Legendary Drum Majors

A place for student leaders, drum majors, section leaders, student council members, etc.

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Post by MOB_DM » Sat Jan 07, 2006 2:02 am

no there is nothing out.....but soon it will be out

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Legendary Drum Majors

Post by RS72 » Sun Jan 15, 2006 10:49 pm

Amazing. A web page dedicated to “Legendary Drum Majors” of Southern and Central California.
Looking at the entrees, I would guess that I’m among the oldest respondent yet. I know or knew most of the people mentioned from the 60’s and 70’s. Great competitors. And great teachers. But let me pass on something the late Ron Hoar (past president SCSBOA, PCC/Tournament of Roses Band Director) told me. “Although it was important at the time, there are many things in life that are much more important than who won or lost Long Beach in such and such a year.” So keep this “legendary” thing in perspective. Believe me, there is life after Drum Majoring, and it is good.
However, since we are talking about Drum Majoring, let me put in my two cents worth. How well a drum major handles the baton or how many trophies he or she has won is only part of the picture. Baton work is what everyone here seems focused on. Only one or two of you have discussed leadership – which is the first responsibility of the drum major. Most successful band directors I knew wanted strong leaders first, good baton handlers second. Also, a truly great drum major needs to give back to the field by teaching younger students at reasonable rates and helping kids out at camps/clinics with enthusiasm. Baton work, leadership, and teaching all need to be considered.

Using these criteria, I would add a few names from the 60’s to your list.

John Holtrust. Yep, old prince charming himself. Most anyone who went to camp in the 60’s or 70’s knew John. He was a great leader at Loara under the irrepressible Rick Marino (one of my favorite band directors/teachers of all time). John was a great teacher at summer camp.

Betty Kidd. The first female drum major of that red and gold band where they opened some sign that said Arcadia. Another great leader.

Larry Moore. Who? I doubt that most of those people who were drum majors at that Arcadia school even know who Larry was, let alone the debt they owe him. He wasn’t first place with the baton, but he was a terrific leader. In 1965, he and the band president sparked the fire that ignited the Arcadia Band. Up until Moore, Arcadia was always a 2nd or 3rd place band. Without Larry, they might have remained that. He created the momentum that all those other drum majors (and all those successful bands) followed. Not to take anything away from them there, they have a great dm tradition. But Larry was the first and all of them since have been following his lead. Hats off to you Larry. You are THE legendary Arcadia Drum Major in my book.

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Post by thaiguy20fromla » Wed Jan 18, 2006 7:49 pm

i'm not putting myself up as anything substantial, but i still visit the middle school i was drum major at last year, and help them with marching and music. from what i hear, the drum major this year doesn't really care about the band.

during my time as drum major, i have commanded the respect of many, and made friend from foe, gaining even my (then) worst enemies' respect.

on a lighter note, i might try some L pattern next year.
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Post by Tobias087 » Wed Aug 16, 2006 11:37 pm

a few years back there was an awesome drum major at north hollywood high named John Long. the field show that year was Birdland, House of the Rising Sun, A la Lune, and Dindi

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Post by JazzGeek » Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:38 am

I seem to remember a drum major from Castle Park H.S. [Chula Vista] circa early 70's named Lawrence Domasig. What was impressive about him was the first time I saw him, he was a military mace guy and then the following year switched to scottish mace [band had new look]---amazed me how quickly he adapted to the different style. Both styles of mace are difficult to master and this guy managed to do both. SCSBOA Judge Randy Arnayro [and Montgomery H.S. alum] is another drum major I remember with the ability to do both [his specialty was military---his power throws [straight up!] were pretty impressive in Chula Vista's Band Pageant of the late 70's]....

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Post by JCYS » Tue Sep 26, 2006 8:11 pm

Wow...what a post!!!! Wish I would have read it a year ago!!

Even managed to get Fred D to post!!! (Vore's ORIGINAL student teacher!)

Yeah, from my old days I would have said Fred and Conrad Lucero were a couple of the top military guys...but Fred was right on...Arcadia was a factory of great drum majors, including Dick Shunk (who's last name, or so we joked in HS, sounded like an arrow hittting a target...kind of appropriate). I have videos of Arcadia from like 81-86 (long after his time) and I SWEAR the drum major uses the same exact routine year after year...and it is flawless...year after year.

I have never seen a Nor Cal military or mace spin with the speed of an Arcadia DM.

I would add Pat "buzzsaw" Briney and Mark Eastman from Chino both to that list of legendary drum majors. Once saw Briney stop one of his "ultra fast propeller" spins so abruptly it snapped the mace like a matchstick.

THere was a kid, don't remember his name, from Mt Diablo HS..on military, around 1996ish that was pretty amazing, but didn't have the body control of some of the top militaries I've seen..but I think no one ever beat him in Nor Cal.

Good times, Good times...

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Post by deja0entendu » Sun Nov 05, 2006 9:17 am

I know nothing about drum majors really
and who's good and whatnot

but I hear alot about this Alan Riley guy
who Jennifer Tran (Montbello) beat yesterday at the Chino Invitational
so she should go into the list too I guess
I saw Gabriel Fuentes in this thread too in some of the earlier posts
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Post by cup_o_noodles007 » Thu Nov 09, 2006 9:29 pm

alan riley and jennifer tran. both awesome competitors! i had tons of fun and great memories at competitions with them. and wow are they good. hopefully ill get the chance to see them again!!

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Post by azn_zeratul » Sat Nov 11, 2006 9:31 pm

alan riley is the one from arcadia isnt he?

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Post by AzhlackDMPiccolo » Sun Nov 12, 2006 2:08 pm

azn_zeratul wrote:alan riley is the one from arcadia isnt he?
yeah he's from arcadia.
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Post by MCtrumpet007 » Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:03 am

Sean Copeland of MCHS
Gerard Fernando? I know that he's a marching tech here, and that he was the drum major once, but can anyone enlighten us as to his time as the DM? I don't know much.
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Post by BariBigBird06 » Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:23 pm

Jeremy Harris from Rancho Bernardo 2002-2003, 2003-2004
Anthony Rubalcava 2001-2002, 2002-2003
BiG BiRd
c/o 2006

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Post by uncheckedtrumpet » Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:32 pm

BariBigBird06 wrote:Jeremy Harris from Rancho Bernardo 2002-2003, 2003-2004
I heard Jeremy Harris tossed his baton through his legs in his salute routine for the '03 season. That's how legendary he is 8-)
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Post by Undertaker » Wed Nov 22, 2006 3:39 pm

uncheckedtrumpet wrote:I heard Jeremy Harris tossed his baton through his legs in his salute routine for the '03 season. That's how legendary he is 8-)

i will admit that is a good move but its an a very old move i know alot of old school drum majors who did that move in salute routine. and im one of them.
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Post by uncheckedtrumpet » Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:59 pm

Undertaker wrote:
uncheckedtrumpet wrote:I heard Jeremy Harris tossed his baton through his legs in his salute routine for the '03 season. That's how legendary he is 8-)

i will admit that is a good move but its an a very old move i know alot of old school drum majors who did that move in salute routine. and im one of them.
It makes him legendary because I was still in middle school at the time when he did it, and yet I still heard about it. I've never heard of anyone else using it (although I did say Allan Riley playing around with it when Arcadia came in from their Mt. Carmel band review performance) besides him.

Oh and MCtrumpet007, Gerard Fernando won most or all of his reviews as drum majo; I think. Although I do know he can stop his mace on a dime with just one arm. That's just stories I've heard though.
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