Oregon Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps
Encyclopedia
The Oregon Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps (previously known as the Southern Oregon Crusaders) is a Drum Corps International
Open Class drum corps
based in Portland, Oregon
. The corps is known for its undefeated championship season in Div. III in 2004. The corps currently contains around 90 members of age 14 to 21.
OC's mission statement, according to its official web site, is as follows:
In the year 2004, the corps moved past its regional travel to field its largest corps since Imperial Crusaders with the show entitled "Metro Metals" featuring the music of Samuel Hazo's
"Ride", Eric Whitacre's
"Sleep", and Charles Rochester Young's "Tempered Steel". This Div III group went on to win the coveted DCI Division III finals in Denver, Colorado, as part of an undefeated season.
In 2005, the Corps experienced massive growth early in the season. Fielding Division II corps of 135 members, many talented musicians auditioned and joined the ranks of a. The corps grew to the final number of 106 members, taking their show "Sands of Time" at the 2006 DCI world Championships.
During the 2006 season, the corps fielded 94 members for their show "Echo", achieving 4th place in DCI's Division II. The corp's bassline competed in the DCI I&E (Individual and Ensemble) competition, placing first out of all the basslines competing.
to Ney Rosauro
". The corps ended the season with a 5th place finish in their division at DCI Championships in Pasadena, California. Drum Majors Rick Vranish and Haili Sun.]
2008 represented a significant move forward competitively, as the show "Inner Connections", which was based on a yoga type named the same, garnered the organization's highest score ever - 93.025 - at DCI's semifinals, now competing in the new "Open Class" which combined Division II and III. OC finished 4th at finals. Missy Goodling joined the organization for the colorguard, and Todd Zimbelman drove the creative program as Program Coordinator. Drum Majors Rick Vranish and Graham Kim.
With another Todd Zimbelman program - "Equilibrium" - the Oregon Crusaders fielded 72 performers and received 8th place in Open Class, performing in the new Lucas Oil Stadium
in Indianapolis. Drum Majors Rachel McCoy and Samantha Rohrich.
OC's 2010 program was arranged by Travis Moddison, entitled "Dance of the Flames". Fielding 79 performers, the corps scored a 94.00 at DCI Finals in Indianapolis, achieving its highest score in its history. OC placed second in Open Class, only losing to Blue Devils B. Additionally, this year numerous corps members placed first or second in their division at I&E; The Oregon Crusaders Brass Ensemble #2 placed first with an 88.5, Leila Hawana (marimba) won first with a 95.0, The Oregon Crusaders Bass Drum Ensemble took first with a 92.55, with part of their selection a tribute to the corps' first place bass drum ensemble in 2006, Kyle Peterson (French horn) won first with an 89.6, Kelsey Jenkins (dance) placed second with a 94.5, and the OC Brass Ensemble #1 placed second with an 86.0. Drum majors Graham Kim and Kaleigh Hull.
that competes during the winter at various events and competitions within the NWAPA and WGI
circuits. The Oregon Crusaders Indoor ensemble, in its inaugural season, took first place at the 2009 WGI world championships in the A class. In 2010, the ensemble placed third in the Open class. And most recently, in the 2011 season and their first year in World Class competition, OC Indoor took fifteenth place and was a World Class finalist.
From the OCI web site:
/Cadets
), Travis Moddison (Cadets
), Todd Zimbelman (marching wind ensembles) and Dylan Thompson (Santa Clara Vanguard
).
Some traditions include:
On the last full day of rehearsal it is traditional for the entire corps to wear a cape typically composing of a towel, commonly referred to as "Cape Day". Occurring on the same day, it is tradition for trumpets to wear a tie in conjunction with their cape, thus the day being called "trumpet cape and tie day" by trumpets only.
Drum Corps International
Drum Corps International , formed in 1972, is the non-profit governing body operating the North American drum and bugle corps circuit for junior corps, whose members are between the ages of 14 and 21. It is the counterpart of Drum Corps Associates which governs senior or all-age drum corps...
Open Class drum 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...
based in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. The corps is known for its undefeated championship season in Div. III in 2004. The corps currently contains around 90 members of age 14 to 21.
Mission statement
The symbol of the Oregon Crusaders is the OC1 compass rose, along with the tagline "Oregon's Major League Team in Marching Music."OC's mission statement, according to its official web site, is as follows:
The Oregon Crusaders holds a deep-seated philosophy of Education Through Performance. Our purpose, engrained in the by-laws of our organization, is to provide education through performance in the areas of percussion, brass, dance and visual ensemble artistry.
We believe that through the group’s achievement of artistic and performance excellence, and through the addition of a leadership curriculum that draws upon some of the leading leadership training methodologies used in corporate America, the organization provides the educational, cultural, interpersonal, physical and emotional growth necessary for our young people to become leaders.
It is with this philosophy that we have created Oregon's Major League Team in marching music.
History
The Oregon Crusaders junior drum and bugle corps was founded in 1970 by brothers Ron and David Jones as the "Dickensons Oregon Crusaders" based in Oregon City, Oregon. The organization would later merge with another Northwest based corps, the Imperial Cadets, to form what was then known as the "Imperial Crusaders". The title 'Crusaders' was later used in the fall of 1999, when founded what became known as the "Southern Oregon Crusaders" based out of Medford, Oregon. In the fall of 2001, Bill Perkins, a longtime champion of the activity along with a number of dedicated staff successfully relocated the corps to the greater Portland Metro area and officially returned the corps title to "Oregon Crusaders" after the original Clackamas-based corps.2001-03
In 2002 with their production "Stormworks" and in 2003 with Mysterious Mountain - a tribute to the music of Alan Hovaness (a program co-arranged by original corps founder Ron Jones), the corps fielded a fledgling and committed ensemble competing in what was then known as DCI Division III at select NW shows, including Woodburn, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; and Boise, Idaho. This inceptive work became the nucleus of performance excellence steering the organization towards the successes to come.2004-06
Since that time, the Crusaders have the Division III championship in 2004 and in 2006, receiving fourth place in the Division II Drum Corps International World Championships. In 2007 their show "Gates", advanced to 4th place finish in the new combined Open Class Championships in 2008 with their show "Inner Connections", and placed as a DCI Open Class Finalist in 2009 with their show "Equilibrium".In the year 2004, the corps moved past its regional travel to field its largest corps since Imperial Crusaders with the show entitled "Metro Metals" featuring the music of Samuel Hazo's
Samuel Hazo
Samuel Robert Hazo is an American composer of primarily music for concert band.-Career:Samuel R. Hazo resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with his wife and children. In 2003, Mr. Hazo became the first composer in history to be awarded the winner of both composition contests sponsored by the...
"Ride", Eric Whitacre's
Eric Whitacre
Eric Whitacre is an American composer, conductor and lecturer. He is one of the most popular and performed composers of his generation. In 2008, the all-Whitacre choral CD Cloudburst became an international best-seller, topping the classical charts and earning a Grammy nomination...
"Sleep", and Charles Rochester Young's "Tempered Steel". This Div III group went on to win the coveted DCI Division III finals in Denver, Colorado, as part of an undefeated season.
In 2005, the Corps experienced massive growth early in the season. Fielding Division II corps of 135 members, many talented musicians auditioned and joined the ranks of a. The corps grew to the final number of 106 members, taking their show "Sands of Time" at the 2006 DCI world Championships.
During the 2006 season, the corps fielded 94 members for their show "Echo", achieving 4th place in DCI's Division II. The corp's bassline competed in the DCI I&E (Individual and Ensemble) competition, placing first out of all the basslines competing.
2007-present
2007 represented a transformative year for OC. Much of the previous post 2003 staff abandoned the corps and moved to the Seattle Cascades, while board member Dr. Phillip Marshall ("Dr. Phil") was elected by the board as Executive Director. Jeff Bush (percussion) and Travis Moddison (brass) joined Dr. Phil in re-establishing the corps with an all new staff and modernized style. The program was titled "Gates", featuring "Selections from Philip GlassPhilip Glass
Philip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...
to Ney Rosauro
Ney Rosauro
Ney Rosauro is a Brazilian composer and percussionist.His compositions include solos for marimba, vibraphone and multi-percussion setups, as well as music for percussion ensembles and orchestras...
". The corps ended the season with a 5th place finish in their division at DCI Championships in Pasadena, California. Drum Majors Rick Vranish and Haili Sun.]
2008 represented a significant move forward competitively, as the show "Inner Connections", which was based on a yoga type named the same, garnered the organization's highest score ever - 93.025 - at DCI's semifinals, now competing in the new "Open Class" which combined Division II and III. OC finished 4th at finals. Missy Goodling joined the organization for the colorguard, and Todd Zimbelman drove the creative program as Program Coordinator. Drum Majors Rick Vranish and Graham Kim.
With another Todd Zimbelman program - "Equilibrium" - the Oregon Crusaders fielded 72 performers and received 8th place in Open Class, performing in the new Lucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium is a multi-purpose sports stadium in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The stadium celebrated its grand opening on August 24, 2008, and its ribbon-cutting ceremony August 16, 2008. It replaced the RCA Dome as the home field of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. The stadium was built to...
in Indianapolis. Drum Majors Rachel McCoy and Samantha Rohrich.
OC's 2010 program was arranged by Travis Moddison, entitled "Dance of the Flames". Fielding 79 performers, the corps scored a 94.00 at DCI Finals in Indianapolis, achieving its highest score in its history. OC placed second in Open Class, only losing to Blue Devils B. Additionally, this year numerous corps members placed first or second in their division at I&E; The Oregon Crusaders Brass Ensemble #2 placed first with an 88.5, Leila Hawana (marimba) won first with a 95.0, The Oregon Crusaders Bass Drum Ensemble took first with a 92.55, with part of their selection a tribute to the corps' first place bass drum ensemble in 2006, Kyle Peterson (French horn) won first with an 89.6, Kelsey Jenkins (dance) placed second with a 94.5, and the OC Brass Ensemble #1 placed second with an 86.0. Drum majors Graham Kim and Kaleigh Hull.
OC Indoor
As of 2008, the Oregon Crusaders march an independent percussion ensemblePercussion ensemble
A percussion ensemble is a musical ensemble consisting of only percussion instruments. Although the term can be used to describe any such group, it commonly refers to groups of classically-trained percussionists performing primarily classical music. Percussion ensembles are most commonly found at...
that competes during the winter at various events and competitions within the NWAPA and WGI
Winter Guard International
Spawning from the organization Drum Corps International , Winter Guard International was founded in 1977. WGI is a visual performing arts organization that hosts regional and national competitions for color guard and indoor percussion ensembles. Contests are held in the U.S...
circuits. The Oregon Crusaders Indoor ensemble, in its inaugural season, took first place at the 2009 WGI world championships in the A class. In 2010, the ensemble placed third in the Open class. And most recently, in the 2011 season and their first year in World Class competition, OC Indoor took fifteenth place and was a World Class finalist.
From the OCI web site:
OC Indoor is a competitive indoor percussion ensemble formed in the fall of 2008 in order to give local students an opportunity to continue or further their performance opportunities beyond high school. For years, students from our area were forced to either relocate or spend thousands of dollars in order to participate in a group of this nature. In only our first year of competition, OCI won both the regional and World championships. Once accepted in OCI, students will be receiving instruction and show design of the highest caliber available.
OCI is part of our parent organization, THE OREGON CRUSADERS which includes both the Oregon Crusaders Indoor Percussion Ensemble (OCI) and the Oregon Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps.
Traditions
The traditions of the Oregon Crusaders are heavily influenced by the backgrounds of its designers, including Mike Stevens (Blue DevilsBlue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps
The Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps is a World Class drum and bugle corps based in Concord, California and founded in 1957 as a Drum and Bell corps, and is a member corps of Drum Corps International...
/Cadets
The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps
The Cadets are a Drum Corps International World Class drum and bugle corps based in Allentown, Pennsylvania...
), Travis Moddison (Cadets
The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps
The Cadets are a Drum Corps International World Class drum and bugle corps based in Allentown, Pennsylvania...
), Todd Zimbelman (marching wind ensembles) and Dylan Thompson (Santa Clara Vanguard
Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps
Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps is a World Class drum and bugle corps based in Santa Clara, California and founded in 1967, and is a member corps of Drum Corps International...
).
Some traditions include:
- The chant "OC - CRUSADE!"
- "Going T-Mode", where the members turn their hats backwards for the final run through (a term used to parody Travis Moddison's love for backwards hats)
- The "walk" on the final rehearsal evening of the season, where the corps members march forward 5 yards for every year they've been in the corps, followed by the staff marching, twirling and playing to the demands of the corps.
- The Oregon Crusaders' rendition of "The Battle Hymn of the RepublicThe Battle Hymn of the Republic"The Battle Hymn of the Republic" is a hymn by American writer Julia Ward Howe using the music from the song "John Brown's Body". Howe's more famous lyrics were written in November 1861 and first published in The Atlantic Monthly in February 1862. It became popular during the American Civil War...
" before every show. - Shouting "Stadium Lights!" on the approach to the performing facility, or in the case of the unfinished Lucas Oil Stadium in the 2009 season, "Stadium Crane."
- The color guard has a tradition of naming sections of choreography, counts and movements after things that affected their summer. For example, in the ending movement of the 2009 show "Equilibrium," a toss was counted: "1-3-4 duh duh OUT, GET IT WALL-E, catch."
On the last full day of rehearsal it is traditional for the entire corps to wear a cape typically composing of a towel, commonly referred to as "Cape Day". Occurring on the same day, it is tradition for trumpets to wear a tie in conjunction with their cape, thus the day being called "trumpet cape and tie day" by trumpets only.
Shows by Year
The following is according to CorpsReps.com.Year | Show Title | Repertoire | Score | Placement |
2000 | Music With a Latin Flair | Living La Vida Loca / Smooth / Hot, Hot, Hot | ||
2001 | Fantasia 2000 | Fifth Symphony / The Sorcerer's Apprentice / Firebird Suite | ||
2002 | Stormworks | The Storm / Mourning of Destruction / Rebuilding | ||
2003 | Mysterious Mountain: A Tribute to the Music of Alan Hovhaness | Mysterious Mountain (Symphony 1) / Mount St. Helens Symphony (Symphony 50) | ||
2004 | Metro Metal | Bronze: Ride / Silver: Sleep / Gold: Tempered Steel | 87.425 | 1 (Div. III) |
2005 | The Sands of Time | Festival of Light / Vintage / Original Music | 88.600 | 8 (Div. II) |
2006 | Echo | Echo / Snow Caps / Equus | 92.675 | 4 (Div. II) |
2007 | Gates | 1000 Airplanes on the Roof / Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra / Acrostic Song (from Final Alice) / Wild Nights (from Harmonium) | 80.775 | 5 (Div III) |
2008 | Inner Connections | Danza de los Duendes | 93.025 | 4 (Open) |
2009 | Equilibrium | Philadelphia Stories | 87.95 | 8 (Open) |
2010 | Dance of the Flames | The Dance of the Flames / Arabian Waltz / Of Sailors and Whales / Prayer Cycle, Mvt. 3: Hope / Kingfishers Catch Fire | 94.00 | 2 (Open) |
2011 | The Blue Hour | Moonlight Sonata / Blue Shades / Music of John Mackey / Music of Ginastera / Music of Beltrami / Music of Debney | 94.700 (Open) 75.150 (World) | 2 (Open) 22 (World) |