CANASTOTA WEEKEND

Regretfully, the Syracuse Brigadiers Alumni Drum & Bugle Corps has withdrawn from participation in the Brigadiers’ Canastota Show on Saturday, June 13th and the Canastota Boxing Hall of Fame Parade on Sunday, June 14^th

The Brigadiers will be playing their show opener during the parade, so the Alumni will not be combining with their corps.  We do not want to detract from them, nor distract them, since they are in full preparation mode for the 2009 competition season.

(We were also forced to withdraw from the Oz Fest Parade in Chittenango on June 6^th)

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ANNUAL CANASTOTA PICNIC

As you know, for the past few years, the Brigadiers Alumni have hosted a picnic for our Brigadier family.  Although the Alumni will not be participating in the parade, we will still have the picnic following the parade and you can show the Alumni support to the Brigadiers during the parade.  Those Alumni members that marched in the Honor Guard in several shows for the Brigadiers in 2008 will represent the Alumni in the parade with the Brigadiers.

Hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and salad will be served.   Please bring your beverage of choice and a dish to pass.  Kindly RSVP to Deb O’neill at 315-622-1201 so that adequate food may be purchased.

Elaine Kwietniak will have some terrific photos of the Brigadiers Alumni and the Brigadiers for your viewing pleasure. 

Because the streets will be shut down to vehicular traffic, you should plan to arrive between 11:30am and 12:00pm at school parking lot.

BRIGADIERS’ CANASTOTA SHOW

Don’t forget to attend the Brigadiers’ show on Saturday night, June 13^th at the Canastota High School.  This is a fundraising event for the Brigadiers and it is another excellent way for the Alumni to show its support for the Brigadiers.

As a reminder, Tom Meek of the Brigadiers is coordinating all of the Brigadiers’ shows for 2009; Canastota, Jamestown, Waterloo, and North Syracuse.  He is asking whether there are any Brigadiers Alumni that would like to help out with their shows.  Although each venue has local people performing various functions, he would really like to have members of the Brigadiers family helping to monitor the tasks.  If anyone would like to volunteer to act as ushers, or help with the program book, ticket sales, etc., please call me or contact Tom Meek at 585-225-4740.

Out and About

A great way to spend a night would be to go see some of our Alumni performing in some great bands.

See Brian Burke (trumpet), Rick Parente (drums) and Jerry Burns (trombone) with;

Brass Inc:

Fri July 3^rd-Crazy Clam, Sylvan Beach                          10pm - 2am

Sat July 18^th-Valley Field Days, Syracuse                    6:30pm- 10:30pm

Fri July 31^st-Crazy Clam, Sylvan Beach                        10pm - 2am

See Mike Dimeo (trumpet), Marty Hollister (trombone) with;

Classified:

Fri June 12^th-Holly Rock, Utica                                    7:30pm - 12am

Sat June13th-Holly Rock, Sylvan Beach                      7:30pm - 12am

Fri July 10^th-Crazy Clam, Sylvan Beach                        10pm - 1:30am

Fri July 17^th-Holly Rock, Utica                                     7:30pm - 12am

See Bob Lyons (trumpet) with;

Afterfx:

Fri June 26^th-Inner Harbor Block Party, Syracuse        5:30pm - 7:30pm

Tue July 7^th-Paper Mill Island, Baldwinsville              6:30pm - 8:30pm

Yours in drum corps and see y’all at the picnic,

Bob Marsman

NEXT REHEARSAL:  SUNDAY, June 7, 2009

1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Cicero American Legion

If you can’t make the rehearsal, please call Bob Marsman (315) 863-5523 

NOW IS THE TIME TO HONOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE CORPS.

A Message from your Corps Director

                 NOTICE:  Chittenango Oz Parade

Regretfully, the Syracuse Brigadiers Alumni Drum & Bugle Corps has withdrawn from participation in the Chittenango Oz parade on Sat. June 6^th

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Why?

Jim Manning and I recently contacted, or attempted to contact, all of our corps members to determine whether they would be participating in the Memorial Day Parades.  Hopefully, we did not miss anyone.

The result was not very positive.  Some cannot march parades anymore because of physical problems, a few could not for other reasons, and a few did not reply.  Since we would have, at the most, 12 horns and just a few drums, the Drum Corps Committee made a decision to withdraw from these two parades.  We cannot go onto the street and embarrass ourselves and we surely cannot accept a substantial parade fee for a subpar or poorly attended performance.

Your Business Manager, Reggie Smith, contacted both parade officials and they understood.  Because of Reggie’s diplomatic handling of the matter, the door is open for us to return next year.

Please do not view our withdrawal as a gigantic negative.  The DCA has had to adjust their shows as many of the competing corps have faced obstacles this year.  A few weeks ago, the competing Brigadiers needed to have a similar discussion with their corps.

This will give us time to regroup and, best of all, it gives everyone the whole Memorial Day weekend to spend time with their families and friends.

Going Forward

We still have plenty of performances ahead.  However, the corps can only participate if each and every one of us does his/her part to make us the very best corps that we can be.  We will not tarnish the Brigadier name, so have the pride, the passion, and respect for the Brigadier name and for each other and let us all put the effort in to make the 2009 season an enormous success.

Our next immediate scheduled performances are the Chittenango Oz Fest Parade (Saturday June 6:  we are the defending Best Musical Group award winner), the Canastota standstill for the Brigadiers’ show (Saturday June 13) and the Boxing Hall of Fame Parade (Sunday June 14).  With this in mind,………..

Rehearsal and Performance Schedule

Included with this newsletter is the tentative Rehearsal and Performance Schedule for the remainder of the season.  The schedule for the 2009 season was distributed at the beginning of February, so these dates should have already been reserved for drum corps activities.  I want to remind everyone that as a result of our drum corps meeting in the Fall of 2008, the members present made a decision to go forward with corps members that were committed to attending all rehearsals and performances, practicing at home, and learning their parts; even if it meant that we might be smaller.  Of course, there are good reasons to miss occasionally and that is understandable.  Nonetheless, if a member misses for any reason, it still has an immense impact on the corps.  This is especially true for a small corps.

NOW IS THE TIME TO HONOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE CORPS

Please place your name on the schedule and check the performances that you WILL be at.  These must be returned to me at:  406 North Geddes St., #2, Syracuse, New York 13204 no later than Wednesday, May 27^th.  If you have any problems, kindly call me at 863-5523 or 478-8408.

Added Rehearsal

In anticipation of our scheduled standstill performance in the Brigadiers’ Canastota show, we must have a rehearsal on May 31^st at 1pm.  This rehearsal is tentatively scheduled to be at Walberta.  We intend to distribute uniforms at this rehearsal and having an indoor facility makes it easier for everyone.  Make sure that you are at this rehearsal to get your uniform or make other arrangements with me.

You must have the National Anthem and O’Canada memorized.  Additionally, practice and learn Get It On, Black Saddle, Grand Old Flag and Shenandoah.

This and That

A great way to spend part of your Memorial Day Weekend would be to go to the Crazy Clam in Sylvan Beach to take in BrassInc with Brian Burke.  If you’ve never seen nor heard the band before, you are in for a treat. Friday night, Mike Dimeo and Classified will be appearing.  They’re great and it’s a chance to support another Brigadier guy. 

This Just In

Tom Meek of the Brigadiers is coordinating all of the Brigadiers’ shows for 2009; Canastota, Jamestown, Waterloo, and North Syracuse.  He is asking whether there are any Brigadiers Alumni that would like to help out with their shows.  Although each venue has local people performing various functions, he would really like to have members of the Brigadiers family helping to monitor the tasks.  If anyone would like to volunteer to act as ushers, or help with the program book, ticket sales, etc., please call me or contact Tom Meek at 585-225-4740.

This is an excellent way to show Alumni support for the Brigadiers.

Everyone have an enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend and I look forward to seeing you all at rehearsal on May 31^st with a renewed sense of purpose.

Yours in drum corps,

Bob Marsman