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The 2012 Spring issue of WGI's FOCUS magazine. View our in-depth coverage on Northview HS as well as our 2012 champions.
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the offi cial news of wgi sport of the artsspring 2012
CHINO HILLSGOES GOLD
FAN FAVORITES
OF WGI SEASON 35
the offi cial news of wgi sport of the artsfocus
FIRST PLACE FOR Flanagan
TRAINING TIPS FOR AN ACTIVE SUMMER
TO THE FINALS
NORTHVIEWNORTHVIEWNORTHVIEWFLOCKSFINALSFLOCKS
(for the 22nd time!)
WGI_Cover.indd 1 5/21/12 9:19:36 AM
The Best Reason To Play DrumsThe Best Reason To Play Drums
The Best Reason To Play DrumsThe Best Reason To Play Drums
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WGI FOCUS 5
INSIDE
focusthe offi cial news of wgi sport of the artswgi
36
7 ENSEMBLEGlee choreographer Zach Woodlee pays a visit to Dayton ... The South African inspiration for Spirit of America’s gold medal-winning show ... The 2012 WGI Scholarship winners ... Blue Knights’ Alex Entin profi led ... and much more!
14 CLOSE-UPUsually, you couldn’t get away with calling the Northview High School color guard a bunch of chickens, but this year it’s totally appropriate.
16 SPOTLIGHTIn an emotional ceremony, three percussion greats enter WGI’s Hall of Fame.
SPRING 2012 Volume 26, Issue 2
Winter Guard International
Ron NankervisExecutive Director
Bart WoodleyDirector of Operations
Aaron JenkinsMarketing &
Communications Manager
Published By:In Tune Partners, LLC
Irwin KornfeldCEO
Will EdwardsPresident
Angelo BiasiPublisher
Mac RandallEditor-in-ChiefJackie Jordan
Creative DirectorRobin Garber
Production DirectorBarbara BoughtonBusiness Manager
Contributing Writers:Debbie Galante Block, Michael Boo,
Alex Mendoza, Cathy Applefeld Olson, Michael ReedPhotography:
Adam Alonzo, Jolesch Photography, Lisa Kennedy , Dan Scafi di,
Linda Unser, Sid Unser
WGI FOCUS is an educational publication of WGI Sport of the Arts. Its purpose is to broaden communication within the family of color guards and percussion ensembles. FOCUS is published
three times per year.
WGI FOCUS is a free publication with a circulation of 14,000 copies and 12,000 online viewers. All members of the WGI family may
submit articles for consideration. WGI reserves the right to edit all submitted material.
If your address has changed, please notify the WGI offi ce. Failure to do this could result in the loss of your WGI FOCUS subscription. We don’t
want to lose touch with you!
For advertising information please contact Aaron Jenkins; phone: 937-247-5919;
email: [email protected]
WINTER GUARD INTERNATIONAL2405 Crosspointe Drive
Dayton, OH 45342937-247-5919
offi [email protected] www.wgi.org
7 Eye-popping athletic feats made North Coast
Academy the winner of 2012’s PIW Fans’ Favorite award.
36 CLINICReady to take the summer off? Not so fast! If you want your
performing skills to stay sharp, it pays to keep busy—whether you’re marching in drum corps, taking a
spin clinic, or even attending an art class.
42 WGIMAGESThe Sport of the Arts celebrated a big anniver-sary this season. But what really made the 35th WGI World Championships memorable wasn’t history; it was, as always, the performers.
20 COLOR GUARDThe Onyx/O2 family brought home two gold medals by taking an artistic approach to the competition, while Flanagan High School went to prison and Freedom High School made time for romance.
28 PERCUSSIONThe World Class fi nals were a California dream, George Mason University stunned viewers from the word go, and Woodbridge High School’s concert ensemble had a record-setting day.
2012 WGI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS19
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NEWS FROM THE FLOOR AND MORE
www.wgi.org WGI FOCUS 7
Before Glee choreographer Zach Woodlee came to the WGI World Championships in April, he had never been exposed to winter guard. His entire previous experience with equipment handling had come as a backup dancer for Madonna’s 2004 tour, which featured six male dancers attempting to spin rifl es without losing an eye.
Woodlee, who was in Dayton to give the traditional Day After clinic on the Sunday after color guard fi nals, proclaimed himself stunned to witness this “sports hybrid with an infusion of artistic dancing and guard equipment.” He referred to the fi nalists’ rou-tines as “literal eye candy,” and said that what impressed him most was the versatility of all the guard members.
Refl ecting on his own back-ground, he said, “I know multiple types of dance, but I don’t have an inanimate object spin-ning 20 feet in the air while jumping over someone and dodging a fl ag prior to catching what’s falling.”
At the clinic, Woodlee taught attendees the same stretching and warm-up exercises he gives the cast of Glee, as well as a routine to “Sail” by AWOLNATION. After-ward, he shared his newfound enthusiasm: “We must get something like this on the show; it’s so applicable to high school life. Our cast needs to go watch a competition.”
Sponsored by Sabian, the WGI Fans’ Favorite awards—selected by text-message voting during the color guard and percussion fi nals—have broadened their range this season. For the fi rst time, fans could vote in separate Independent and Scho-
lastic categories for each class. The 2012 color guard winners were Aimachi (IW),Flanagan High School (SW), University of Alabama Alta Marea (IO), Nease High School (SO), Lexis (IA), and Lakota West High School (SA). The 2012 percussion winners were North Coast Academy (PIW), Walled Lake Central High School (PSW), River City Rhythm (PIO), Dorman High School (PSO), eNVision (PIA), Mechanics-burg High School (PSA), and Corona Del Sol High School (PSCW). Congratulations to all!
Getting increasingly excited about the possibilities, he added, “What this sport needs is more exposure, and Glee would be a great way of doing that. Perhaps one of our episodes could infuse a guard routine with a live singing performance. The beauty of both performances in tandem would be worth the effort.” Stay tuned!—Michael Boo
ZACH WOODLEE TAKES GLEE IN COLOR GUARD
DOWNLOAD OR DVD?FANS SELECT MORE FAVORITES THIS YEAR
Dorman High School
Zach Woodlee led this year’s
Day After color guard clinic.
In an election year, WGI fans are facing a special kind of Decision 2012: whether to get their Finals videos on DVD (choice of nine volumes, delivered by early July) or via download (available by class starting May 31). Go to wgi.org/store/2012 for more details.
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www.wgi.org 8 WGI FOCUS
In our Winter 2011 issue, we talked to the Spirit of America percussion ensemble in Orleans, Mass., about the group’s upcoming trip to South Africa. A year and a half later, that trip is history, but its legacy continues—in the memories of
everyone involved and in Spirit of America’s 2012 show “Spirit Fusion,” which won the ensem-ble a gold medal in this year’s PIA fi nals.
One of the highlights of Spirit’s journey last September was a dueling drum exchange with the South Africa Womba Drummers in Soweto. As the percussionists played, a local artist named John Adams set up a canvas and started painting. “He painted one of
our drummers and one of the South African drummers together in this very dynamic picture,” Spirit artistic ad-ministrator Mike Hale recalls, “and that picture wound up becoming the fl oor design for our winter show.”
As its title implies, “Spirit Fu-sion” combines musical elements, merging American jazz harmonies with African instruments and rhythms. “The kids were really excited to bring home what they experienced in Africa and share it with what turned out to be a whole lot of people in Dayton,” Hale says.
FINDING GOLD IN SOUTH AFRICA
At the WGI World Championships, only part of the action takes place on the fl oor. Behind the scenes, lots of people are working hard to ensure that the event runs smoothly. Every season, we recognize just a few of these exceptional folks as our Volunteers of the Year. This year’s awards went to four well-deserving individuals: Eric Beastrom, who helped with score tabulation; Jamie Rightmyer, who worked as assistant site manager at the Dayton Convention Center for the Independent A color guard prelims; and announcers Richard Kramer and Allen Buell, who kept audiences informed. Many thanks to Eric, Jamie, Richard, and Allen!
VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR GET RECOGNIZED
Warm Up in Style and Comfort with The ContenderEveryone can use some comfortable and good-looking warm-up gear, and The Contender jackets and pants, available through McCormick’s, fi t the bill. The jackets have a 100% soft polyester interlock shell with mesh-lined front, zippered side pockets, and an inside pocket with external collar feature for ear buds or a hands-free mobile device; the pants have an
open bottom hem with 12” zipper leg closure. Jackets come in nine
color combinations, while pants offer a choice of
six colors for men and two for women (navy or black), all with white piping. Custom screen printing, tackle twill, and embroi-dery is available.
For more information, go to mccormicksnet.com.
Sponsor Resources Page Offers Educational Benefi tsMany of WGI’s percussion sponsors—including Evans, Innovative Percussion, Pearl, Pro-Mark, Sabian, Vic Firth, Yamaha, and Zildjian—are heavily invested in music education. On their websites, you can fi nd a wide range of text and video lessons cover-ing various aspects of the percussion activity. WGI has made it easy to hunt down all these les-sons by posting links on its Percussion Sponsor Resources web page, which is a kind of one-stop shop for learning about percussion. Direct your browser to https://www.wgi.org/contents/Sponsor-Resources-Perc.html.
John Adams (R) and a Spirit member with the “Spirit Fusion” painting
This photo and below: Scenes
from SOA’s trip to South Africa
SP
IRIT
OF
AM
ER
ICA
PH
OTO
S: C
OU
RTE
SY
OF
SP
IRIT
OF
AM
ER
ICA
BA
ND
L to R: Buell, Rightmyer, Mark Ackerson (volunteer coordinator), Kramer, Beastrom
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NEVER BE THE CROWD
Bring it in. Only a few stand here each year. These are the ones that made it to the end.
Before the show, they take a moment with each other to prepare for where they’re
going, and sometimes look at where they’ve been. This is for them and only them.
Scan the QR Code with your Smartphone
or visit www.quantummarching.com/MFMarching
to see more of Northcoast Academy
No
rthCo
ast Acad
emy S
nareline
NEVER BE THE CROWD
Bring it in. Only a few stand here each year. These are the ones that made it to the end.
Before the show, they take a moment with each other to prepare for where they’re
going, and sometimes look at where they’ve been. This is for them and only them.
Scan the QR Code with your Smartphone
or visit www.quantummarching.com/MFMarching
to see more of Northcoast Academy
NorthCoast Academy Snareline
WGI_Temp.indd 1 5/17/12 9:34:07 AM
Thank You to Our Partners and Sponsors
Presenting Sponsors
Corporate Partners
The WGI Scholarship Program celebrated a bumper crop this year: Fifteen talented young performers are new schol-arship recipients. All of the 2012 winners were announced at the WGI World Championships in Dayton, Ohio, and all are pictured on this page, including Sabine Francois of Cy-press Creek High School, winner of the Bob Wiles Memo-rial Scholarship; Taylor Marvin of Northglenn High School, winner of the Yamaha/Dennis DeLucia Scholarship; and John Gaal of Forsyth Central High School, winner of the Zildjian/Mark Thurston Scholarship.
ALL SMILES FOR 2012 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
10 WGI FOCUS
Each ensemble registered to compete in the World Championships may nominate one member for scholar-ships. A nine-person committee representing WGI judges, instructors, directors, staff, and other members reviews the applications. Since its inception, the WGI Scholarship Program has provided over $400,000 to participants. For more information, visit wgi.org/about/scholarship.php.
Taylor MarvinNorthglenn HS
Eric Boetcher Gateway Indoor
Samuel CarlbergInterplay
John GaalForsyth Central HS
Sabine FrancoisCypress Creek HS
Samuel HendryPetal HS
Jacob CornettKings HS
Krista Kohring Zydeco
Joseph DunningSalem HS
Nicole MooreKickapoo HS
Laura Galarza West Forsyth HS
Will RumleyAria
Liane FriedbergMSU Guard
Katelyn McIntosh Wakefi eld HS
Vaishnavi BalendiranArcadia HS
WGI_Ensemble.indd 3 5/21/12 9:36:47 AM
©2012 Avedis Zildjian C
ompany.
zildjian.com
CONGRATSWGI WINNERS
PERCUSSION INDEPENDENT WORLDRiverside Community College
PERCUSSION INDEPENDENT ASpirit of America Percussion Ensemble
PERCUSSION SCHOLASTIC WORLDChino Hills High School
PERCUSSION SCHOLASTIC CONCERT WORLDWoodbridge High School
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A FEW WORDS WITH ALEX ENTIN
As a young percussionist, Alex Entin per-formed with three principal organizations: the marching and concert bands of Pomo-na High School in Arvada, Colo.; the Cava-liers drum corps; and the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps and Percussion Ensemble. Today, he’s still working for all three—as percussion director at Pomona, snare technician for the Cavaliers, and bat-tery caption head and arranger for the Blue Knights winter percussion group. In addi-tion, he’s taught various Colorado scholas-tic ensembles, including Loveland, Fossil Ridge, and Fairview.How he got into percussion: I grew up play-ing piano and was fairly profi cient, but I wanted to do more than that and one of my music teachers mentioned the Pomona marching band. I’d had no exposure to anything like that before, and I really enjoyed it. So I stayed with it all four years. My original goal was to be in the front ensemble, but I tried out for the bottom bass spot and they said, “Okay, you’re playing bottom bass for the duration.” The year after that I moved to snare, and for the last two years I was the drum line captain.Early overachievement:At some point toward the end of high school, I realized that I’d been at a rehearsal or wearing a drum every day except Sunday for two straight years. I’d started marching with the Blue Knights in my junior year, while I was still in the Pomona band. It was ambitious, but I was surrounded by people who loved drum corps, and that kept me going. After three winters and three summers, though, I was burnt out and I stopped for a while. The op-portunity to join the Cavaliers in ’07 was what brought me back. It was my age-out year, and I fi gured that if I didn’t try it then, I’d never know if I could do it. I’m really glad I had that experience, especially now that I’m teaching.Returning to Pomona High: When I was a performer there, I kind of took the program for granted. But coming back after not having been there for years, I’ve come to realize that it’s one of the better programs out there. Now we’re trying to build it back up to its old level. We may not make
it to Dayton this year, but we’re working on it. I’ve been very lucky because we haven’t had many age-outs, and the kids defi nitely want to stick with the group.What’s different about WGI today: The activity has changed so much, even in the last year with the addition of lighting. In my performing days, the name of the game was just marching and playing. Movement wasn’t such a big thing. But now, if you don’t pay enough attention to that, you’re down a level. And the result of that is that
the kids are way more aware—of what they’re doing, what the other members are doing, and how they all relate to each other—than I ever was.His proudest moment: After the WGI World Championships this year, a lot of the members in the Blue Knights were bummed about their placement. But from my vantage point, I just saw a group of kids that had worked so hard, been so professional,
and really jelled together. I can’t take credit for it because it was all them. That was
actually the proudest I’ve ever been after a show.An earlier appearance in this magazine: When Blue Knights won in 2003, I was one of fi ve people featured on the cover of WGI Focus [see above]. I saw it and thought to myself, “Holy cow, what’s going on?” And everybody was giving me grief about it. People would say, “Hey, poster boy!” and stuff like that. It was pretty cool.
www.wgi.org 12 WGI FOCUS
Battery arranger/caption head for Blue Knights Percussion Ensemble
I realized that I’d been at a rehearsal or wearing a drum every day except Sunday for two straight years. I’d started marching with the Blue Knights in my junior year, while I was still in the Pomona band. It was ambitious, but I was
kept me going. After three winters and three summers, though, I was burnt out and I stopped for a while. The op-portunity to join the Cavaliers in ’07 was what brought me back. It was my age-out year, and I fi gured that if I didn’t
you’re down a level. And the result of that is that the kids are way more aware—of what they’re doing, what the other members are doing, and how they all relate to each other—than I ever was.His proudest moment:WGI World Championships this year, a lot of the members in the Blue Knights were bummed about their placement. But from
take credit for it because it was all them. That was
The Cavaliers in 2011
Blue Knights Percussion Ensemble at the 2012 WGI World Championships
Alex Entin in 2003
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www.wgi.org 14 WGI FOCUS
Close-Up
ome unusual sounds were emanating from the gym this past winter at Northview High School in Brazil, Ind., as the color guard practiced for what they
hoped would be their 22nd fi nals appearance at the WGI Color Guard Championships. Under the guidance of long-time director Ruth Ann Medworth, this year’s Northview show, “Queen of the Coop,” was both complex and quirky, combining music from the Mozart opera The Magic Flute(whose central fi gure is called the Queen of the Night) with a chanteuse singing in the parlance of…a chicken.
“It has a classical feel to it, but then it’s somewhat co-medic too, in that the guard members do some chicken talking,” Medworth says. “It’s a playful year for us. You don’t want to be so campy you’re not taken seriously, but we continually try to add to the fun aspect of the show. I think that’s what the judges and the spectators want—a little bit of chicken.”
Medworth, who was inducted into the WGI Hall of Fame last year, knows a thing or two about what pleases crowds. In her 35-plus years working in the color guard realm—almost 15 of them as vice president of WGI—she’s seen trends come and go. Every year, every competition, she gleans a few pearls of wisdom.
“You want to try to do something that’s of the time, but
still maintain your own identity,” she says. “We have a his-tory of trying new things, but the bottom line is you always have to be good at what you do.”
Northview also has a history of success. The color guard did indeed make it to the fi nals for the 22nd time (“Queen of the Coop” took 14th place in the 2012 Scholas-tic World class). Medworth describes this year’s group—a mix of upperclassmen and fi rst-timers—as “even-keeled
and pretty drama-free… We work hard, and we try to do everything
we can to make them have a great experience. We hope they’ll come back – even the ones who are graduating.”
In fact, it was Northview color guard grads who gave Medworth one of the most cherished memories in her lengthy career. After years of trying to stage a reunion,
alums from last year all the way back to 1985 returned to campus for a halftime show in January. Some who were local got in a few practices; others who came from out of town got in only the dress rehearsal before the game.
“I didn’t know what to expect. I thought we’d have a few old girls, but when all was said and done we had 48 who came back from all those years,” Medworth says. “Many of them changed their Facebook profi le picture to show them in their costumes, and that’s the ultimate sign they had a great time. They’re making plans to do it again next year.”
“We have a history of trying new things, but the bottom line is you always have to be good at what you do.”
FeatheryFun with Northview High School
Veteran Guard Has Good “Cluck” in 22nd Finals Appearance By Cathy Applefeld Olson
S
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Spotlight
Ceremony Hails New Hall of FamersThree Percussion Greats Are the Latest to Earn WGI’s Top HonorBy Alex Mendoza
n the evening preceding the 2012 WGI Percus-sion World Championships, the most respected names in the percussion activity gathered at the
Dayton Marriott to honor the three latest inductees to the WGI Hall of Fame. It was a well-received ceremony, with all those in attendance sharing smiles and tears of joy. Videos chronicling the accomplishments of each individual played out as emotional vignettes featuring family and friends, a testimony to the fl ourishing talents of three men who have all, in different ways, changed the landscape of the percussion activity.
JIMMY HASKELL In 1985, Jimmy Haskell started his run with WGI as a timing and penalties judge. Ten years later, he assisted with the fi rst-ever Indianapolis Percus-sion Regional as a T&P judge/logician, only to end up as the announcer by the fi nals portion of the competition. In addition to his work with six-time Concert champions the Franklin Central Percussion Symphony, he dedicated 10 years to starting and stabilizing the Indiana Percussion Association in many administrative roles. It wasn’t until 2001, however, that he worked his fi rst WGI Champion-ships event as the logician for the Percussion Administra-tion team, a role that he continues to fi ll today.
JIM WUNDERLICH Although he started his musical life on piano, Jim Wunderlich switched to drums with his alma mater, Mission Viejo High School—for which he has since served as the front ensemble instructor and arrang-er for over 20 years Jim’s longstanding interest in synthe-
sizers and sequencers has helped him craft groundbreak-ing front ensemble scores for groups such as Loara High School and Riverside Community College. His work with the Blue Devils has brought the percussion section two Fred Sanford Awards within two short years (2007 and 2009), and he has been instrumental in the recent success of Tokyo’s Soka Renaissance Vanguard. Jim’s name is synonymous with pioneering efforts that push sampling, electronics, and front orchestration to the next level.
SCOTT JOHNSON Many people say they’ve been involved with music for most of their lives, but in Scott Johnson’s case, that’s literally true; he started playing at the tender age of four. Since then, Scott has marched drum corps with the Blue Devils, earning a DCI I&E and PASIC Individual Drum Trophy, and becoming a member of the staff while still marching with the corps in 1978. He assumed the role of Director of Percussion for the ensemble in 1994, and soon branched out to teach other drumlines such as 1997 PSA champion Clayton Valley and 2002 PIW champion RCC. Scott then became a WGI judge, as well as a member of the fi rst Steering Committee. He has also served on the percussion advisory board for several years.
Earlier in the 2012 season, peers and colleagues had composed letters detailing their reasons why these three particular individuals should receive this distinguished honor. The letters were then placed before the WGI Steering Committee and discussed before the committee reached a fi nal decision.
O
Greats Are the Latest to
L to R: Jimmy Haskell, Scott Johnson, Jim Wunderlich
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®
www.awctcolorguard.com
image by jolesch photography
2530 Pearl Buck Road | Bristol, Pennsylvania 19007 | phone 800-755-2248 | fax 800-755-9360 | email [email protected]
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2530 Pearl Buck Road | Bristol, Pennsylvania 19007 | phone 800-755-2248 | fax 800-755-9360 | email [email protected]
color guard and percussion performance wear by AWCT
b e a part of ‘a wish’ creativ ity
enduring STYLE
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AWCTspring12.indd 1 5/3/12 2:27 PM
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www.wgi.org 19
2012 WGI World Championships
Father Ryan HS
Timber Creek HS
Tates Creek Indoor Ensemble
Identity
Trumbull HS
Forsyth Central HS
Opus 10
Dojo
Old Bridge HS
Upland HS
Gateway Indoor
Pride of the Netherlands
WGI reached a major milestone in 2012: its 35th season. How best to observe such an anniversary? The same way the Sport of the Arts celebrates every new year—with thousands of young performers giving it their all on the fl oor in Dayton.
Monarch HS Cypress Independent
2012 WGI World Championships2012 WGI World Championships
TIMETHE MARCH OF
Imbue eNVision
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20 WGI FOCUS
o celebrate WGI’s 35th year of providing stellar entertainment, over 280 color guards from throughout North America—and a few from across both neighboring oceans—gathered together in and near Dayton, Ohio, from April 12-14 for the 2012 WGI Color Guard World
Championships. For the 27th time since 1983, fi nalists from each of the six classes met at the University of Day-ton Arena. And fi ttingly, given the anniversary, they regaled audiences with some of the most memorable productions yet witnessed on the fl oor of that venue.
Independent WorldOnyx (Ohio) placed fi rst for the second time in three years with “Blank Canvas,” performed on a blank white tarp with the guard members’ bodies fi guratively being the paint-brushes against the canvas. A lone, long cylindrical prop resembled a pen, adding visual accents to the unseen de-signs of the blank fl oor. Last year’s champion, Santa Clara Vanguard (Calif.), took the silver medal with “John Henry: a story for our time.” The most striking element of this show was the live narration by a professional acting coach, which brought a unique humanity to the performance. The bronze medal went to Pride of Cincinnati (Ohio) for “Preaching to the Choir,” which examined the personal decision that indi-viduals make regarding God. Rifl es continuously went air-borne over soapboxes (that later became pews and a pul-pit), like locusts and hail descending from the heavens. FLANAGAN HS Project Innocence
SANTA CLARA VANGUARD John Henry: a story for our timeONYX Blank Canvas
95.651ST
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Scholastic World
2012 Color Guard World Championships
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CARMEL HS Word
PRIDE OF CINCINNATI Preaching to the Choir
JAMES LOGAN HS Out of the Blue
Japan’s Aimachi took 4th place for “HANA,” about hope and achieving one’s dreams, featuring loads of improbable baton work. Zydeco Colorguard (Ohio) charmed the audi-ence with “Remember the Tinman,” the story of the be-loved character from The Wizard of Oz. “The Thousand Yard Stare” was Braddock Independent (Fla.)’s disturbing story of post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Fearless Symmetries” by Opus 10 (Colo.) was like the brush strokes of an abstract modern painting coming to life. In another nod to The Wizard of Oz, Blessed Sacrament(Mass.)’s “Ozone” placed the members in the middle of a cyclone as black-and-white turned to color. Memories of a childhood home took center stage in “Interior” by Imbue(Calif.), which longed for the simpler pleasures of youth.
Cypress Independent (Texas)’s “Ex Post Facto” delved into the confl ict between a man and a woman. “Together We Can Make It” by Black Watch (N.J.) highlighted an un-derstated method of exchanging equipment. “A Good Ger-man” by Fantasia (Calif.) explored the disturbed conscience of a German World War II soldier, and “The List” of First Flight (N.C.) conveyed the dreams of a concentration camp resident. Alter Ego (N.J.)’s “i” asked, “Who am I?,” while Emanon (N.J.)’s “Rise and Fall” was one of the most avant-garde color guard presentations ever seen by this writer.
Scholastic World Flanagan High School (Fla.) won gold for the fi rst time since 2008 with “Project Innocence,” sharing the goal to free those
Onyx and Flanagan HS Recapture Top World Class Honors by Michael Boo
93.903RD94.802ND
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FREEDOM HS That Which We Call a Rose LAKE CENTRAL HS Aftermath
O2 Memory...
who have been wrongly imprisoned. The lead character felt rage as fl agpoles surrounded him like prison bars, and the rifl es were caught so close to the fl oor that it de-fi ed comparison. James Logan (Calif.) garnered the silver medal with “Out of the Blue,” a show that didn’t seem to be about anything other than the magnifi cence of color guard. Defending champions Carmel (Ind.) took the bronze with “Word,” giving every member a chance to recite live text while treating the poetry as music.
From Warren Central (Ind.), “The Elephant in the Room” was about ignoring obvious issues and carrying on despite crises that won’t disappear by themselves. “Metamorpho-sis” by Seminole (Fla.) evolved from all-black visuals to all-red by the end. Trumbull (Conn.) performed “Beneath This Canvas” on a tarp that was an exact replica of the UD Arena fl oor, with members growing out of it.
“The Box” of Lawrence Central (Ind.) was intentionally creepy, as the members climbed in and out of plywood box-es, sometimes as if they were coffi ns. The fl ags of “Alla Pri-ma” by Arcadia (Calif.) seemed to drip color onto the fl oor, representing the technique of painting on a wet surface. With “WTC-9/11,” West Broward (Fla.) captured the trauma of the most horrifi c day in recent American history.
In “Comforts of Home,” Timber Creek (Fla.) lov-ingly built on the opening narration, “A house is made of wood and beams; a home is made of hopes and dreams.” The angst-laden “V” by Chino (Calif.) recreated some of the rebel scenes from the movie V for Vendetta.
Independent Open
Scholastic Open
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NEASE HS Social Construction
FeniX INDEPENDENT The Fourth DimensionUSF WINTERGUARD It Gets Better
Norwin (Pa.) explored “Human Nature” in an environmen-tal awareness show about how humans are messing up the planet. “La Construction de La Tour Eiffel” of Tarpon Springs (Fla.) reviewed the building of the most famous structure in Paris. Northview (Ind.) became chickens for “Queen of the Coop,” a very funny look at the world of fowl. Americas (Texas) captured the last spot in Finals with “Rapunzel,” about the legendary girl who couldn’t afford to have a bad hair day.
Independent OpenThanks to O2 (Ohio) winning the class with “Memory…,” the Onyx organization captured the top two gold medals to be awarded in their hometown this season. A mesmerizing, seemingly effortless production kept the audience’s jaws permanently glued to the fl oor. Just 0.10 behind the win-ning score, USF (Fla.)’s silver-medal “It Gets Better” ex-plored the emotional stress of being bullied. The bronze medal went to FeniX Independent (Ariz.) for “The Fourth Dimension.”
A silent equipment feature sans music lit up the arena in “Come on Home” by Brigadiers Winter Guard (N.Y.). The fu-turistic “Network” by Identity (Texas) suggested what hu-manity must do to progress in the coming years. “Awoke in Beijing” fi lled Spectrum (N.Y.)’s fl oor with red and various visual elements of Chinese culture.
Remaining guards in the class included the University of Alabama Alta Marea (Ala.: “Kingfi shers Catch Fire”), State of Art (Mich.: “The Silver Lining”), Interplay (Mich.: “Love
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SOMERVILLE HS Broken, Rise, Empowered
PHOENIX INDEPENDENT The Psychodynamic PerspectiveIMPACT INDEPENDENT Moving On
Is an Army”), The Pride of the Netherlands (Netherlands: “Van Gogh—The Dutch Master”), Code Black (Texas: “Ele-gy”), The Pride of Missouri State (Mo.: “Renaissance Man”), Field of View (Pa.: “Twenty-Twelve”), MBI (Minn.: “Turning Tables”), and Co-Motion Winter Guard (N.J.: “Vincent”).
Scholastic OpenFreedom High School (Fla.) won the gold medal with a lovely and classy production of “That Which We Call a Rose,” set to Dianne Reeves’ version of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Like a Lover.” The silver medal went to Lake Central (Ind.) for “Af-termath,” about women getting over a man who broke their hearts. Nease (Fla.) won the bronze medal with “Social Construction,” a show that created an effect akin to watch-ing paint come off a canvas instead of being applied to it.
North Syracuse Central (N.Y.) offered a visual interpretation of a solo piano work in its production “Chromatic Fantasy.” Recovery from tragedy was the theme of “Brand New Day” by South Brunswick (N.J.), and Upland (Calif.)’s “Inception” was like entering someone’s exceedingly strange dream.
Remaining guards in the class included Cypress Bay (Fla.: “Requiem”), Marian Catholic (Ill.: “Pompeii Awak-ened”), Claudia Taylor Johnson (Texas: “Ohmmm...”), Pope(Ga.: “Hear Me Roar”), Ayala (Calif.: “The Snakes of Me-dusa”), Greenfi eld-Central (Ind.: “In This Shirt”), Cypress Creek (Fla.: “Crossing Boundaries”), Rancho Cucamonga(Calif.: “Frozen Angeles”), and Walled Lake Central (Mich.: “Amazing Grace”).
Independent A
Scholastic A
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LINCOLN-WAY NORTH HS Time Goes By
LEXIS For the Boys
ANDY DEKANEY HS Who I’m Meant to Be
Independent AImpact Independent (Va.) won the gold with “Moving On,” while the silver medal went to Phoenix Independent (Ohio) for “The Psychodynamic Perspective.” “For the Boys” won Lexis (Ky.) both the bronze medal and the Fans’ Favorite award. Luminosa (N.Y.) took fourth with “Hope,” fi fth went to University of Central Florida Pegasus (Fla.) for “Grown Unknown,” and sixth was earned by Patriots (N.Y.) for “Flu-idity.”
Remaining fi nalist guards included Shenendehowa IA(N.Y.), Ventures (Canada), Salem Blue (N.H.), Southeast Independent (Tenn.), Ars Nova (Texas), National Avenue(Mo.), The Edge Independent (Ga.), Delazure (Del.), and MEDEA (Fla.).
Scholastic ASomerville High School (N.J.) captured the gold medal with “Broken, Rise, Empowered,” followed by Andy Deka-ney (Texas) with the silver-medal performance of “Who I’m Meant to Be.” “Time Goes By” earned Lincoln-Way North (Ill.) the bronze. Taravella (Fla.) took fourth with “This Bitter Earth,” Westerville Central (Ohio) placed fi fth with “What Lies Ahead,” and Lyman (Fla.) fi nished in sixth with “Rock Your Soul.”
Remaining fi nalist guards included West Orange (N.J.), Apopka (Fla.), Bellbrook (Ohio), Robinson (Fla.), Ola (Ga.), Bryan (Texas), Lakota West (Ohio), Cary (N.C.), and Lake Park (Ill.).
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Be Innovative...
Innovative Percussion would like to thank the following groups for all of their support and congratulate them on another incredible season!
Independent WorldMusic City Mystique - Silver MedalistRhythm XMatrixNorthCoast AcademyGateway IndoorTTates Creek Indoor EnsemblePalmetto PercussionVanguard Winter PercussionTyler Junior CollegeScholastic OpenVictor J Andrew HS - Silver MedalistDorman HSPPace HSGreen Hope HSGreenfield-Central HSNew Philadelphia HSIndependent OpenGeorge Mason University - Gold MedalistMN Brass Indoor - Silver MedalistDark Sky Dark Sky PercussionCapital City PercussionRiver City RhythmLegendsFreedom Percussion
Scholastic WorldAyala HS - Bronze MedalistCenter Grove HSFather Ryan HSForsyth Central HSWalled Lake HSCenterville HSCenterville HSRowland HSMt Juliet HSMilton HSFishers HSScholastic Concert WorldWoodbridge HS - Gold MedalistAyala HS - Silver MedalistAyala HS - Silver MedalistRowland HSIndepedent AChattanooga Independent - Silver MedalisteNVisionNotre Dame Indoor Perc EnsDouble Stop Indoor PercussionFFrequencyAncient City EnsembleRevelationThree Rivers Indoor PercussionGroove Pursuit
Scholastic ALebanon HS - Gold MedalistFreedom HS - Bronze MedalistPlainfield HSFoothills HSKickapoo HSSt Genevieve Elementary SchoolSt Genevieve Elementary SchoolFrancis Howell North HSClinton HSArnold HSFindlay HSAthens Drive HSDecatur Central HSWWalled Lake Central HSNease HSVictor HSTate HSClinton Massie HSHillsboro HSPowhatan HSBellbrook HSBellbrook HSValhalla HSOlentangy Liberty HSHagerstown HSWarren East High and Middle SchoolLebanon HS
Visit www.innovativepercussion.com for Media from the WGI Finals
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28 WGI FOCUS
he 20th WGI Percussion Championships were a watershed event, with a record 189 entries, a record high score, and a packed house of drum enthusiasts. Many techno-logical advances were also on display, as en-sembles unveiled lighting effects that would make
Vegas envious, large monitors with videos synchronized to the music, and even (in one case) an iPhone app.
Percussion Independent WorldRiverside Community College (Calif.) took its fourth title with “The Gift,” portraying the ferocity of war and the ul-timate sacrifi ce made by heroes who lost their lives de-fending freedom. Letting out its inner caveman, Music City Mystique (Tenn.) used lighted tubes and domes in the distant-future-meets-prehistoric “Nu-tribe.” Pulse Per-cussion (Calif.) placed two groups in fi nals, as the “World” line explored the shifting sands of relationships that pass through our lives with “Coming and Going.”
Cutting-edge Rhythm X (Ohio) illuminated the way to wisdom with “enLIGHTened,” using a lighted seven-pointed star to brighten the path. Matrix (Ohio) probably needed termite insurance for “Wood You?,” incorporating a for-est’s worth of wooden percussion instruments to travel a more acoustic route. North Coast Academy (Mich.) had the crowd on its feet after numerous eye-popping cymbal tricks and a spectacular left-handed mallet feature.
The controlling eyes of a mechanized tyrant watched for CHINO HILLS HS Predictable
RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY COLLEGE The Gift
Percussion Independent World
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AYALA HS In the Dark
PULSE PERCUSSION Coming and Going
DARTMOUTH HS Evolved
any sign of emotion from Gateway Indoor (Mo.) in “Ministry of Love,” while United Percussion (N.J.) used three giant projection screens to show live group and audience shots during “NOW.” Infi nity (Fla.) had us sitting on the front of our seats with the thrilling “On Edge,” while Pulse Percus-sion Open (Calif.) kept at it again and again…and again with the OCD-referencing “Obsessed.”
Also qualifying for fi nals were Tates Creek Indoor (Ky.)’s “Electrify,” “BK Crew” by Blue Knights (Colo.), STRYKE Percussion (Fla.)’s “Music in the Shape of a Square,” East-side Fury (Mo.)’s “(No) Strings Attached,” and Palmetto Percussion (S.C.)’s “In My Dreams.”
Percussion Scholastic WorldChino Hills (Calif.) led a quintet of California lines, as the state took a third of the fi nalist spots. Its “Predictable” was anything but, with surprises galore, including an unexpect-ed trip back to the ’80s courtesy of Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up.” Dartmouth (Mass.) soared the skies in avian costumes over an urban metropolis during “Evolved.” Ayala (Calif.) cast a long shadow “In the Dark,” using nine plasma-screen televisions that showed light-related im-ages.
Arcadia (Calif.) fell just short of a title defense with “Brief Eternity,” but its members’ lightning-speed hands
California Groups Sweep World Classes, Record High Score Set By Michael Reed
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SOUTH HILLS HS Home VICTOR J. ANDREW HS Until Tomorrow
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY Go
proved that the group’s talent pool is deep de-spite heavy graduation losses. Center Grove(Ind.) hit anything that clanked with “Twisted Met-al,” including a unique hi-hat feature in a program of largely heavy metal music. Father Ryan (Tenn.) applied the adage “The Show Must Go On,” overcoming Murphy’s Law with (intentionally) misplaced props, failed gimmicks, and faked injuries.
Mission Viejo (Calif.) took us beneath Tokyo into the world’s largest fl ood control project in “The Underground,” while Forsyth Central (Ga.) created an LED fantasyland in “Pure Imagination” with a captivating use of color-chang-ing lighting. Walled Lake Central (Mich.) constantly moved keyboards around the glass-shard fl oor in “Shattered Per-spective,” while West Bloomfi eld (Mich.) tried to break loose from sticky situations with “Stuck.”
Remaining fi nalists were Centerville (Ohio)’s “Equilize,” Rowland (Calif.)’s “Before I Sleep,” Mt. Juliet (Tenn.)’s “Octo-ber,” Milton (Ga.)’s “City of Hope,” and Avon (Ind.)’s “Prime.”
Percussion Independent OpenGeorge Mason University (Va.)’s journey began with a sin-gle step and went farther than the group’s ever been with “Go,” a blistering showcase that left the crowd breathless. MN Brass Indoor (Minn.) raged against the dying of the light in a brilliant interpretation of the classic poem “Do Not Go Gentle.” Orange County Independent (Calif.) turned many heads with “Rhythm Is Life,” drawing inspiration from the
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MN BRASS INDOOR Do Not Go Gentle
FRANKLIN CENTRAL HS Hindsight 20/12
ORANGE COUNTY INDEPENDENT PERCUSSION Rhythm Is Life
heartbeat, music, and nature.Dark Sky Percussion (Ariz.)’s members began “Lost”
headed in the wrong direction, but found their way guided by the starlight on their costumes. Like millions of bits of data zipping inside a computer, Green Thunder (Ill.) brought us into “The Grid” with music from Tron: Legacy, while Dojo Percussion (Neb.) took us into a netherworld where “The Faun” grants a princess the immortality she had lost. Atlanta Quest (Ga.) could not be tamed in “Wild,” battering us into submission.
Also making fi nals were Pioneer Indoor (Ill.)’s “The Art of Illusion,” Capital City Percussion (Ohio)’s “The Fall,” Valley Independent (Calif.)’s “Refl ection - Looking Into My Past,” River City Rhythm (Minn.)’s “Crossing the Line,” and Genesis Percussion (Mich.)’s “Strings Attached.”
Percussion Scholastic OpenSouth Hills (Calif.) won gold with the smallest line in the class. “Home” featured televisions showing scenes from a comfy middle-class house. Victor J. Andrew (Ill.) made our eyes moist in “Until Tomorrow,” with yellow ribbons re-minding us of loved ones serving in the military overseas. Franklin Central (Ind.) used mirrors positioned at the back of the fl oor to provide a unique view of the crowd watching itself in “Hindsight 20/12.”
Unseen messengers brought Upper Darby (Pa.) to the light in “Send Me an Angel,” as the group’s dark costumes
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gradually became whiter. A mad scientist controlled Dor-man (S.C.)’s ensemble from a digital console, becoming worried as they continued playing after the power was cut off in “Plugged In.” King Philip Regional (Mass.) got the crowd to clap along with call-and-response patterns in “Code,” while Cy-Fair (Texas) demonstrated the analytical and artistic sides of the brain with “The Mind in Two.”
Rounding out the fi nalists were Trumbull (Conn.)’s “Goodbye,” Old Bridge (N.J.)’s “La Corrida,” Monarch(Colo.)’s “Voice,” Clover (S.C.)’s “No Regrets,” and Pace (Fla.)’s “Vigilante!”
Percussion Independent ASpirit of America celebrated the cornucopia of American music with “Spirit Fusion” (also see page 8). The vibrant colors of their set were matched by the equally bright ar-ray of timbres. Chattanooga Independent (Tenn.) did ev-erything but pull a rabbit from a hat in “Abracadabra,” with card tricks and magic boxes conjuring drummers out of thin air. Vegas Vanguard (Nev.) emerged from the shadows
Percussion Independent A
Percussion Scholastic A
2012 Percussion World Championships
to exhort viewers to work for a better society in “Anarchy.”A bleak future awaited Notre Dame Indoor (Ohio) in “Un-
plugged,” as the lone human not assimilated into a mecha-nized society was caught, caged, and wired in. Moving up fi ve positions from prelims, eNVision (Nev.) made the most of its opportunity for greatness with “eNVision Your Life.” Double Stop Indoor Percussion (Ala.) endured long hours and a cruel bossman who fell into “The Furnace.”
Other fi nalists were Gulf Coast Independent (Miss.)’s “Redemption,” Salem Blue Devils (N.H.)’s “Incendia,” Riv-er Valley Independent (Ark.)’s “Great Expectations,” Fre-quency (Ga.)’s “Unconquerable,” Ancient City Ensemble(Fla.)’s “Tower of Babel,” and Marcato (Fla.)’s “Sin and Redemption.”
Percussion Scholastic ALebanon (Ohio) came into fi nals in third place and left with the title. “Release” featured orange strands of elastic that connected members while they performed. Mechan-icsburg (Pa.) was a study in aggression in “The Tribal Af-
MECHANISCSBURG HS The Tribal Affect
LEBANON HS Release
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CHATTANOOGA INDEPENDENT Abracadabra
VEGAS VANGUARD Anarchy
SPIRIT OF AMERICA PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE Spirit Fusion
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performance of masterpieces by Shostakovich and Holst. Pioneering the use of video storytelling, Ayala (Calif.) con-veyed a man’s unexpressed love for a childhood friend in “The Absence of You.” Muscle Shoals (Ala.) explored mu-sic from the symphonic realm, suggesting a concert-hall atmosphere with “The Music of Howard Hanson.” “There Will Come Soft Rains” by Rowland (Calif.) featured music of Bach, Mozart, and Verdi with a poetic twist. Other fi nal-ists were Tunstall (Va.)’s “The Planets” and Corona Del Sol (Ariz.)’s “Time Machine.”
Percussion Scholastic Concert OpenHickory (Va.) took the crown with “Taking Flight,” featuring narration that described the fl ight of birds and the fl ying machines of man. Mansfi eld (Mass.) conquered the chal-lenging polyrhythms of a jazz titan in “Third Wind: The Mu-sic of Pat Metheny,” while Golden (Colo.) found their jazz closer to home with tunes by fellow Coloradan Vic Cionetti in “Simpatico.” The remaining fi nalist was Salem (Mass.) with “Energetikos.”
fect,” costumed in primitive garb and frenziedly pounding drums. Freedom (Va.) ascended to the bronze with “Out of the Blue,” fl ying the friendly skies to music ranging from Steve Miller to Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Plainfi eld (Ind.) provided nostalgia with “If these walls could talk,” as a grandmother shared memories of the house she lived in with her granddaughter. Water, electric-ity, and traffi c currents were illustrated by Seminole (Fla.) as “Flow” fl uidly alternated between serenity and sonic tid-al waves, while Nation Ford (S.C.) received our adoration in “With Arms Wide Open,” a beautiful production with deep spiritual undertones.
Remaining fi nalists were Downingtown West (Pa.)’s “Rebuild,” Westhill (Conn.)’s “Contact from Beyond,” Iron-dale (Minn.)’s “Tribus Electronica,” Mansfi eld (Mass.)’s “Sheltered,” Foothill (Nev.)’s “Playback,” and Kickapoo (Mo.)’s “From the Heart.”
Percussion Scholastic Concert WorldWoodbridge (Calif.) was nearly fl awless, netting a re-cord score of 99.6. “The Bringer of Joy” was a masterful
AYALA HS The Absence of You
MUSCLE SHOALS HS The Music of Howard Hanson
WOODBRIDGE HS The Bringer of Joy
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MANSFIELD HS Third Wind: The Music of Pat Metheny
GOLDEN HS Simpatico
HICKORY HS Taking Flight
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Clinic
36 WGI FOCUS
It’s Not the Off SeasonThe Summer Months Offer More Chances to Explore CreativityBy Debbie Galante Block
azy days of summer don’t apply to color guards or percussion ensembles. Although all coordinators agree that a little rest is necessary, they also agree
that performers need to keep challenging themselves—even in the summer—if they want to improve their skills. Luckily, there are many ways to do this, ranging from marching in drum corps to teaching other performers.
Organized clinics are another excellent option. For ex-ample, Zydeco Colorguard offers a summer series aimed at performers who want to experi-ence “a day in the life of Zydeco,” in the words of director Byron Valentine. The clinics are designed to resemble rehearsal days in the program; at-tendees are offered a dance class, technique time, and the opportunity to learn choreography at a range of levels from the instructional staff, marching members, and guest clinicians. “Many programs across the country offer ‘spin clinics’ like this,” Valentine says. “I highly recom-mend it to any performers looking to stay involved during the off season and broaden their range of knowledge.”
John Vega, coordinator and choreographer for Emanon Winter Guard, encourages members to take formal dance classes in the summer, preferably classes that take them outside their comfort zone. “It not only helps strengthen technique,” he says, “but it exposes participants to differ-ent styles of movement and to other creative outlets.”
Emanon also holds a clinic in July. It’s a one-day work-shop event that provides staff and alumni with a chance
to meet new performers, as well as to stay in shape. “We can help further develop skills and also help prospec-tive members who are interested in auditioning,” Vega explains. “It’s an opportunity to learn our equipment and learn the warm-ups. By audition weekend, participants will have already met their fellow performers and feel quite comfortable.”
Jeff Fiedler, CEO of Santa Clara Vanguard, notes that between the winter and summer competitive seasons,
percussionists don’t have a lot of down time; many are three-season players. However, even during short breaks, he urges participants to keep practicing on their instruments and expand their repertoire: “That’s going to make a better musician! Expanding into some of the other areas of percussion is a great idea. There is something to be said for being a specialist—maybe ev-erybody knows you for snare drum—
but it never hurts to try something additional.”Also, musicianship can be increased by watching
others. “It’s important to fi nd out the standards of an instrument and who sets the bar,” Fiedler says. “Watch and listen to those people play. Listening skills have to be developed as well as your chops!”
Vega adds that classes taken during the summer don’t have to be geared toward the guard or percussion activi-ties—any kind of creative work is a plus, even an art class. “Summer offers the time to fi nd what inspires creatively,” he says. “Explore!”
L
“There is something to be said for being
a specialist, but it never hurts to try something
additional.”
See Zydeco perform in the spring; fi nd out what it’s
like to be part of the group in the summer.
WGI_Clinic.indd 1 5/18/12 11:46:31 AM
D R U M C O R P S I N T E R N A T I O N A L P R E S E N T S
2012 DRUM CORPS INTERNATIONAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS • AUGUST 6–11, 2012
For tickets, group rates & additional info, visit www.DCI.orgwww.DCI.org/cinema
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eXPO international Drum and Percussion expo with more than 120 exhibitors.
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> Across the Floor teaches you all you need to know about methods of travel, getting in and out of the ground, turns, leaps, and jumps
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42 WGI FOCUS
WGImagesMore performance highlights from this year’s Finals
www.wgi.org
Aimachi Co-MotionPioneer Indoor Pace HS North Syracuse Central HS
Rowland HS
Mt. Juliet HS
Centerville HS
Plainfi eld HS
Lawrence Central HS
Ventures
Americas HS
West Orange HS
Eastside Fury
Palmetto
Lyman HS Ola HSDouble Stop Indoor Ancient City The Edge
Green Thunder Nation Ford HSAyala HS Shenendehowa Foothill HS
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