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North Star to Return as an All Age Drum Corps


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North Star is proud to announce:

North Star Drum & Bugle Corps!

“All Age Drum Corps”

North Star will conduct an official Open House on Sunday, March 30, 2014, at 1:00pm, at the Malden Emergency Center - Jackson Suite.

Located at 114 Centre Street, Malden, MA.

North Star welcomes everyone interested in becoming a member or learning more regarding performing with this legendary corps.

To kick-off this momentous occasion, please join us at a social gathering and fundraising event. The social will be held at the same location on Friday, March 28, 2014 at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $25.00 each and are available at the door, or by sending a check, payable to North Star to:

Lynda O’Brien, 1002 Foxwood Circle, Peabody, MA 01960.

Come join us! Share your drum corps experiences and reacquaint with friends.

The corps intends to begin their performance schedule in 2015, which is the 40th anniversary of the North Star organization. To begin, the corps will have a limited practice schedule (one per month, with optional sectional practice time).

We are excited to announce that we have secured the services of most of the instructional team which helped create the North Star magic back in the day!

Dave Vose, will assume the position of Percussion Caption Head and Arranger. Dave was the architect of the famous “Chrome Wall” and arranged the charts associated with our DCI finalist shows. Dave is a Professor at the Berklee College of Music. Dave is also a member of the Massachusetts Drum Corps Hall of Fame.

Neal Smith, will resume the role of Visual Caption Head. In addition to writing and overseeing the entire North Star marching experience, Neal has designed for many DCI and DCA corps. He has been inducted into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame, Massachusetts Drum Corps Hall of Fame, Boston Crusaders Hall of Fame and Connecticut Hurricanes Hall of Fame. Currently he is the visual designer for several high-profile marching bands and continues to adjudicate visual design throughout the United States.

Jerry Noonan, returns as Brass Caption Head and Arranger and he will perform with the corps. Jerry, one of the most recognized soloists in DCI history, not only arranged and taught North Star, but also enjoyed a successful tenure in the same capacity with the Boston Crusaders. Jerry is a graduate of Berklee College of Music.

The Color Guard will be under the direction of Dolores Zappala, and assisted by Kathy Kerrins and Greg Horne. Dolores has had a long and successful career working with the WGI finalist Blessed Sacrament World-Class Winter Guard and Kathy has also taught WGI guard and has judged.

Jim and Lynda O’Brien, two of the Co-Founders and Directors of North Star, will assume their former positions in the new All-Age Corps. Jim and Lynda are alumni members of the Board of Directors of Drum Corps International (DCI) and have held similar positions in many local and national organizations.

The corps hopes to attract members who would like to continue the North Star tradition of excellence and performance excitement. We will attain these goals within an atmosphere of fun, camaraderie and pride. We openly welcome all members of other alumni organizations. We fully understand schedule conflicts may arise, so we will set our schedule to minimize them as much as possible.

While we are proud of the past accomplishments of the North Star Drum & Bugle Corps, our focus is to the future. We hope you will be part of this and we welcome all new members.

See you on Friday, March 28th and Sunday, March 30th, 2014!

email: northstaralumnicorps@gmail.com phone: 978-535-5740

Legendary staff - can't wait to see what happens.

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Is this going to be DCA competitive or an alumni-esque corps?

With a rehersal schedule of only once a month I am willing to bet they are looking at Alumni. It would be very hard to put out any sort of product that could compete at the DCA open class or Class A on such a limited rehersal schedule. Not on todays sheets with todays drill demand. 20 years ago...maybe.

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With a rehersal schedule of only once a month I am willing to bet they are looking at Alumni. It would be very hard to put out any sort of product that could compete at the DCA open class or Class A on such a limited rehersal schedule. Not on todays sheets with todays drill demand. 20 years ago...maybe.

It's their decision for what is best for their organization. It's the quality of hours spent, not the quantity.

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This is some of the best news to come out of drum corps in recent memory.

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When I "found" drum corps for the first time (later 70's), North Star was one of my favorite drum corps (imagine that, a lead trumpet player liking those hornlines... LOL).

LOVE to hear this news and will look forward to seeing them back on the field.

Wonderful news and WELCOME BACK !!

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

To answer some of the questions.

It is the intention of the management, board and staff to begin as an exhibition corps. BUT...It is also the intent to evolve as the membership desires. Jim O'Brien made that very clear. To say we are excited is an understatement and the support here is both humbling and exciting. Our first rehearsal will be Sunday May 4th. Jim made also made it clear, we will be good or we will not go out.

We have made a decision to use G horns. Many of the original arrangements are being used. (I personally still had my copies complete with coffee stains and cigar burns - LOL) . Door is totally open to perhaps some parades for those who like that sort of thing, perhaps resurrection of the "Chrome Wall" Concerts, we did back in the late 70's, Perhaps a minicorps will grace the stage of DCA in the not so distant future..... Stay tuned... There is always room for another Star...tip of our ausie hats to my fiends in Indiana. :)

Please know EVERYONE is welcome. We have tried our best to work around the other alumni corps in the area so those who wish to be part of this party also, can do so.

As a North Star from 78, 79, and 80..., this is a dream come true for me, and I can't wait to get to the first rehearsal!

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  • 11 months later...

Nice to hear. North star was one of my very favorite corps back in the day.

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Best of Luck what ever you choose always enjoyed the corps ",You Can Make me Smile "

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