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Thanks for the link cadetguardmom. As for Winston Churchill's colorguard on the field, I highly recommend searching their 2005 show on YouTube. Saw them in person at the BOA San Antonio Super Regional Championships and was left speechless. They were on a whole other level.

Roland Chavez is the Percussion Director at Ronald Reagan High School in San Antonio, Texas. He oversees the marching & concert percussion ensembles and coordinates the middle school percussion programs at both Barbara Bush & Tejeda Middle Schools. He is a 1999 graduate of The University of Texas, earning a degree in Economics and a 2004 graduate of Southwest Texas State University, earning a Bachelor of Music degree. He was a member of the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps and the 1996 World Champion Concord Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. Roland is a member of the Percussive Arts Society, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Band Masters Association and is an educational endorser for Innovative Percussion Inc. He is also an active clinician, adjudicator and arranges percussion compositions for various schools throughout Texas. --- For those not familiar with Mike & Roland, their works can be found on YouTube. For Mike, you can search with the 'Winston Churchill Band' and Roland with Ronald Reagan's 2005 show. Edit: (Dave beat me to it.:))

Mike Sloan was a member of the Phantom Regiment Cadets from 1981-1985 and was a member of the Phantom Regiment in the late 1980's.

Percussion Director: Roland Chavez (Percussion at Ronald Reagan HS, TX) Colorguard Director: Mike Sloan (Colorguard Director at Winston Churchill HS, TX) (http://www.yea.org/site/PageServer?pagename=xm07audmats) Outstanding additions to the Crossmen team. These guys are amazing. :)

Madison Scouts hire Mark Dunton as new corps director. From DCI.org http://www.dci.org/news/news.cfm?news_id=d...32-1da6e5ab8a1d

Haha. I get the same thing here in Angleton, Aaron. I have a Santa Clara Vanguard decal on the back of my car and people always ask me what that is. By the way, about a year or so ago...I saw a vehicle (can't remember what kind) with a SCV bumper sticker in Lake Jackson. Maybe it was your parents car?? (There was a lady driving.) I literally flipped out!

Aaron, Saw Brazoswood at the Angleton/Bwood football game last week. They're sounding great! Looking forward to seeing the band at the BOA Regional next Saturday.

Brass Philosophy Since 2001 the Cavaliers have become known in the activity for their unique conceptual approach to brass pedagogy. This approach is primarily adopted from the work of Eddie Green, a renowned and extremely influential Texas band director and director emeritus at the University of Houston. David Bertman, University of Houston band director and brass caption head of the Cavaliers, was a student of Green's and still works closely with him to this day. The series of ideas and exercises that comprise Green's approach primarily revolve around establishing a characteristic tone quality on Concert F and then transferring the characteristic sound of that note to notes above and below it, both individually and across the ensemble. Matching throughout both the brass choir and the entire ensemble is probably the key concept, primarily in tone and articulation. The importance of individual listening and awareness in these "matching" exercises is always stressed, usually to the point where a mechanical tuner is never used during a summer at the Cavaliers. Ultimately, it must be stressed that this "characteristic tone quality" that the instructional staff seeks is the foundation of how the Cavaliers approach playing music. In addition to Rick Villarreal..... Joni Viertel, brass caption head for the Blue Knights, is a graduate of the University of Houston where she studied under Eddie Green, Tom Bennett & David Bertman.

Rick Villarreal is a great addition to the staff! Looking forward to hearing the other staff news in the near future. :)

The Bands of America name will stay. What happens to Bands of America and Orchestra America events? The names of Bands of America events, like the Bands of America Regional and Grand National Championships, will not change. Bands of America events are still Bands of America events, ditto Orchestra America events. Bands of America and Orchestra America programs and events continue as planned, as part of Music for All, Inc. (http://www.bands.org/public/resourceroom/mfafaq.asp)

I respect your opinion but we're going to have to disagree on this one. It's just that Ronald Reagan's 2005 show is very dear to me. After watching the band perform at the Bands of America San Antonio, TX Super Regional Championships last November, I looked up at the Alamodome roof, thanked god for what I just heard and literally had to fight back the tears. They gave me a moment that I will remember for the rest of my life. Everything from the ballad to the end was just....beautiful. The music (the backfield playing to the climax of the "Prime Minister's Love Theme" from Love Actually to the ending chord) and the emotion that was pouring out of the kids as they were performing.....sends chills up and down my spine like no other. It was just one of those shows for me. Sorry for the ramble....

While I see your concern regarding the Crossmen's move to Texas....I could have done without the "falling asleep" comment about the Ronald Reagan shows. Yes, Mark Chambers is the corps directors of the Crossmen but don't automatically assume that he will turn it into his high school marching band. The students and staff work their tails off on their productions. I hope they don't come on DCP and read stuff like this. Also, running a high school band program is much more than marching band. I can rest assure that the Crossmen will be in good hands! I've followed the Reagan band very closely here in the Texas marching band scene since the school's opening in 1999 and I have nothing but positive things to say about the organization. It's nothing but first class. The Crossmen will be a-okay.

Yes, Richard Saucedo is the head director at Carmel HS, IN. The 2005 Bands of America Grand National Champions.

Have you heard the wind version of Lux Aurumque? It literally tears me up every single time. My all-time favorite piece by Whitacre.

Water Night - Eric Whitacre

Gah! It's hard to keep the news in. It's killing me! But, I have to. Exciting stuff though. :)

Speaking of John Adams... I would LOVE to see the Vanguard take on 'The Chairman Dances'...that's a perfect piece for the corps. Kind of like 1999's 'The Canyon' and 2003's 'Orawa for Orchestra.'

Looks like it's another year of Percussion & Colorguard. Audio Options: 5.1 Digital Surround (1-12 placing corps), Design Staff, Color Guard, and on-field Percussion commentary (1-6 placing corps only) (http://store.dci.org/2006_World_Championships_Vol__P2678C82.cfm)

Mitch Rogers is an established drill designer in the marching arts. If you're familiar with the marching band activity, Mitch was the designer for Plymouth Canton Educational Park of Michigan from the 1990's-2003 and is currently the designer for Stephen F. Austin HS of Texas. Both bands have taken numerous 'Outstanding Visual Performance' & 'Outstanding Visual General Effect' captions at the Bands of America Regional & Grand National level. http://www.pcmb.net/SB/Year2001/Photo01b.htm http://www.austinbulldog.fotki.com/2004-20...imar/page3.html Also, Mitch was the Program Coordinator for the 2002 Santa Clara Vanguard before joining the Bluecoats.

SCV sounds fine on the CD. The recording is nothing like the cinecast. :)

Reminds me of Oregon Trail. One of my favorite games, ever.

Seems like there is more to the story...... http://www.capitalregiment.org/forums/inde...9.html#msg18819 This is an eye-opener, however. I have heard of things going on at CapReg this past summer but never knew it was this bad.

For me..... $8.39 Shipping $3.00 Handling = $11.39 Total S&H I was just about ready to buy the Division I CD's until I saw the S&H prices. :( Now, I'm just gonna go ahead and buy the DVD/CD bundle.

Ohh, I remember now.... It was Haltom HS from this past year. They had a vocalist during "Distorted".

Just for clarification.... Ronald Reagan has never used a vocalist in any of their marching shows. :) But I agree...their Cirque du Soleil shows in 2001 ("O" & "La Nouba") & 2002 ("Journey of Man") were incredible. Shameless plug.... I wrote up a little article on Reagan's 2001 show which can be found here. :)