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Staff merri-go-round


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Colin McNutt has a pretty good history of his students following him. Being that Boston isn't that far away and he is a disciple of Thom Hannum/UMASS, I'd be willing to bet that there were probably a handful of UMASS students in the section already. It makes sense that they would also go to BAC and follow him there. I know Thom runs the show and Colin assists him there but listen to the UMASS line and listen to a McNutt Cadets line. They sound identical.

I believe there were four members of the Cadets battery from UMass. I don't believe any were age-outs, but not sure.

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UMass affiliations with Cadets actually go back to at least 1981, even more so when Thom Hannum, former roommate of George Hopkins as students at West Chester U and snare-line mates in the Crossmen, joined Cadets staff with Thom's then wife, Linda Paul (brass staff.) Jason DeGroff (band director now at University of New Haven, Cadets alum, long time Cadets viz tech and this year as a Viz tech for Boston during ST in VT) was one of two dozen UMASS band members who made the trek to Garfield, NJ, many who also had marched recently folded CYO/EMass corps from the Bay State and a surprising number who went on to re-vitalize many h.s. band programs in the Northeast. Michael Klesch, Cadet alum first as bass drummer, then as DM, then as music arranger, cemented the UMass affiliations in his graduate work and arranging. His studio is down the block in Hadley suburbs.

Umass -Lowell sent quite a few marchers to Crossmen too, when Crossmen were from Pa.... as Danny Lutz, North Star( Ma.) marcher Alum, was the Umass- Lowell Band Director at the time, and was on the brass staff of the Crossmen. These relationships smong MB programs and certain Corps is to be expected, as there is a comfort level there between these MM's and these fine instructors that makes them eager to learn DCI summer competition from them should they decide to try and march DCI.

Edited by BRASSO
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These moves to Boston are interesting. But are kids flocking to Boston? I am just asking. Are they doing another old school show like this one from 2016? Will the talented kids follow to the northeast? I am curious what folks think.

In 1997 Crossmen when Thurston left and Hannum/Mcnutt came in it was a complete battery of rookies other than 2 guys. A very large percentage of them came from Umass Amherst. If history is any indicator there will likely be some different kids in that line next year.

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Lee Beddis' vibe is good for the whole corps.

Really? Not a big fan of his writing, but he definitely is a well-known commodity in the activity. So who knows?

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He was fun and didn't take life too, too seriously on tour. Was nice having him around, particularly on regional days - even as a non-drummer.

Fair enough. He's definitely a top-6 type of writer, though I don't believe he's ever had a line win the Sanford. I could be mistaken.

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Fair enough. He's definitely a top-6 type of writer, though I don't believe he's ever had a line win the Sanford. I could be mistaken.

These are the last 17 winners...

Blue Devils: 2007, 2009, 2012, 2015

Cadets: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2013

Cavaliers: 1999, 2000, 2011

Phantom: 2006, 2008, 2010

Vanguard: 2004, 2014, 2016

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He was fun and didn't take life too, too seriously on tour. Was nice having him around, particularly on regional days - even as a non-drummer.

The one thing I really learned from Lee and the staff was knowing when to flip the switch. When it was time to work and when it was time to play. They would push us hard with the drums on but be the greatest guys with the drums off.

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These are the last 17 winners...

Blue Devils: 2007, 2009, 2012, 2015

Cadets: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2013

Cavaliers: 1999, 2000, 2011

Phantom: 2006, 2008, 2010

Vanguard: 2004, 2014, 2016

Broken down by primary staff person (for as many of these as I recall or find the staff alignments at the time):

Scott Johnson: 2007, 2009, 2012, 2015

Tom Aungst: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005

Colin McNutt: 2013

Bret Kuhn (writing)/? (teaching): '99

Bret Kuhn (writing)/Mike McIntosh (teaching): 2000

Paul Rennick: 2006, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2016

Jim Casella: 2004

Mike McIntosh (writing)/Brian Tinkel (teaching): 2011

Feel free to correct me on these if I'm at all mistaken; those are the answers as best I could research them (I'm certain I'm right on ScoJo, Rennick, McNutt, and Casella).

Edited by ftwdrummer
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Broken down by primary staff person (for as many of these as I recall or find the staff alignments at the time):

Scott Johnson: 2007, 2009, 2012, 2015

Tom Aungst: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005

Colin McNutt: 2013

Not sure who was percussion head at Cavies in '99

Mike McIntosh: 2000

Paul Rennick: 2006, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2016

Jim Casella: 2004

Mike McIntosh (writing)/Brian Tinkel (teaching): 2011

Feel free to correct me on these if I'm at all mistaken; those are the answers as best I could research them (I'm certain I'm right on ScoJo, Rennick, McNutt, and Casella).

Bret Kuhn was the arranger for Cavs in 1999 & 2000

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