dcifan2002

WIFI !!!

WOW. Let me move Madison DOWN on my prediction list.

WOW ! ring envy? where is yours ?

Cavies 06 was very innovative and new. The BLUE STARS since they have been back to World class. although a very good entertaining corps have been safe in terms of programming. not trying to flame. Don't ask the questions and I will not give answers.

just watched the video. totally 1995 cadets. how do you get Cavies 06 anywhere in there ? MEH..

Who's left ? BD Glassmen Blue Knights

Meh. kind of seen this before. Cadets 1995. not very innovative.

and the mentioned corps have a wide range of talent ??? cavies 80 crown 80 phantom 80 cadets 80 bd 72 scv-72 crossmen 72 madison 76 coats 72 72 is huge. period. yes 8 more players (usually on low end of brass line ) make a big difference. but GO COLTS. most lower tier DIV. 1 corps have 64 or less and colts usually put out a big sound.

he 2009 Holy Name Cadets’ 75th Anniversary season kicked off yesterday with an open house for alumni, volunteers, friends, supporters, guests from other corps, and curious activity followers. It was, to say the least, quite a day. The location was Woodstown High School in Woodstown, NJ, a beautiful, quaint little southern New Jersey town whose hospitality the corps has been enjoying for their weekend camps throughout this winter. The turnout of guests for this event was quite impressive. I didn’t take a head count, but it was certainly well in excess of a hundred. Many had traveled from distant locations as far away as New England and the DelMarVa area well South of New Jersey. What I noticed even more than the number of guests present, was the exceptionally warm hospitality of the Cadets’ staff to everyone in attendance. More and more I’m finding at these events that a genuine tone of inclusiveness and warmth exists, and I love it! I’m starting to sound like a broken record I know, but once again I offer my accolades to Caryn Goebel for turning what could have been a “token gesture” event into something memorable. Caryn has an eye for detail and a sense of personal style and taste and imagination that serves the Cadet organization very, very well. I arrived a little early, and so was able to be a “fly on the wall” watching as the utilitarian school cafeteria was rapidly turned into a festive site for the reception. Staff and many volunteers scurried around preparing food, decorating, setting up tables, and organizing everything that needed to be organized; and it was done to perfection. So once again, broken record or not, On behalf of all members of The Cadet Family, I offer our thanks to Caryn for all she brings to the Cadets with her energy, enthusiasm, and competence. That competence, and energy, and enthusiasm, extends to so many people working with and for the Cadets: administrative staff, volunteers, instructional staff, Cadet Officers, and of course, setting the tone for it all, our corps director, George Hopkins. When I arrived at the open house site there were people working on the equipment van outside the school, in a light rain, restructuring the storage compartments to accommodate additional equipment. Dee Dee Imbro-Queen, our dedicated uniform seamstress, assisted by Caren Frech, both former Cadets I should mention, could be seen in another room working on the uniforms. Rudy Heimbecker, another former Cadet and now the corps manager, could be seen scurrying around all over the place, ten steps ahead of everyone as he organized cleanup of the school and transportation to the airport for Cadets scheduled to depart immediately following the open house. There is no way I can mention all the names of all these dedicated people, but I would like them to know that their monumental efforts are very definitely noticed, hugely appreciated, and exceptionally successful. Thank you from all of us! The stars of the day, of course, were our 2009 marching Cadets. We gathered in the school’s tiny gymnasium to see and hear what many of us had traveled so far to witness. We weren’t disappointed! George took the microphone to provide background and information on the program direction the corps was taking this season, and other related information. He then introduced each caption head in turn, and they explained the new instrumentation they were introducing into the show (much more limited than many present anticipated), the number of horns they planned on fielding, the special challenges presented by a schedule of only five winter weekend rehearsals as opposed to the customary eight (a decision made to ease the financial burden on the kids for travel). Also present was Al Chez, a former Cadet and now a renowned professional musician, who was there to assist the musical staff with demonstrating and helping to implement in the horn line the techniques for which he is so celebrated. Those present also got to hear Al play along with the Cadets on their encore-repertoire rendition of “Elks Parade” from the late 1970s Cadet era; and if you have never heard him play in person, all I can saw is WOW. I always knew he was good, but I never realized how inadequate it is to merely think of him as simply “good.” The man is great, amazing, mind-blowing…you pick the descriptive adjectives, because they all apply. Thanks Al for showing everyone present, particularly the 2009 Cadets, what the words “ talented” and “professional” really mean. The Cadets played the additional encore musical selections they will be using throughout this important anniversary season, and then they played some of the selections from Westside Story they will be using in their field program. All those horns, plus the percussion section and pit filling that small gym made it nearly impossible to get a real feel for what we will be hearing this summer, but they are good for sure, and we got enough of a taste to know that we are going to be seeing and hearing something very special from the 75th Anniversary Holy Name Cadets this summer. First-year Drum Major Ben Pouncey fronted the corps, and did an impressive job. As George mentioned he was probably feeling the pressure of first exposure to a critical audience of Cadet Alumni, but he came through with flying colors. The drum line had some visuals that totally blew my mind, but as a non-drummer, I wasn’t in a position to critique performance. They sure looked self-assured though, and I love their playing technique. For some reason the bass drums did emerge somewhat distinctly from the wall of sound, and I think this might prove to be the best year ever for the “holy bass.” I didn’t bother to count the horns, since Gino gave us a numbers breakdown, section by section, prior to the performance portion of the program, but to these old eyes it looked like a heck of a lot of horns. Gino announced that they were still looking for two more extremely talented tubas. I read on the YEA website that they still had a limited number of open slots in other sections as well, but I don’t know if those positions are still open. Anyone interested should contact the Cadets at www.yea.org for additional information. I was told that auditions were being conducted over the course of the weekend, but I have no idea what resulted. The program for 2009 will be our much-loved Westside Story, but I noticed twists and turns in the arrangements that indicated to me at least that it will be a very fresh and very new version of the classic that has served the Cadets so well over the years. I’m probably not entirely objective though. I saw the original Broadway production, and fell in love with it. I saw the revival on Broadway, and loved it even more. I have watched the film version more times than I can count, and never tire of it. I listen to my CD of the Cadets’ 1984 production, which I still consider the standard against which all drum corps productions should be judged. In short, it is my favorite Broadway Musical of all time, and I’ve seen mostly all of them. So get ready 2009 Cadets. I think you are about to experience a life-changing summer unlike anything you have ever imagined. And to my fellow alumni, I saw Holy Name jackets, Garfield Cadet jackets, Cadets of Bergen County jackets, and jackets of the modern-era Cadets sprinkled throughout the bleachers. Our alumni family is beginning to gather, and the excitement is starting to build, as we move towards the many celebrations of our history and heritage scheduled for our 75th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee Celebrations. We invite any and all, regardless of past or present corps affiliation, to join with us as we give thanks for the blessings we have received by having had the privilege to be a part of those 75 years, and the friendships and camaraderie that we now enjoy with many of those with whom we were honored to share the field of competition over the past 75 years. In one way or another you all were a part of Holy Name’s history; the history we are now about to celebrate.

Nice to see the CROSSMEN on this list...... for a corps that has been out of finals for a bit its nice people remember how great this corps was /will be. :blink: :blink:

are you serious ? NO CROSSMEN on list ???/ best Crossmen and Madison worst Cadets -fake

Forget how many vets and such. CROSSMEN are having a great winter. :smile:

Breakout season.

exactly.

current head gear is ok . up close . BUT.... On the field the lack of a PLUME or any Hight leaves the corps looking small.

How many pro's play Jupiter horns ? Any ?

Not true.

THIS. :smile: The attitude. You don't get it. Thanks to people like you my $$$ will go to other corps this summer . nice job , keep up the good work.

bitter ? yes .

THIS is the BLUE STARS we are talking about right ?

you don't get it. maybe your not good enough to get the talent you are looking for ? Deal with what you got. r have fun with 3 tenors all summer and hope you don't loose one. starting to dislike the BLUe STARS. good job.

Its not about making finals. Its about taking the people who travelled to your auditions and making them members of the corps. not just the best players . People who have the desire to march in the corps. MIRROR ANYONE.

with the auditions just completed. this is strange. did they cut to much ? low talent in percussion ?

looks DARK.

VERY COOL. :w00t: