Stone Bugles

Spring has sprung...

2008-03-27T22:14:00.005-04:00

For the sake of search engines and my visually impaired readers, the text of the above graphic:

Preston Scout House Alumni Band
2008 Spring Opening
A free concert for the community
Sunday April 27, 2008
Preston Memorial Auditorium
1458 Hamilton St. Cambridge
Show Starts at 2:00 pm - Doors Open at 1:00 pm
Seating available on a First Come...First Served basis

Rifle line joins the horn line ...

2008-02-20T02:18:00.002-05:00

Apparently from the pages of Popular Science:

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/06/10/rifle-barrel-becomes-bugle-for-musical-stunt/

A New Project for the New Year

2008-01-02T15:35:00.000-05:00

It may be hard to believe but I receive e-mail from Ontario parade and event directors asking the Ambassadors to perform. After some thought is occurs to me that with the demise of the Ontario Drum Corps Association there is no place or reference for these organizers to look for bands other than a hit-or-miss Google search. So I have decided to try to do something about it (being a new library science student and all) and have set up a wiki that will hopefully list active parade units in Canada:

Canadian Parade Groups

If you want to help please e-mail me. There's not much to learn as wikis are pretty easy to use and it is just a case of finding a unit's web site and listing their contact information on the appropriate page. I am starting with Ontario and BC. I will leave Quebec to the end as I think the FAMQ is still in operation.

Some photos from a stone bugler

2007-11-15T01:46:00.000-05:00

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!

2007-07-24T14:43:00.000-04:00

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...

2007-07-07T00:32:00.000-04:00

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

2007-06-30T15:07:00.000-04:00

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...

2007-05-16T22:33:00.000-04:00

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

2007-04-06T15:06:00.000-04:00

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

2007-03-27T13:11:00.000-04:00

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

2007-02-28T13:53:00.000-05:00

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

2007-02-17T23:27:00.000-05:00

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?

2007-02-07T13:36:00.000-05:00

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

2007-02-07T12:47:00.000-05:00

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?

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

Conquerer II 25th Anniversary Celebration

2007-02-06T12:58:00.000-05:00

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

-----

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

Royalaires Strike Up the Bands for War Museum

2006-08-18T14:57:00.000-04:00

Royalaires Strike Up the Bands for War Museum

...
The Waterloo Band Festival was revived one year ago, largely through the efforts of the Guelph Royalaires Alumni Drum & Bugle Corps and its president, William Granger. This new version of the old festival, which draws bands from various parts of Ontario and from New York State, takes place again at 7 p.m. Aug. 19 at the stadium on Seagram Drive at Wilfrid Laurier University.

...

Cavaliers, 2006 DCI Champions!

2006-08-13T12:42:00.000-04:00

See dci.org for full details.

That's the end of another junior corps season in North America.

New Waterloo Band Festival hopes to recapture a moment in time

2006-08-03T03:36:00.000-04:00

New Waterloo Band Festival hopes to recapture a moment in time

Mark you calendars. The new Waterloo Band Festival is back.

University Stadium, in the heart of Waterloo, will host the event Aug. 19.--fitting since the stadium, formerly named Seagram Stadium, was part of the original site of the historic Waterloo Band Festival. The internationally famous festival drew bands from across North America and lasted for a few days.

The second annual event, sponsored by the Guelph Royalaires Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps, will carry on its goal of raising money for Canada's war heroes at the Juno Beach Memorial in Normandy, France.

...

Drum Corps Wiki needs you

2006-08-01T16:12:00.000-04:00

As I am still involved with it, here is my periodic post about Drum Corps Wiki.

To those unfamiliar with it, the DrumCorpsWiki is an on-line encyclopedia of drum corps all over the world, past and present. Have a look and contribute what you know about corps you have marched in, seen, supported. It doesn't cost anything and it's fun. You may have already noticed it coming up in web searches for your favourite corps.

I have been entering things about Canadian drum corps whenever I have a minute. Help me out!

DrumCorpsWiki

Kavaliers withdraw from 2006 DCI tour

2006-06-03T02:01:00.000-04:00

More bad news about Canadian junior corps. Thankfully the seniors and alumni are doing well.

Press Release - May 2006

The Kiwanis Kavaliers Drum Corps regretfully announces our decision to withdraw from the 2006 Drum Corps International Summer Tour.

At our most recent quarterly evaluation of the organization, it was agreed that the challenges surrounding the upcoming summer tour outweighed the corps beliefs, goals and values.

Although the Kavaliers have been persistent to field a corps over the past 35 consecutive years, and have overcome numerous obstacles, with only weeks to go before the beginning of the season the organization feels that the decision to forge ahead without a strong team of designers and educators would be less than acceptable for our membership.

The Kavaliers will not participate in the DCI competitive tour, however, 35th Anniversary plans and performances will continue throughout the year as planned.

Executive Director Doug Darwin stated, "The Kavaliers are NOT folding and NOT going inactive. In fact, we are just re-grouping for the future. Our management team's efforts will be focused immediately on finding homes (other organizations) for the committed members, volunteers, and staff whose ambition is to participate on the DCI tour this summer".

The Kavaliers organization will continue to support the activity and others involved in the 2006 Summer events, however they have cancelled the two DCI exhibition shows which the corps was going to run in the early season.

For more information on the Kavaliers, please contact info@kavaliers.com

http://www.kavaliers.com/PressReleaseMay2006.html

Windsor Guardsmen Reunion May 13, 2006

2006-04-14T00:54:00.000-04:00

WINDSOR GUARDSMEN
DRUM & BUGLE CORP REUNION

Tickets are available at Merlo's Paint & Wallpaper for $25 each. Due to overwhelming response the venue had to be relocated to a larger hall. New location FOGOLAR FURLAN CLUB, (Udine Hall) 1800 E.C. ROW North Service Drive, between Howard & Walker. MAY 13, 2006.
If you are coming from outside Essex County and outside the greater Detroit area, e-mail us & we will reserve you a ticket payable at the door. Tickets are limited to the new hall size. GET YOUR TICKETS NOW.
Attendees list will be posted soon. Ticket sales will stop May 5th. 13, 2006

Have a look at the website for updates:

www.geocities.com/windsorguardsmen

Scout House Concert

2006-04-10T19:36:00.000-04:00

Note: Concert location is Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. See map.

Update: Memorial for Danny Maracle

2006-03-02T11:50:00.000-05:00

From Theresa Andrews:

Okay guys, word just came down the line.....

Danny's funeral will be held on Monday, March 6th, at The Skwarchuk Funeral Home, in Bradford. There will be a one hour viewing from 9-10 a.m., and then his service will be at 11:00 a.m. There will be a reception after; more information and directions will be given there.

Skwarchuk Funeral Home is located at 30 Simcoe Road. The phone number is 905 775 3335.

If you need more info., or directions on how to get there, please don't hesitate to contact me. I'll get back to you a.s.a.p!!

Thanks,

Theresa

tdewarw307 "at" rogers "dot" com

Map for Skwarchuk Funeral Home

UPDATE:

Hello once again...

Just found something out.....the viewing time for Danny will now be from 9:00 until 11:00 a.m., with the first hour being open casket. The service is still at 11:00.

Sorry for any confusion, I'm letting you know as I hear it.....

Theresa

Danny Maracle remembered

2006-03-01T12:35:00.000-05:00

I must give some of you some sad news: Danny Maracle, an Ambassador alumnus, passed away on February 26, 2006. I was notified of this by Theresa Andrews who is coordinating contacts for some sort of memorial which is still being organized.

Those of you in Ontario who might like to attend please contact Theresa at the following e-mail (written out to thwart the spambots): tdewarw307 "at" rogers "dot" com

Here is the text of Theresa's email sent recently to Ambassador alumni:

For those of you who do not remember me or recognize my name; I was once a member of the Ambassadors......I've received your address from Sam King - (thank you once again Sam!)

I'm contacting you with some sad news-
This past Sunday, Feb. 26, Danny Maracle passed away.

Funeral arrangements have not been made up to this point.

When more information is available I will contact everyone again.

Please visit http://ambassadorsdbc.blogspot.com - (well done Sam!)

Pass this on to as many members as you can think of...Anita really needs our support right now.

I'll be in touch!
Theresa Andrews

I'll update this post as I receive more information.

This picture of Danny was taken at the 2000 Ambassadors reunion.

Here are a few pictures of Danny in the Ambassadors:

This one is Dan in the 1980 Ambassadors. He is the big guy on cymbals doing a hi-hat for the snares. (Click for a slightly bigger version)

Here he is in the 1983 Ambassadors at the PC convention in Ottawa. I believe he is the last bass drum in line (on the right).

Capital Regiment ContraCam

2006-02-21T16:30:00.000-05:00

Capital Regiment ContraCam

If any of you wonder what it's like to march in a Division I DCI corps show. Follow this link. (You may have to try it a few times to make it work.)

Related Links:

Capital Regiment ContraCam - thread at Drum Corps Planet

Captial Regiment - drumcorpswiki.com