snares, 2 Black Tenors [6,8,10,12,13,14], and 3 black bass drums [16,20,28]. That you please contact us. Ebay has already been notified, but sometimes some items get over looked.

see: http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=93537&hl=

Wither ODCA?

Does anyone know if the Ontario Drum Corps Association still exists? The web site had been down for months and I am informed from private sources on the drumcorpsplanet.com forums that it no longer exists.

Is anyone willing to say that they have indeed folded up shop?

Thanks,

Sam

Kiwanis Kavaliers adieu

I have been not-posting for some time so I think I should post on the current fortunes of the last Division I drum corps in Canada: the Kiwanis Kavaliers


Timeline:


May 17, 2006: Kavaliers announce their withdrawal from DCI competition. Members are refunded their tour fees. Doug Darwin joins the staff of the Cadets for the summer.

>
September 27, 2006: The Kiwanis Kavaliers announce their return to Drum Corps International competition in 2007 and their move to Miami, Florida from their previous locations of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and Ft. Meyers, Florida. (kavaliers.com) A new administrative staff takes charge of the organization.


January 25, 2007: The Kiwanis Kavaliers of Miami, Florida, announce that they will remain inactive for the 2007 competitive season. (kiwaniskavaliers.org)


Summary:


KK is no longer from Kitchener, ON (although some might argue it was this way for some time), KK is technically not even the same organization although the name, logo and uniforms remain the same. Doug Darwin is no longer involved with the corps. The corps is inactive at this time and may return to the field in 2008. Got it?


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Official Web Site: kiwaniskavaliers.org
Article at Drum Corps Wiki: Kiwanis Kavaliers

Conquerer II 25th Anniversary Celebration

From the extremely short notice department:

Conqueror II Drum and Bugle Corps
25th Anniversary Celebration

Saturday February 17, 2007
8pm – 1am

YWCA
66 Ottawa Street North, Hamilton

Tickets $15.00 each or $25.00/couple

Door Prizes, Raffles, Late Night Buffet

All Proceeds Going to Pasadena 2007

Contact Thom or Sheila at 905-549-6387 to order tickets

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In other news, H.Y.P.E. is going to Pasadena for the DCI Championships!