Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps
Encyclopedia
The Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps from Hawthorne, New Jersey
are one of the oldest and the most decorated summer drum and bugle corps
in Drum Corps Associates
. They have been crowned DCA Open Class World Champions
nine times and won fifteen American Legion
championships prior to the formation of DCA.
Hawthorne, New Jersey
Hawthorne is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 18,218.Hawthorne was originally part of the now-defunct Manchester Township, which was later subdivided to create Hawthorne, Haledon, North Haledon, Prospect Park,...
are one of the oldest and the most decorated summer drum and bugle corps
Drum and bugle corps (modern)
A drum and bugle corps, also known as a drum corps, is a musical marching unit consisting of brass instruments, percussion instruments, and color guard. Typically operating as independent non-profit organizations, drum corps perform in competitions, parades, festivals, and other civic functions...
in Drum Corps Associates
Drum Corps Associates
Drum Corps Associates is the governing body for modern senior or all-age drum and bugle corps in North America. It is the counterpart of Drum Corps International which governs junior drum corps...
. They have been crowned DCA Open Class World Champions
DCA Open Class World Champions
During Labor Day Weekend, Drum Corps Associates Open Class corps compete to earn the title of DCA Open Class World Champion. The championships consist of 2 rounds held on 2 consecutive nights . All corps compete at Prelims, with the top 10 Open Class and top 4 Class A corps competing at Finals...
nine times and won fifteen American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
championships prior to the formation of DCA.
2003
The 2003 season led to the Caballeros' 9th DCA World Championship and 16th American Legion National Championship. The show's music was written by Key Poulan with percussion by Gary Gill. The drill was designed by Rich Templin. Entitled El Toro Nuevo, it was divided into three separate movements: El Toro Rojo, The Prayer and El Toro Furioso. Both the first and third movements were original compositions while The Prayer was an arrangement of the award-winning song popularized by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli. Notable highlights of the show included a formation of a sombrero during the soprano cadenza in the first movement and a "water drum" feature leading into the third movement. The season was a nearly undefeated one as the only loss came in East Providence, RI to the 4-time defending champions Syracuse Brigadiers by 0.3 points. A few weeks later, the Caballeros succeeded in breaking the Brigadiers historic winning streak in West Haven, CT. 2003 was also the last season under the baton of Jimmy Russo who had been drum major of the Caballeros for 33 years.Famous alumni
- James Russo, drum major of the Caballeros for 33 years before his retirement in 2003, and inducted into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame in 1993.
- Frank Ponzo, lead soprano and soloist, formerly known as "Mr. Sunriser" switched affiliation to the "Cabs" after the 1989 DCA season.