The three-time defending Drum Corps Associates world champion Reading Buccaneers Drum & Bugle Corps today unveiled its 2008 program, THE PURSUIT OF JOY, to a large and enthusiastic crowd assembled for the corps’ annual Membership Day open house at Twin Valley High School, Elverson, PA.

“We wanted to put together a program that will be entertaining and innovative, that will stretch the abilities of our members. We think we’ve done it,” said Buccaneers Program Coordinator Rich Hammond. “Fans can expect another Buccaneers ‘total-team’ production that showcases excellence in every caption. We’ve also selected some great pieces of classical and symphonic literature that fans and our members will recognize and enjoy. While much of the music will be familiar, it will definitely be a uniquely Buccaneers production, full of power, speed, emotion and visual depth.”

The show will open with Johann Pachelbel’s Canon in D. “We want to highlight the lyricism of this great piece and show off the musicality of the hornline and colorguard to open the show,” said Hammond.

The tranquility of the Canon will be shattered by a spirited rendition of Abram’s Pursuit, a celebrated piece of symphonic wind ensemble literature by contemporary American composer David R. Holsinger. Fresh to DCA audiences, the piece will highlight every section of the corps. “This number will be full of velocity, notes, aggression and attitude,” said Hammond. “It’s going to be one of the most challenging pieces the Buccaneers have played in quite some time, and should be a real treat for our fans and members alike.”

Next, the corps will continue what has become a trend of late: a Buccaneers ballad rich with emotional impact and excitement, with the timeless classic aria Nessun Dorma, from Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot. “We’ll again feature the hornline and colorguard with this melodic and emotional piece,” said Hammond. “We’re hoping fans will long remember this moment as one of the most beautiful and powerful of the year.”

The production will conclude with selections from Ludwig van Beethoven’s monumental Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125. “This will be a spectacular ending to the show,” said Hammond. “There will be lots of speed, volume and tension, as well as our percussion feature, as the corps moves the show to a rousing, triumphant and colorful conclusion with the classic strains of Ode to Joy.”

The Buccaneers’ next winter camp will take place on Saturday, December 1 (brass and percussion) from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, December 2 (full corps) from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., at Twin Valley High School, Elverson, PA. Persons interested in learning more about membership in the Buccaneers for 2008 should visit the corps’ web site at www.readingbuccaneers.org or contact membership manager Elizabeth Fretti at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .

Founded in 1957, the Buccaneers are a non-profit, education-oriented musical organization. The Buccaneers are a charter member of Drum Corps Associates and won the first-ever DCA world championships in 1965. Additional titles followed in 1968, 1979, 1980 and, most recently, in 2005, 2006 and 2007 all three undefeated championship seasons.

The Buccaneers are sponsored in part by Behler-Hein American Legion Post 637, Hamburg, Pennsylvania, and Roy A. Master American Legion Post 217, Topton, Pennsylvania

For more information, visit www.readingbuccaneers.org.