(OSKALOOSA, Iowa) – It’s time to mark your calendars! William Penn University’s Athletic Bands program has announced that a competitive marching and music event will return to Oskaloosa at a much higher level than ever before.
“Drum Corps Mid-America” is a competition between some of the best Open Class Drum & Bugle Corps from across the U.S. This unique experience will be held in the stadium at the Lacey Recreation Complex in Oskaloosa on Saturday, July 29. There are over 135 DCI events each year in cities and towns across the country, touching more than 40 states. Over 400,000 fans are reported to attend these competitions each summer.
The competition will start at 7:00 p.m. at the Lacey Complex. Tickets to the Drum Corps Mid-America competition will be $12 in advance or $15 at the gate on July 29. Tickets for children 10 and under are $10 each and premium row seating tickets are $25 each. This event is geared towards an audience of all ages. Tickets will go on sale Wednesday, May 10 and will be available for purchase at Oskaloosa Hy-Vee, Mahaska Drug and the William Penn University Bookstore. Tickets will also be able to be purchased online at www.wmpenn.edu
These Drum & Bugle Corps are similar to high school marching band programs in respect that they play and march, consist of a horn line (all brass), color guard, drum line and front line pit, but they also reach a much higher level of precision and performance. These top-notch performances serve as an inspiration to many high school programs across the nation. Confirmed performing corps include: Blue Devils B of Concord, CA; Colt Cadets of Dubuque, IA; Gold of San Diego, CA; Guardians of Houston, TX; Les Stentors of Sherbrooke, QC; Southwind of Mobile, AL; and Vanguard Cadets of Santa Clara, CA.
Drum Corps are non-profit organizations, considered the “Major League of Marching and Music”, and involve young people, ages 13–22 competing at over 100 events each summer throughout North America. Each year, more than 8,000 students audition for the fewer than 3,500 positions available in the top-tier Drum Corps International member corps.
Each full-size drum corps consists of 150 members and 50–60 staff and crew whom essentially live on the road during the months of June, July and August as they move toward the World Championships in Indiana.
Five years ago, the Oskaloosa High School Band Boosters co-hosted with the Dubuque Colts Drum Corps a similar event prior to the completion of the new stadium. Last year, William Penn University Athletic Bands held the event at the Lacey Stadium for the first time as the Vanguard Cadets claimed a first-place victory.
WPU has been bringing various drum corps to Oskaloosa during the last seven years for mid-season rehearsal camps, and each year they have performed an exhibition for the Oskaloosa community. For more information, contact the Office of Advancement at 641-673-1044.
Story provided by Hailey Brown
