Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps

Madison Scouts
Drum and Bugle Corps

Location	Madison, Wisconsin
Division	World Class
Founded	1938
Executive Director	Chris Komnick
Corps Director	Dann Petersen
Championship titles	VFW- 1980 DCI- 1975, 1988

The Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps (also known as "The Scouts", "Scouts", or "Madison") is a World Class (formerly Division I) competitive junior drum and bugle corps. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, the Madison Scouts was one of the thirteen founding member corps of Drum Corps International (DCI) and is a two-time DCI World Champion. The Madison Scouts is one of only two remaining all-male corps, with the other being The Cavaliers.

History

In 1938, a group of Madison businessmen saw a performance of the Racine Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps. They decided that Madison should also have a Boy Scout drum corps, and they formed the Madison Scouts, which they affiliated with the local Scout council. They named Clarence H. Bebee as the corps' first director, a position he would hold for thirty years, until his death in 1968. In its early days, the corps performed concerts and appeared in many local parades. During World War II the corps participated in War Bond rallies. The corps was split in 1951, with the older members becoming the Madison Explorer Scouts and the younger assigned to the Madison Junior Scouts, a cadet "feeder" corps for the older unit.

In 1954, the Explorer Scouts entered field competitions and, in their first "national" competition, finished second at the VFW Nationals in Philadelphia. They repeated as runners-up at Boston in 1955. In 1956, they attended the American Legion Nationals in Los Angeles and were second there, too. They then were finalists at VFW Nationals from '57 through '62 and also made American Legion Finals in '58 and '59. In the early 1960s the corps switched from Explorer Scout uniforms to West Point cadet style uniforms. While attending VFW Nationals from 1964 through '69, they failed to make a finals appearance. In 1969, Bill Howard became corps director, and the corps returned to wearing Explorer uniforms. The corps made immediate improvements and returned to VFW finals in 1970 and '71.

In 1971, at the urging of Cavaliers founder Don Warren and Troopers founder Jim Jones, the Blue Stars, Cavaliers, Madison Scouts, Santa Clara Vanguard, and the Troopers formed the Midwest Combine. This action was taken in reaction to the rigid, inflexible rules of the American Legion and VFW (the primary rule makers and sponsors of both corps and shows) and the low or nonexistent performance fees paid for appearing in the various competitions. The corps felt that not only were they having their creative potential as artistic performing groups stifled, but they were being financially starved. (A similar group of Eastern corps, the United Organization of Junior Corps (also known as the "Alliance"), was formed by the 27th Lancers, Garfield Cadets, Boston Crusaders, Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights, and Blue Rock.) The Combine members felt that the corps should be making their own rules, operating their own competitions and championships, and keeping the bulk of the monies those shows earned. For the 1971 season, the corps stuck together, offering show promoters the five corps as a package. Despite pressure on show sponsors, judges, and other drum corps, the Combine corps were not only booked into a number of shows together, but they found a host for a show of their own, which was a spectacular success despite fears of failure that lasted until a standing-room-only crowd arrived literally at the last moment.

The Madison Scouts, 2008

In 1972, the Madison Scouts, along with the nine other corps from the Midwest Combine and the Alliance, plus the Anaheim Kingsmen, Argonne Rebels, and De La Salle Oaklands were founding members of Drum Corps International, which remains as the sanctioning body for junior corps in North America. At the first DCI World Championships in Whitewater, Wisconsin, the Scouts finished in fourteenth place in a competition that featured thirty-nine corps from the East, the South, the West Coast, the Midwest and Great Plains, and Canada. In 1973, the Scouts rose all the way up to fourth place. The following year, they were DCI runners-up, and in Philadelphia in 1975, the Madison Scouts became the third corps to win the DCI World Championship. The Scouts would remain a DCI Top Twelve Finalist until 2002, and has missed Finals only three times through 2015. In the Seventies, the Scouts would also become Regulars in CYO Nationals, making Finals in 1973 through '79 and winning in 1974 and '75. In 1980, after sixteen previous appearances and ten prior Finals, the Madison Scouts won VFW Nationals in Chicago, probably the last year that VFW Nationals held any relevance. That year, they toured Canada; they finished sixth at the DCI Finals in Birmingham, Alabama, where there was only a 3.55 points difference between first and sixth; the corps started working toward the entire staff being composed of Scouts alumni, with Bill Howard stepping down and being replaced by Scott Stewart as corps director.

Through the Eighties, Madison stayed in DCI Finals but mostly never made it to the championship level. In 1988, after winning their first five Drum Corps Midwest (DCM) shows, as part of their fiftieth anniversary festivities, the Scouts left the country and the North American continent. The Madison Scouts went to Europe that June, where they presented clinics and performed in exhibition at contests that included all of the corps from Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Germany. The corps returned to find themselves trailing Phantom Regiment, Star of Indiana, and The Cavaliers at the DCM Championships in DeKalb, Illinois. At DCI Midwest in Whitewater, they were behind the Santa Clara Vanguard and Blue Devils. Improving as the season went on, by DCI South in Birmingham, Alabama, they trailed only Santa Clara. And, by DCI Semifinals in Kansas City, Missouri, the Madison Scouts were in command, with a performance that left the crowd screaming for more. They gave more in Finals and won their second DCI World Championship.

The Madison Scouts, 2005.

In 1990, the organization dropped the name Scouts from the corporate name and allowed the charter for Boy Scout Troop 600 to lapse, although the corps remained affiliated with Scouting for another two decades. The Scouts began the conversion to three valve horns in 1991. By 1992, Madison was marching more than a dozen members from outside the U.S., with members coming from Canada, Great Britain, Japan, and the Netherlands. In 1995, the Junior Scouts merged with the Capitolaires Drum and Bugle Corps, an all-girl corps from Madison. The resulting coed Capital Sound Drum and Bugle Corps would operate under the Madison banner, and the Capitolaires' bingo game would further solidify the Madison organization's finances. Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps would be brought into the Madison organization in 1997, relocating from Montgomery, Alabama to Lexington, Kentucky to be able to compete in DCM. Through the Nineties, the Scouts would continue to be a Finalist in DCI with a continuing series of crowd-pleasing programs.

The century turned with the Madison Scouts still in the DCI Top Twelve. In 2002, South Africa was added to the list of countries represented in the corps' membership, and Scott Stewart retired after a disappointing fourteenth-place finish at the 2002 DCI Finals, at home in Camp Randall Stadium. It was only the second time that the Scouts had missed Finals in DCI's thirty-one seasons. The corps would return to Finals in 2003-06, but, with seemingly constant staff turnover, would fall to fifteenth in 2007 and again in 2009. The Organization would also sever its ties to both Capitol Sound and Southwind. In 2010, Jim Mason, former director of Star of Indiana and its offshoots, was hired as program coordinator/artistic director, and the Madison Scouts would return to DCI Finals under his guidance in 2010 through 2014. In 2014 the use of any brass instrument was allowed on the field by DCI for the first time. This change was brought on by Madison's director petitioning the board of directors to allow the use. The Scout's 2014 show featured a trombone quartet to some controversy. 2015 brought back popular score arranger Scott Boerma, who had previously arranged Madison's music in the 80's-90's.

Sponsorship

The Madison Drum and Bugle Corps Association, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) musical organization that has a Board of Directors, corps director, and staff assigned to carry out the organization's mission. The Executive Director is Chris Komnick, and the Corps Director is Dann Petersen.

Show summary 1972-2016

Source:

Gold background indicates DCI Championship; pale blue background indicates DCI Class Finalist; pale green background indicates DCI semifinalist.

Year	Theme	Repertoire	Score	Placement
1972	American History	Civil War Music / Yankee Doodle by Richard Shuckburgh	77.45	14th
1973		Ballet in Brass by Vic Schoen / Bajour by Walter Marks (composer) and Ernest Kinoy / God Bless the Child by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog, Jr. / Brian's Song by Michel Legrand, Alan Bergman, and Marilyn Bergman / Battle Hymn of the Republic by William Steffe and Julia Ward Howe / Marching Through Georgia by Henry Clay Work / Camptown Races by Stephen Collins Foster / Just Before The Battle, Mother by George F. Root / Jesus Loves The Little Children by George F. Root and Clare Herbert Woolston / Dixie by Daniel Decatur Emmett	83.55	4th
1974		Ballet in Brass by Vic Schoen / Bond Street by Benjamin Frankel / God Bless the Child by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog, Jr. / Slaughter on 10th Avenue (from On Your Toes) by Richard Rodgers / Brian's Song by Michel Legrand, Alan Bergman, and Marilyn Bergman	88.85	2nd
1975		Slaughter on 10th Avenue (from On Your Toes) by Richard Rodgers / Mac Arthur Park by Jimmy Webb / Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin / Dueling Banjos by Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith / The Way We Were by Marvin Hamlisch, Alan Bergman, and Marilyn Bergman	92.50	1st
1976		Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa / Macarthur Park by Jimmy Webb / Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin / Dueling Banjos by Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith / The Way We Were by Marvin Hamlisch, Alan Bergman, and Marilyn Bergman	90.70	2nd
1977		New York, New York (from On the Town) & Selections from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein	87.30	5th
1978		Malaguena by Ernesto Lecuona / God Bless the Child by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog, Jr. / Main Theme, Ben's Theme, Princess Leia's Theme, The Last Battle & The Coronation From Star Wars by John Williams / How Deep is Your Love? by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb	89.55	4th
1979		The Sorcerer and the Latin by Vic Schoen / Bohemian Rhapsody by Freddie Mercury / Granada Smoothie by Mark Taylor / Pieces of Dreams by Michele Legrand	84.50	8th
1980		They're Playing Our Song by Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager / Malaguena by Ernesto Lecuona / New Country by Jean-Luc Ponty / Through the Eyes of Love by Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager	87.05	6th
1981		Numero Uno by Louie Bellson / Malaguena by Ernesto Lecuona / Down Wind by Pierre Moerlen / Through the Eyes of Love by Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager	92.60	3rd
1982		Slaughter on 10th Avenue (from On Your Toes) by Richard Rodgers / Strawberry Soup by Don Ellis / Down Wind by Pierre Moerlen / Through the Eyes of Love by Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager	90.75	5th
1983		Colas Breugnon Overture by Dmitry Kabalevsky / Strawberry Soup by Don Ellis / Calico (Unknown) / Memories (from Cats) by Andrew Lloyd Webber	86.45	5th
1984		Ballet in Brass by Vic Schoen / Waltz of the Mushroom Hunters by Greg Hopkins / Calico (Unknown) / Memories (from Cats) by Andrew Lloyd Webber	94.60	5th
1985		Four Score and Seven & Ballet In Brass by Vic Schoen / Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin	95.00	4th
1986		Alex's Rag by Whistlin' Alex Moore / Harlem Suite by Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington / Starlight Express by Andrew Lloyd Webber	91.3	7th
1987		Captain from Castile by Alfred Newman / An American In Paris by George Gershwin / Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa	90.40	6th
1988		Concerto For Guitar and Jazz Orchestra by Paul Hart / Malaguena by Ernesto Lecuona	97.10	1st
1989		Make His Praise Glorious by Bill and Robin Wolaver/ Slaughter on 10th Avenue (from On Your Toes) by Richard Rodgers	93.60	7th
1990	Undiscovered Madison	The Lemon Squeeze by Mark Kirk/ Remembrance by Paul Hart / I Can Cook Too (from On the Town) by Leonard Bernstein	88.70	9th
1991	City of Angels	Prologue and Theme, With Every Breath I Take, Alaura's Theme, Funny & I'm Nothing Without You From City of Angels by Cy Coleman	92.0	7th
1992	City of Angels	Prologue and Theme, L.A. Blues, You Gotta Look Out for Yourself, With Every Breath I Take & Funny From City of Angels by Cy Coleman	93.70	5th
1993	Reflection and Evolution	Numero Uno by Louie Bellson / Strawberry Soup by Don Ellis / Encore by Scott Boerma and Taras Nahirniak	91.90	6th
1994		Santos by Louie Bellson / Cuban Overture by George Gershwin / Malaga by Bill Holman	92.20	6th
1995	A Drum Corps Fan's Dream: A Day in the Life of a Bull Fighter	El Toro Caliente by Scott Boerma / Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo / La Danza Pasillo by Taras Nihirniak and Jeff Moore / Malaga by Bill Holman	95.40	4th
1996	A Drum Corps Fan's Dream: Part Dos	A Mis Abuelos by Arturo Sandoval / Bolero by Maurice Ravel / En Fuego (On Fire) by Michel Camilo / Malaguena by Ernesto Lecuona	92.50	6th
1997	The Pirates of Lake Mendota	The Adventure Begins by Scott Boerma / A day in port (Songs of the Quay) by Goff Richards / Moods of the Sea (based on Tall Ships Suite) by David Royalance / Confrontation and Finale by Taras Nihirniak	93.90	5th
1998	Power, Pizzaz, and All That Jazz!	Lupin by Yuji Ohno / Swingin' Peter . . . Sweet & Hall of the Mountain King (from Peer Gynt Suite #1) by Edvard Grieg / Remembrance by Paul Hart	91.90	6th
1999	Selections from Jesus Christ Superstar	I Don't Know How to Love Him (on-field warm up) / Heaven on Their Minds, Everything's All Right, King Herod's Song, Trial and Crucifixion, John 19:41& Superstar All from Jesus Christ Superstar' by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice	93.40	6th
2000	The Cossack Brotherhood	The Gadfly – Finale by Dmitri Shostakovich / Meadowland (Traditional) / Ballet Suite No 1 – Galop by Dmitri Shostakovich / Gopak (from Gayne Ballet) & Masquerade – Romance by Aram Khachaturian / Taras Bulba – Overture by Franz Waxman	85.50	10th
2001	Hot Jazz - Madison Style	The Fire and the Flame; Oh, Those Martian Blues; Symphonie Pour L'Orchestre Americain & Ballet In Brass All by Vic Schoen	86.55	11th
2002	Conquest	Captain from Castile by Alfred Newman / Asturias by Isaac Albéniz / Conquistador by Jay Chattaway / Conquistadores by Jim Centorino / Save El Dorado (Unknown)	84.85	14th
2003	GOLD, GREEN AND RED: The Music of Benoit Jutras	Jardin Chinois, Distorted (from La Nouba), Atmadja, Urban, Reve Rouge & Incantation (from Quidam) All by Benoit Jutras	89.55	8th
2004	MadiSonic	Sound Piece for Jazz Orchestra by Oliver Nelson / Malaga by Bill Holman	91.175	8th
2005	The Carmen Project	Carmen by Georges Bizet	92.625	6th
2006	Primal Forces	Feast Day In Seville by Isaac Albéniz / Harp Concerto by Alberto Ginastera / Gabriel's Oboe (from The Mission) by Ennio Morricone / Malambo (Finale from Estancia) by Alberto Ginastera	87.70	9th
2007	Unbound	Uninvited by Alanis Morissette / Kashmir by Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Bonham / Pie Jesu (from Requiem Mass) by Gabriel Fauré / Libertango by Astor Piazolla	81.85	15th
2008	La Noche de la Iguana - Inteligencia, Pasión, Progreso	La Noche de los Mayas by Silvestre Revueltas / Danza de los Duendes by Nancy Galbraith / Estancia Ballet & Harp Concerto by Alberto Ginastera / Danzon No. 2 by Arturo Marquez / Concierto Candela for Solo Percussion and Orchestra by Gabriela Ortiz	85.225	12th
2009	Relámpago	The Forces of Nature by Vince Oliver / Malaga by Bill Holman / Two Left-Footed Mambo – Baron Cimetiere's Mambo by Donald Grantham / Love Is in the Air by Vince Oliver / A Turn to the Dark Side – Candela by Gabriela Ortiz / Relámpago's Triumphant Return – Margariteña by Inocente Carreño	82.40	15th
2010		Slaughter on 10th Avenue (from On Your Toes) by Richard Rodgers / Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin	88.95	10th
2011	New York Morning	New York, New York (from On the Town) by Leonard Bernstein / Oh What a Beautiful Morning from Oklahoma! by Rodgers & Hammerstein / Beautiful Mourning & Requiem by Robert W. Smith / Empire State of Mind by Alicia Keys	87.55	10th
2012	Reframed	Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky / Malaga by Bill Holman / The Way We Were by Marvin Hamlisch, Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman / Through The Eyes Of Love (Theme from Ice Castles) by Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager / Malaguena by Ernesto Lecuona	88.00	9th
2013	Corps of Brothers - 75 Years of Survival	Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 by Brian Tyler / Corps of Brothers Fanfare by Robert W. Smith / Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky / The Battle Rages by Lee Beddis, Nick Pourcho, and Robert W. Smith / Afghanistan 2025 by Jack Wall / You'll Never Walk Alone by Rodgers & Hammerstein	90.10	9th
2014	Time Trip - The Music of Stan Kenton and Don Ellis	Fanfare for the New by Hugo Montenegro / Passacaglia and Fugue by Allyn Ferguson / Concerto to End All Concertos by Stan Kenton / Bulgarian Bulge, Open Wide, Niner Two & Final Analysis by Don Ellis	87.575	11th
2015	78th & Madison	Fanfare and opener featuring NYC (from Annie) by Charles Strouse / Gotta Dance (aka Broadway Rhythm) & Good Morning (both from Singin' in the Rain) by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed / I Got Rhythm by George & Ira Gershwin / Moses Supposes (from Singin' in the Rain) by Roger Edens, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green / The Boy Next Door (from Meet Me in St. Louis) by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane / Traffic Jammin’ (from New York Cityscape for Wind Ensemble) by Jeff Tyzik / Get Happy by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler / Happy Days Are Here Again by Milton Ager and Jack Yellen	88.750	8th
2016	Judas	Overture, Heaven on their Minds, Everything's Alright, Gethsemane, Trial before Pilate, I Don't Know How to Love Him, and Superstar All from Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice / Judas by Stefani Germanotta (Lady Gaga) and Nadir Al-Khayat (RedOne)	85.263	13th

Traditions

Corps Logo

Having originated as a unit within the Boy Scouts, the Madison Scouts have historically utilized some form of the fleur-de-lis in their logo. Over the past several decades, several customized fleurs have been created and used to represent the corps. In 2009, the corps developed and officially adopted and trademarked a unique fleur and badge logo that is currently in use as the corps' official logo. A mirrored version of the fleur now appears on the corps' uniform over the left breast. The corps official colors are dark green and white.

Corps Song

The Scouts first performed You'll Never Walk Alone as a part of their first field show in 1954. Challenged by the Cavaliers singing Somewhere, Over The Rainbow in 1957, the corps responded with You'll Never Walk Alone, and it has been the official corps song ever since.

Female Performers in the Madison Scouts

In both the 1971 production of "The Wizard of Oz" and the 2005 production of "Carmen", the Scouts used a female performer in the show. At VFW Nationals in 1980 3 females joined the corps as guest in the "American party", which displayed the Wisconsin, American, and VFW flags. All females were considered "guest performers" of the all-male corps.

Madison Flag

Corps members Rich and Dennis Stone, assisted by color guard instructor John Fries, designed a flag for the corps' color guard to carry as a flag for the City of Madison, which did not have a city flag. On April 12, 1962, the Madison City Council adopted a resolution adopting the corps' flag as the official flag of the city of Madison. In 2007, to honor the Madison Scouts' seventieth anniversary and the forty-fifth anniversary of its adoption as the city flag, the City of Madison presented a flag to the corps, which the Scouts continue to carry on tour.

Scouting and the Madison Scouts

Throughout most of its history, the corps was an Explorer Troop (Post 600) of the Four Lakes Council. The corps was eventually reassigned as Venturing Crew 600 of the Glacier's Edge Council. In 2011, the corps was reassigned as an Explorer Post.

External links

• Madison Drum and Bugle Corps website
• Drum Corps International website