Legendary Drum Majors

A place for student leaders, drum majors, section leaders, student council members, etc.

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Post by JazzGeek » Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:00 pm

KingMattIV wrote:
John Christianson (trumpet for Reel Big Fish) was the trumpet section leader in my Magnolia HS Band.
Probably one of the best if not the best ska band of all time... I envy you. :evil:
Don't worry; you could be the famous guy that all your friends will say they graduated with..... 8-)

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Post by KingMattIV » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:56 pm

JazzGeek wrote:
KingMattIV wrote:
John Christianson (trumpet for Reel Big Fish) was the trumpet section leader in my Magnolia HS Band.
Probably one of the best if not the best ska band of all time... I envy you. :evil:
Don't worry; you could be the famous guy that all your friends will say they graduated with..... 8-)
too bad i play trombone :D

plus, im planning on being a band director... so unlikely 8-)

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Post by adoerfler » Sun Aug 26, 2007 11:35 am

I had the great blessing of being a member of the Arcadia High School Marching Band in 1965/66 when Larry Moore was drum major. He was absolutely dedicated to the band and to our director, Ron Hoar. He yelled like a Marine drill sergeant, and he got the best from us. His presence in front of the band was electrifying; my father thought he was six feet tall.

Thank you for including him in your list of great drum majors!
Grateful to have been a member of the Arcadia High School Marching Band 65/66, 66/67, 67/68

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Post by OCDM » Wed Oct 17, 2007 8:01 pm

Very cool topic and a blast out of the past as well, for someone who was a former SCSBOA DM judge from that era. I can add some info on Mace DMs late 1960s early 1970s. In that time period, Peacock had just started making maces. Most competitive DMs still used Premier (as in the drum company) maces from England. Unlike the Peacock versions, the Premier maces had heavy heads, which took more effort to spin quickly. Continuity was a problem for that reason; tosses, while not unheard of, were much more difficult to execute well. However, the Premiers tended to be much more fluid than the Peacocks were -- at least with better competitors. So the look was very, very different. Premier stopped making maces in the mid 1970s, I think. The rest is history.

Some DMs off the tope of head --

Betty Kidd -- Military and Mace, Arcadia High School. Don't know the year. However, she was very well known at the time, and did the DM summer camp circuit. Wonderful teacher.

John Holtrust -- Mentioned elsewhere in this string.

Pat Briney -- Mace, Chino HS 1971 and 1972. Cleaned up in 1971, including 1st place at 1971 All Western. 1st Place (silver mace) at 1972 Hawthorn BR and 3d place at 1972 All Western. One of the first to use a lightweight Peacock mace. Incredibly fast stops and direction changes.

Bob Naeve -- Mace, La Canada HS 1972. Relatively unknown HS, but very competitive. 1st at Rosemead (?) Chino and Arcadia BRs, Sweepstakes DM (high score overall) at Santa Monica BR and 2d at All Western. 1st (scored 99) at Arroyo festival. This is the guy who had the full moon (finger roll in RH passed to reverse finger roll in LF) salute.

Kippy Wroten -- Mace, Villa Park HS 1972-- mentioned elsewhere in this string. 1st place at All Western.

Larry Martin -- Mace Vista HS 1972 -- also mentioned elsewhere in this string. Great competitor, but bad luck in competition (dropped at Arcadia, for example). 4th at Santa Monica and 5th at All Western. Wonderful DM teacher. Now teaching junior college music.

Robert Suh -- Mace, Pasadena HS 1974 & 1975. Mentioned in a previous string. Didn't do the full moon in competition, but was the first mace drum major to use free hand movements (as is the vogue today)effectively, especially as a senior. Won All Western in 1974; 2d place (to Glendora?) in 1975.

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Post by Ryan H. Turner » Mon Nov 19, 2007 7:56 pm

Whooooooooooooooooooo are you?? Who who....who who...OCDM...good notes dude. I think your entry about Rob Suh is a little off, but then again, I am 41 years old and I may not have the sterling memory I used to have. The drum majors while my brother was at Pasadena High School from 1970 to 1973 were Carl Anderson and Ron Kuramoto. I think there was a drum major between Kuramoto and Suh, and I think it was a guy named David Byer. But...argh...my brain...it's melting. I was thinking Rob Suh was later 70's. And then it was Duane Shepherd in 1980, Kevin Ramsey in 1981 (whose little brother marched with me in VK), and then me in 1982 and 1983 followed by Omar Hopkins and then David Scharff (another kid that marched with me in VK).

When I took first place at the West Arcadia Band Review (Festival of Bands??? HAAAAAAAAAAA!!), I did a half moon in my routine--but I did a full moon in my DM tryouts. FREAKING HARD!!!!!!!!!!! Hated that!!!

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Post by bassclarinet/bassoonist » Sun Nov 25, 2007 7:31 pm

DAC-1997 wrote:Does anyone know the name Joshua Boyd? He was Drum Major back in 96-97 for Rubidoux . I dont know if he is legendary, but I know he gave Michael Kim a run for his money both on the street and in L-Pattern.



Hmmmmm I don't know why I know that name!!! I just keep drawing blanks!!!



HA HA HA HA HA HA

O WAIT!!!!!!!

Now I remember!! he's my instructor!!!

HA HA HA I am probably the only person in the world who would find that funny............ ok I'm done now!

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Post by dmcoach » Sun Dec 02, 2007 4:58 am

Legendary Drum Majors
Looks like a very hot topic of conversation.

Please excuse my selection, but I'll stick by my personal opinions in regards to the topic with respect to everyone else's personal views. My selection is based on drum majors that have left, and some that are still working and leaving a legacy behind. These are some of the people that I think have really impacted lives, and should really be considered as "Legendary". Most of these are from the last ten years, and I ask to put into account that it's because I am part of the 1990's generation of drum majors.

George Gullet from Arizona State University, 19.. ??
He was my inspiration for his 26th and 27th year (His last years before transferring to Nogales HS Administration) working as the band director for John A. Rowland HS. I don't know much about his spinning capabilities, or what he accomplished as an active drum major. What I do know is that his experiences then helped him through the 27 years that he served for the Rowland Unified School District. From my understanding, he started the music program for that district, and molded it to include the 10+ elementary schools, to feed into the three intermediate schools, and to progress to the two high schools, Rowland and Nogales. The music program there was AMAZING because it integrated all the music students every other year into one gym for the district concert. He also inspired his student-leaders to strive, and he led our music program at the high school with prestige. If it wasn't for him, I would never have considered trying out since I was a Freshman in HS, and finally accomplishing and reaching that goal when I was a Senior.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 27 years of service to the Rowland Unified School District

Rocky Ehrich from Gladstone HS, 1997
State Champion in Mil. Masters 1997, currently coaching multiple schools, actively competing as a Mace Drum Major for the Scottish Games.
SPECIALTY: Military baton, American Mace, Scottish Mace. Teaches Military baton styles consistent of classic tricks.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Jason and Holly Ehrich, David Lopez, Bryan Millares, Mai Vo, Peter and Christina Nguyen

Miriam Lieu from Arcadia HS, 1999
She wasn't the head drum major, and only competed in L pattern twice her senior year. She still contributes to the sport by actively coaching and adjudicating.
SPECIALTY: Unique style and off-the-wall tricks.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Ben Jiang, Kyle Terry

Honorable Mention:

Ben Schroeder from Glendora HS, 199. ??
Jennifer Tran from Montebello HS AND Alan Riley from Arcadia HS, 2006-2007 (one of the best "friendly" rivalries EVER)
ALL Tetzlaff Drum Majors, with special mention to the first set of kids that competed in 2000 (they paved the way to the flood of drum majors from their school in the Mil. Apprentice division every year)
Brittney Barnes from Rancho Buena Vista HS, 2006 (the only other drum major to really challenge and beat Jennifer Tran and Alan Riley)
ALL Montebello Drum Majors that competed wearing the Buzzbee (try spinning and competing wearing their uniform and you'll understand)

Lastly, my greatest mention for our proposed "Legendary Drum Majors"...

ALL of the drum majors from the lesser-known schools!!! Those are the drum majors that surprise the "top favorites" from the bigger schools. They deserve a lot of mention because most of them have gone through and taught themselves tricks passed on from previous generations of drum majors from their area. They're the ones that don't have the luxuries or influence of outside coaches. They were the drum majors that were not exposed to the L-pattern scene, yet they still came out there and surprised everyone when they beat State Champions on the street. Those to me ARE the Legendary Drum Majors. You know who you are, you know which schools you're from. Pat yourselves on the back and give yourself a hug from me, because I know how it is to come from one of those schools. 8-)
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Post by BNFL » Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:34 pm

Miriam Lieu from Arcadia HS, 1999
She wasn't the head drum major (.. yes she was, just ask the band director), and only competed in L pattern twice her senior year (that's not true either). She still contributes to the sport by actively coaching and adjudicating.
SPECIALTY: Unique style and off-the-wall tricks.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Ben Jiang, Kyle Terry

Specialty: Leadership. Charisma. She revolutionized the DM skill since Ben.

Accomplishments: in addition to Ben Jiang & Kyle TErry, are also: Chris Go, Alan Riley, Victoria Chen, JC Chang, Sherwin Wu, Richard Jeng, Marianne Huang, Sean In, David Choi, are all full time accomplishments
It's not what you say or think that defines who you are. It's what you do that refines you.

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Post by dmcoach » Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:08 am

BNFL wrote:Miriam Lieu from Arcadia HS, 1999
She wasn't the head drum major (.. yes she was, just ask the band director), and only competed in L pattern twice her senior year (that's not true either). She still contributes to the sport by actively coaching and adjudicating.
SPECIALTY: Unique style and off-the-wall tricks.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Ben Jiang, Kyle Terry

Specialty: Leadership. Charisma. She revolutionized the DM skill since Ben.

Accomplishments: in addition to Ben Jiang & Kyle TErry, are also: Chris Go, Alan Riley, Victoria Chen, JC Chang, Sherwin Wu, Richard Jeng, Marianne Huang, Sean In, David Choi, are all full time accomplishments
Don't get me wrong, she's one of my drum major friends, and I admire the work that she's done since then. Just for a fact and for the record, and not putting Miriam down in any way, but there's no need to ask Tom Landes (Arcadia's Band director) who the head drum major was during Miriam's senior year. The reason I know for a fact that she wasn't head DM her senior year was because TIM LANDES was the drum major that year. I met him his junior year, saluted him when I picked up my band's trophy for the Arcadia Band Review in 1998, and befriended him at the Claremont L-pattern competition in 1999.

I look forward to seeing Miriam again this season

8-)
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Post by dmcoach » Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:13 am

BNFL wrote:Miriam Lieu from Arcadia HS, 1999
She wasn't the head drum major (.. yes she was, just ask the band director), and only competed in L pattern twice her senior year (that's not true either). She still contributes to the sport by actively coaching and adjudicating.
SPECIALTY: Unique style and off-the-wall tricks.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Ben Jiang, Kyle Terry

Specialty: Leadership. Charisma. She revolutionized the DM skill since Ben.

Accomplishments: in addition to Ben Jiang & Kyle TErry, are also: Chris Go, Alan Riley, Victoria Chen, JC Chang, Sherwin Wu, Richard Jeng, Marianne Huang, Sean In, David Choi, are all full time accomplishments
As for my quote of her competing only twice in 1999, it was because I only competed against her at Thousand Oaks, and at USA South. I don't recall her being in any other comps.

Though, I still wish my brother hadn't taped over her performance at USA South, cuz that would've been cool to watch :D
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Accomplishments

Post by DMJUDGE » Thu Feb 28, 2008 9:42 am

Just my two cents:

I am wary of calling students accomplishments. The teachers do not create the students, they just give them the tools to succeed. The student's determination is the reason that they succeed. A teacher can only lead the student down the right path, but can not and should not take credit for their success.

Students that want to work hard tend to flock to certain instructors because they admire their style and work ethic. I know for one that Miriam and I have had some of the same students. When they stopped practicing I stopped teaching them, then they found Miriam, then she booted them for the same reason.

All the great drum majors mentioned in this thread are there because they worked hard! We should never forget that.


P.S. Ben Schroeder graduated in 1996
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Old Arcadia drum majors etc.

Post by sjh » Sat Mar 22, 2008 9:36 am

So weird to recall this stuff after so many years, and I'm also wondering if FD is DiLuzio (if so, hi Fred and sorry for probably misspelling your name).

Just to fill in some blanks about Arcadia drum majors from many years ago.

I don't know whether AHS was a "drum major factory" either then or now, but there was a certain style and certain expectations and a certain continuity. In my era the drum majors were:
1971 -- Betty Kidd
1972 -- Dick Shunk
1973 -- Denis Magoffin (sp?)
1974 -- Steve Hanks (me)
1975, 1976 -- Kim Burdick

I met Betty a couple of times, though her year was before I entered AHS. She had a pretty amazing demeanor. Rumor had it she didn't even need to yell -- a look was enough. Rumor also had it she scored a 99 at All Western that year where the only judge comment was "a little smile would help."

Dick I think was her equal as a leader, and 1972 was an amazing year -- you know that because Ron Hoar chose Stars and Stripes Forever as the street march, which he only did when he thought he had a really stellar band. I'm almost certain he won military every time he went out.

The thing about both Dick's and Betty's style was there was no flash to it whatsoever. No superfluous motion or spinning. At the same time, they were both remakably precise, and had a bearing that matched the band's kind of "powerful but no nonsense" image.

After Dick's year was Denis, which was a little bit of a disaster -- All Western was held indoors that year due to rain (in Long Beach Arena) which meant the band had to do a turn in the middle of the competition area. Also Denis dropped his baton in competition, which lost us the parade (and didn't do his chances in the DM competition any good either). The point about Denis was he was *way* more flashy than his predecessor, and look where it got him :-) Another contrast was that Denis used a metal baton, whereas Betty, Dick (and then me, and I think Kim) used a wood military baton.

As for me, I wasn't flashy, but it was more because I didn't have the spinning skills to be flashy even if I wanted to. I very much emulated Betty and Dick to whatever extent I could, and even though I was technically just not very proficient, things worked out fine -- we won All Western that year, and I placed second to DiLuzio in the military competition (it wasn't close as I recall, and it shouldn't have been, as I recall).

Pat Briney from Chino won the mace that year -- I remember him as a completely amazing technician, and as a tremendously nice guy. So Pat, on the off chance you're out there, hi!

After my year came Kim Burdick, who was unusual because it was the first time that Hoar let a junior take the job. Kim was both a strong leader, and as I recall way more flashy than any of his predecessors. But he could make it work. I don't know for sure, but I think he went on and served as drum major at UCLA. Another great guy -- Kim, hello to you too if you're out there.

Anyway, apart from the history I wanted to point out that technical spinning skills was the farthest thing from Ron Hoar's mind when he was choosing a drum major. He wanted adequate skills, but mainly bearing and leadership. Seemed to have worked pretty well for him and the band!

The other thing I think is remarkably interesting is that, having just discovered a bunch of YouTube videos of recent street competitions is how little has changed in 30 years! AHS is pretty much using the same uniforms, same step-off, same sign, etc. I guess if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Steve.

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Post by SRDM » Thu Apr 03, 2008 6:30 pm

Brennan England was a coach for me at a USA camp and I'd have to say he's pretty epic. Awesome guy and amazing with the malacca cane.
Shamrock Regiment DM '02-'04

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Post by vore » Fri Apr 04, 2008 2:46 pm

Kim Burdick

After Kim was drum major at Arcadia HS for two years, he became the drum major at UCLA for four years.

http://www.uclaband.com/history/drummajors.php

Kim is currently...... wait for it......

President of the Bank of America for Orange County!

Kim's leadership skills are put to great use.

Kim was judging drum majors for SCSBOA band reviews as recently as a couple of years ago.

vore 8-)
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Post by dragger » Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:46 pm

for mace
I would have to say the:

Paguio Brothers (Chula Vista)
Nillaga Brothers (Bonita Vista)
Anderson Brothers (Hilltop)

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