by bill cook - founder, star of indiana
originally written: sept. 23, 1995
revised: nov. 17, 1996, mar. 12, 1999, & january 2, 2001

Carl never considered drum corps while in high school because he was a saxophone player, but during his second year in college he decided that he wanted to try out for the Colts. After a tryout, he didn't think that he could make it but was given a flugel horn, told to go home and learn how to play. By his own words, he couldn't play much his first year but by the second year, he could. The marching was a foreign language to him and he considered that he might be cut at anytime. He aged out in 1984 and stayed on as a staff instructor through 1986.

It seems that Bob had convinced the police that the truck belonged on the sidewalk and next to the fireplug but only after considerable talking. Suffice it to say, the truck remained there until the Blue Stars and Bob left two days later. Bob and Allison Lendman have deep roots in drum corps; their kids marched in Phantom Regiment and Bob later became Phantom's director. He had the fortune (or misfortune) of getting two back-to-back 2nds in the World Championships. To this day, he is sensitive to what happened. I still greet Bob with: "Hey Bob, have you got a second?" He goes ballistic!

But back to the story in Atlanta. My next question to him was "Whom would you pick as director?" He related the backgrounds of several Midwest directors but in the end said, "I would pick Jim Mason." So off we went to find him. Jim was standing by a Colts bus at the back of Grant field. After several minutes of pleasantries, I said to Jim, "Would you consider being director of a new drum corps which would be based in Bloomington, Indiana?" His answer was, "Let me think about it and talk with Theresa (his wife)."

On the following Monday, I called and set up an appointment for them to visit Bloomington. After seeing my commitment to the project, Jim said, "You now have yourself a corps director; I'll take the job." He didn't ask about salary or any details before he said yes.

There has been a speculation that it required $1 million to field Star; this is true. (At another time, I will give the details on how four corporations were started to meet Star's financial needs in the future; these companies are: Star Charter Services, Star Travel Services, Cook Aviation, and Cook Air Services. With the exception of Cook Air Services, they are profitable and contributing to Star of Indiana today).

Expenses each year run between $740,000 and $950,000. For this reason, I suggest to anyone who asks me, "What is the first thing to do when starting a drum corps?" My answer is, "(1) Raise enough money to get started and to field the corps, (2) never go in debt and stay within budget, (3) find a continuing source of income outside of drum corps such as bingo or sponsorship, and (4) don't disappoint young people by allowing your corps to go broke."

During his tenure with the Colts, they became known for their wonderful "big band" sound. One of Jim's favorite programs was the "Mississippi River" show where Greg Blum was at his best with his screaming trumpet. Greg's ability to make a soprano howl is still remembered by those who have heard him.

The Monroe County school board had just advertised a surplus grade school for sale. It was located seven miles north of Bloomington and there were only six houses in a three-mile radius. We went out to have a look at it and we talked about leveling the playground for a practice field. Two weeks later, the Brown School was purchased for $225,000, and the following week bulldozers began leveling the play yard. In the meantime, Bob had found three MC-9 buses that were for sale at Badger Bus in Madison. We bought two of them for $19,000 and the other one for $26,000. A few weeks later a semitrailer was purchased for $2,900. Eric Lund gave the Blue Stars' equipment truck floor plans to two carpenters - their job was to prepare it for instruments and uniforms that were not even purchased yet. In December, a cab-over tractor was purchased for $16,000.

That same week, Jim introduced me to Michael Cesario who would design the uniforms and serve as a consultant for the corps. Michael was enthusiastic about this new project and his enthusiasm encouraged Jim and me.

Jim emphasized the importance of recruiting instructors and a support staff that could take the corps down the road. Both of these groups were equal in Jim's mind. I want to recognize their contribution because they were responsible for making Star a reality in 1985. The key instructors and creators were: Larry Kerchner, John Simpson, Dennis DeLucia, Bob Dubinski, Steve Suslik, Marc Sylvester, George Zingali and Mike Cesario. It is interesting to note that every man accepted and the question seemed to be, "Will we get paid?"

The support staff members who came to Star that year were: Moe Latour, Eric Lund and Dave Crouch. Moe's friendliness and ability to run the corps on the road made Jim's job easier. Dave came from Phantom Regiment and was our head bus driver - he managed getting us down the road superbly. Eric Lund is still an integral part of Star today. Quietly and efficiently, he drives the equipment truck, repairs and maintains all of the instruments. Again, drum corps experience counted - Eric aged out in the Blue Stars.

When Star began, there were many corps that were having financial difficulty. Several of the prospective staff members, whom we interviewed, had not been paid for one and sometimes two years. It was very difficult to convince them, as a group, that they would be paid. However, they accepted our word that they would. Some of them were bitter and some of them were hurt by the perception that they had been previously taken advantage of. If there was any single hurdle that Jim had to overcome with Star's first-year staff, it was trying to get the staff to believe that they could trust us and that we would meet our commitments to them.

In October, Jim decided that it was time to get new members and to name the corps. When the corps was incorporated as a 501.c3, the original name on the charter was "Hoosier Assembly." A contest was suggested for naming the corps and an advertisement was circulated through the Bloomington newspaper and our company. Hundreds of suggestions poured in but in the end "Star of Indiana" was selected and the winner was Larry Kerchner's wife.

The 1985 membership poster and advertisements were put together. Jim told me, "All I've got to sell is hot air!" He designed the ad with pictures of the new caption heads surrounding Bob Knight, Indiana University's basketball coach. What Bob Knight had to do with drum corps, I still don't know! Hundreds of leaflets and posters went out to high schools and colleges in four states with a note from Jim saying, "Band Directors, if your students do not have a summer music program, will you loan them to us?" Some of the directors were quite hostile because, in the past, they had lost students to drum corps during their summer programs. They did not trust Jim that Star would not siphon their best students.

After Star's first open house, Jim got a call from an Indiana band director who had six students attend. He said to Jim that he was counting on them for his summer program and asked, "What are you going to do about it?" Jim called all of the kids and encouraged them to stay with the band program instead of marching with Star. The band director was shocked and called later - this time asking what he could do for Star. As a consequence, Star received his graduation list resulting in eight more, experienced players. Star's first camp had over 150 people who auditioned.

Although, events proved otherwise, in September, there was an indication that the Bridgemen were going to take a year off. A couple of former Bridgemen instructors were let go or refused to return. In addition, the members were told that their corps would not be able to make it another year and so a contingent of Bridgemen found their way to Indiana, including drum major Karen Ruschman.

By May, it was clear that some additional members were needed. During that month, Pride of Cincinnati announced that they would not field a corps in 1985 and shortly afterwards, Ron Poole, Director of Pride, called Jim and asked if Star had any openings. On the following Saturday, a Star bus headed to Cincinnati to pick up the Pride members who would become part of Star's drum corps backbone. And so the misfortune of two corps enabled Star to field the 1985 corps.

The first season Star had a total of fourteen seasoned drum corps members out of 131. These veterans were crucial - they helped establish how we got on and off the bus and what was expected from a drum corps.

When 1985 was complete, Star had a tenth place finish and the next rumor circulated was "Cook bought the finals." These are perceptions; why did the corps receive such a response? First, there was never any question that Star would be adequately financed. Even though criticized, our company made a commitment to drum corps. I actually believed that other companies would soon follow our path and either start a corps of their own or sponsor a corps. Such was not the case; in 1993, Star remained the only fully corporate sponsored drum corps. I wish that others could appreciate the value of this activity and its impact on young people who participate.

In addition, I believe that Star's apparent efficiency honked many old timers. How did we achieve this? Simple - Star was built around an experienced staff and seasoned veterans.

From the beginning, Star was operated as a business. Buses and trucks were to be maintained, corps equipment was to be cared for, and the corps was always to be well fed and housed. Later, we found that it was better to use professional drivers, to have a trained nurse or fitness director, and a professional cook. Personal safety of the membership was an absolute priority.

Several years before Star began, Bob Lendman shared a secret with Jim - fake a bus breakdown. Sure enough on Star's maiden voyage, Jim pulled this trick. The members and equipment from the “broken bus" were transferred to the other two buses that continued on to Normal, Illinois. After the driver of the broken bus had a cup of coffee, he started down the road and arrived five minutes after the corps. The purpose of this exercise was to have the corps learn through experience what life on the road is like. We also arrived a day early in Normal so we could practice going over to the stadium, unloading, warming up, and even marching to the entrance gate. Good practice for opening night and it paid off! On June 16, 1985, Star took the field at Normal Illinois for the first time; the scores were Cavaliers--76.9; Phantom--74.4; and Star of Indiana--73.6. Star won their first high brass award at that show. Mickey Mouse was born!

Because Star was not a member of DCI, we had to find our own shows; sometimes we performed for free or for $375. Many nights, we had to travel hundreds of miles in order to find work. For example, we traveled from Springfield MO to Durham NC without stopping except for fuel and from DeKalb Illinois after DCM on July 27 to Corning NY for a performance on July 28. We were national nomads migrating to any sponsor who would have us.

We arrived in Allentown for the DCI East Championship, placing 13th in prelims behind the 27th Lancers, and missing finals for the first and only time as a drum corps. After the prelim scores were announced, Jim stood next to the wall at Hamilton Stadium scratching the concrete aimlessly while pondering what needed to be done to motivate this new corps. As the year progressed, our scores were still not going up and the separation from corps above us kept getting larger.

On August 6, Freelancers were ahead of us by 7 points, Madison by 13, and Santa Clara by 24. Apparently, we had stalled and it appeared that we would place anywhere from 13th to 18th at championship. But we knew that if we could hold on until we reached Bloomington for the August 12 "Pride of Indiana" show, the hometown crowd and new revisions might be enough to makes us competitive again.

When we arrived in Bloomington, our drivers were dead tired but Jim asked several of us if we could go out to Pennsylvania and pick up the 27th--two of their buses were down. If my memory serves correctly we met them somewhere in Ohio and they made the performance.

During finals week, television stations and newspapers were asking for interviews. On one particular interview, the reporter asked me: "I heard that you are called the Mickey Money corps;" at the time, this question did not anger me but unfortunately I shot back (my misspent humor,) "yeah, it's the best corps money can buy." At the time this question and comment seemed so innocuous but those words have haunted the organization and me to this day.

Because Star was not a member of DCI, we had to go through prelims, quarters, and semis before we would know whether or not we would perform at the Saturday night championship. Star won prelims with a score of 84.1 followed by Les Eclipses with an 80.3; in quarterfinals we scored 86.7 followed by Troopers, 85.6, Les Eclipses, 82.4, Skyriders, 81.1 and Colts, 80.9. Early in the year, Jim had booked a hotel for our annual banquet on Friday--none of us thought that we could make finals on Saturday. After our semi performance "in the sunlight," the buses were loaded and we headed for the hotel. No one could keep their mind on the banquet; very little food was eaten while we waited for semi scores. Finally at 11:00 p.m., Jim came over to Karen Ruschman and my table and told us: "9th place, Troopers, 87.9; Velvet Knights, 86.8; Freelancers, 86.8; Freelancers, 85.9; and Star, 87.5. It didn't sink in; we thought that we had gotten 13th and then Karen went ballistic. She went to the podium and took up the microphone and repeated Jim's report. We had made finals, unbelievable! The final night was bittersweet to some of us because we knew what George Bonfiglio, our friend, was thinking.

The semi-final performance would be 27th Lancers last as an open class corps. For Jim, it was particularly sad because he idolized George. His relationship with and respect for him continues today. Star's magical year was over but the legacy of that year would both exhilarate and haunt the corps until it left DCI membership in 1994.

For those around drum corps, you may have noted that the music book became more difficult and more emphasis was placed on a musicianship. The color guard put on weird wigs and the corps tried to bore holes in the air with sound. We moved up two spots to eighth place.

I987 was the year of the circus. Circus wagons appeared as backdrops and the corps spent most of the summer trying to make the props work. Again, glitz was the name of the game and Star folk were learning the hard way that huge props were next to impossible to utilize in drum corps. Some of the members were hurt unloading them. Frustration is the best word to use for 1987 because so much time was spent trying to get visuals integrated properly; in retrospect, time would have been better spent perfecting drill.

When the season was over, many Star folk, including Moe and me, were seen beating the circus wagons to a timely demise--we should have wrecked them in June. A valuable lesson was learned this year--props are difficult to utilize and they detract from practice in other areas. We tied for 7th with Velvet Knights with a score of 90.

At this point, we needed stronger technicians. Todd Ryan who had helped Scouts win their championship was looking for a new challenge. He was asked if he would risk coming with Star to further develop the marching caption. He accepted the challenge, and so Len Kruscecki, Steve Brubaker, and Steve Suslik had a person who could look at the performance with new eyes. Todd knew how to fix feet and clean without destroying the design. Few props were used in 1988; the colorguard were dressed as southern belles. This was the year that Carl Ruocco became Assistant Director. And so in the summer of 1988 Star played and marched to Porgy and Bess, made a trip to California, and placed 7th place with a score of 95.5.

1989 was a very strong year for morale; it was the year that Star realized that they could be challengers and were no longer considered as the little pink corps with funny uniforms. (The fuscia uniforms had made their last appearance in the beginning of 1989).

Glitz and sparkle were all a part of the slight of hand. Many thought that the corps had new uniforms, but in reality only a sequin over-the-shoulder piece was added along with a purple sash. With an incredible mellophone line and some great drill moves, we moved finally into 3rd place with a score of 96.5 and winning high brass for first of four consecutive times.

As sick as he was, he was the backbone and spirit of the corps. He was driven by desire that few will ever understand and his will went out to touch us all. On August 4th, Star arrived in Boston. With the help of his caregiver, George arrived at the stadium to meet his corps. Something happened to him that afternoon--he seemed transformed, energized. His strength had returned--it was the "old" George on the field that day--"You've got to be shittin’ me!" "That's wonderful!" "Cupcake, you were terrible!"

Late in the afternoon, he told Jim--"the new closer is not right." A few minutes later, he left the stadium. None of us knew where he had gone or if he would be back.. About eight o'clock, George returned and said: "we are going to have two crosses at the finish instead of one." The next five hours were unbelievable. He ran from one section to another telling members where they should be at the end of the final cross. He wanted them to count measures--"count and run around until time to make your final set." Hour after hour, the corps tried and failed but finally, at 2 a.m. the next morning, the cross was seen. The next night in Lynn, Star put in the new move; needless to say, there were more than a few wrecks at the end but we won over SCV by 1.9 points.

Star's greatest performance that year was not at finals but in Little Rock Arkansas on August 12. Most of the staff had gone ahead to Dallas, so the corps was on their own and relaxed. What they did that night will always be a memory for me. To this day, that performance remains my favorite while they competed. The word electric fits it best.

The championship weeks were anti-climatic because the corps knew what had to be done and were confident that they could do it. Even though they were expected to win, they were focused, relaxed, and determined.

In retrospect, I wish that the field had been cooler (it was 124 degrees) and I wish that they could have moved a little more slowly because I wanted to hear the sound that I heard that cool night in Little Rock. We became champions of DCI for the first time with a score of 97.30. Truly magical years for a corps that once wore pink uniforms and were branded as a rich man's toy.

I would like to digress a moment and talk about what it takes to win a championship. First, a corps must have experience, a work ethic that goes beyond saying "I worked hard" because working hard on the wrong things will eventually ruin a corps hope for success.

I believe that staffs win championships. A corps director must instinctively know where to place the emphasis and the staff must have a music and drill book that is sufficiently difficult. A championship book must appear to be seamless--it must flow and the members must be sufficiently accomplished to make their actions appear easy. If the spectators perceive the work as being easy but executed to perfection, then the staff has done its job and the corps has learned their lessons well. Physical conditioning also is an integral part of the success formula--every member must be able to finish.

To the folks seeing the show for the first time, body sculpting appeared be a gimmick, but as the year wore on we knew that visual body movement should be explored further. It had to wait until 1993.

Star folk loved this show; it was beautiful and many fans identified with it. The last week, a giant scrim was thrown up; a 40 feet high by 60 feet wide Lady Liberty covered the front of the entire corps. It was a great visual but not one that was universally accepted (said with a grin.) We ended our season with a third in Madison with a score of 96.7 behind the Cadets of Bergen County and the new champions, the Cavaliers who had a score of 97.5.

Looking back at Medea, there were no opportunities for the audience to react until the show was over. This concept made some of the audience uncomfortable and created even more controversy. I guess that was Jim's vengeance. Also at that time, he began to contemplate doing something other than drum corps with the Star of Indiana. Perhaps the seed of Brass Theater was planted during this period.

From 1986 through 1992, our company was either a co-sponsor or sponsor of the championship telecast. Since there was no one with television experience at DCI, Don later asked if I would produce it and I accepted the job of Executive Producer. I remained Executive Producer until 1992, but our sponsorship continued until DCI took over the responsibility in 1993. I'm very proud of these telecasts and had many intelligent people to rely upon. Tom Blair and Keith Klein are two indispensable individuals who taught me that excellence could exist in the production of a DCI championship. These are the men who made the DCI Championship a highlight for PBS. Steve Rondinaro, Michael Cesario, Charles Webb (Dean of IU School of Music), and Curt Goudy all gave freely of their time. Most of these men worked only for expenses, which says much for people who are more dedicated to the activity than they are to self-interest. The television broadcast looked professional, was expensive to produce, and these men gave of themselves to make it happen. For the record, the broadcasting of the championship cost between $150,000 and $200,000 depending upon the year.

When we left DCI, Star or the Cook Group had contributed over $1.5 million to DCI and to other corps. Star sponsored all four DCM All Star appearances at the New Year's Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, and Fiesta Bowls (twice) in addition to the first Macy's Thanksgiving parade appearance of the DCM/DCE All-Stars; the appearance of Phil Driscoll at the Kansas City World Championship who played the "Star Spangled Banner," trumpet solo; the appearance of DCA's Steel City Ambassadors at the 1990 World Championships in Buffalo. Jim headed the All-Star drum and bugle corps that played two "Star Spangled Banner" renditions in both Madison and Kansas City. (These corps consisted of 1200 and 1500 members respectively. The first one was under the direction of Pepe Nataro, a friend who is gone.)

Corps that have received either prizes, grants or loans from either Star or Cook Group are: Colts, Troopers, Phantom Regiment, Magic of Orlando, 27th Lancers, Crossmen, Velvet Knights, Spirit of Atlanta, and eleven other organizations. The amounts ranged from a minimum of $1,000 to $150,000. In addition, Rick Snapp, a Cook computer manager, and I wrote the financial, sales order, and championship ticketing programs that DCI has used since 1990. DCI's three computers were given to DCI by Star. Cook Group Companies sponsored and produced the DCI World Championships for five years.

Star founded on behalf of DCI the DCI Foundation, which still maintains an office in Bloomington and administers such scholarships as those given in the names of the Americanos, George Zingali and others.

Employees of Cook Group and a large contingent of former corps members from all DCI corps staffed the hospitality tables stationed in five to seven hotels through the various championship cities. For all of us drum corps was not just Star, it was the entire activity. Yes, this information has not been discussed until now, but Star members and their friends deserve this explanation. If there must be an epitaph for Star, for Jim, for me, and for Cook Group, it should be -- we tried!

A Personal philosophy I believe that all humans are to some degree competitive, moody, happy, sad, angry, tranquil, and cooperative. The Drum corps experience is guided by association with many different personalities who have joined together in an attempt to achieve and possess the above traits to a greater or lesser degree. I believe that drum corps organizations can only point the route but not predict the destination.

I try never to fear change, I enjoy risking the unknown, and I try to seek guidance through previous experiences. Instead of “Ready, aim, fire!," it may be better to "Ready, fire, aim!" I believe that a human should be prepared (ready) to act, then act (fire), and finally analyze what was done (aim) Instinct exists in all of us but so often we fear the unknown to the extent that we are incapable of action.

I ask readers: "do we always need to analyze and discuss before acting or should we learn how to react based upon circumstances and cumulative history of the past?" (Invention is based upon instinct and then trial but status quo is based upon copying.) I believe that if one goal is reached, there should be another goal waiting. If failure results, try again and again. You have all heard this before but "do you believe it?"

A personal perspective on drum corps I believe Star and other corps members strive to be better humans as a result of their drum corps experience. I believe that Star and other corps members are products of many points of view and they are surrounded by teachers and people who care about them. Within their organizations, they are respected for what they are--young people seeking their way in life. In return, they are loyal and very proud of what they have accomplished.

I believe that Star and other corps teach pride in personal accomplishment which is achieved by honesty and work.

Retrospect, 1993 I'm often asked and I'm sure the members are asked: "Didn't you think that you should have won?" Hey, I think that Star should always win but that is not the way life is played. The beautiful part of drum corps is that there can only be one champion and in 1993 it was the Cadets. Now, what about the members? Were they disappointed? Come on--sure they were. But after a few tears were shed, most of them headed for supper and a few of them were looking for rides back to school.

Like many other corps, we were all glad to leave Jackson--it was hot, it was humid, and it rained! Championship week for Jim and me was bittersweet. The week was exciting and had the best of what drum and bugle corps has to offer. Our future was already charted; we would go with the Canadian Brass--win or lose. When we came back to Bloomington, we announced at our annual banquet that Star would be leaving drum corps, would be playing on b-flat horns, and would be performing "Brass Theater."

It seemed like 1985 again when Jim "sold hot air." He described "Brass Theater" to the members, and then he casually mentioned that they would have to prepare for two types of shows, one performed on a small stage and one performed on a basketball floor. He explained that the repertoire would exceed two hours in length, that percussion and brass ensembles would be featured during various parts of the show. When he finished, I felt warm and fuzzy but I'm not exactly sure how the corps felt except confused. After this meeting, I have been asked what the corps members thought and I can only answer--anxious but understanding.

Star's association with the Canadian Brass in 1993 was the year of Star's swan song. In the early spring, Star, Glassmen, Chicago Vanguard, and Pioneers gave a stand still performance at Indiana University's Auditorium in Bloomington. The night before, all of the corps attended a performance of the Canadian Brass ensemble; the auditorium was filled and the crowd received them with the enthusiasm of brass music lovers. That evening, Jim and I had been invited to a reception for the five CB that was hosted by Harvey Phillips, Dr. Tuba Santa. During a conversation, Chuck Dahlenbach of CB asked us if he and two other CB’ers could stay over and watch our drum corps show on Sunday afternoon. He didn't need to ask; we would have begged him to do it. In any event, they attended the performance, and afterward Chuck broached the subject of how Star could participate with them. The following Monday Chuck called to ask if some of Star's percussionists could play on their 'Broadway' CD. During the time of the recording, ideas started to develop; several weeks later, we met Chuck and Gene Watts in Florida and began discussions on how we could perform together. At the time, I did not believe that the corps could learn two hours of music and play it with the precision necessary to satisfy audiences that had very high expectations. But Jim, Gene, and Chuck thought otherwise. In June we signed a letter of intent that resulted in a contract that was signed in September.

We thought that our members deserved a chance to perform at some of the best venues in the world, to try to reach a level of excellence that is uncommon for young people and to be a part of a new genre. The program had to be two hours in length with twenty two minutes of drill plus solo features for both brass and percussion little did we realize what a challenge this was going to be.

The ensemble has had to learn two separate shows; one show is designed to be performed on small stages--this is an "in-concert" formation and it is NOT "Brass Theater." "In concert" formation is performed on small stages where marching and color guard work are not practical or are minimized. On the other hand, a "Brass Theater" performances includes all of the elements mentioned previously utilizing both G-bugles and B-flat horns including trombones, tubas, and French horns.

The venues have differed greatly during the last two years. Concerts have been performed at Tanglewood, Ravinia, Wolf Trap, Lincoln Center, Hollywood Bowl, Interlochen, Columbus Zoo Amphitheater, Joliette Quebec Amphitheater, Tanglewood and several other outdoor concert sites generically called "sheds."

"Brass Theater" is normally performed on a basketball floor converted to a stage. These venues permit the use of stage lighting and large backdrops. Examples of the "Brass Theater" venues are Indiana University Assembly Hall, St. Paul MN Arena, Cedar Rapids Iowa Conference Center, Buffalo New York Memorial Arena, Illinois Normal Arena, and other facilities where seating is tiered and the total capacity normally exceeds 15,000. CB/Star's largest crowd to date has been 18,000.

These last two years for Star members have exposed them to entirely new audiences that are primarily made up of families and music patrons who have little exposure to drum corps and who attend musical events regularly. The crowds have been enthusiastic and have responded typically with three and four standing ovations. Several newspaper performing arts critics favorably adjudicated us and I will be happy to send anyone an e-mail of these critiques. Because either concert is performed only once in a city, critics did not always attend.

I saw every performance during 1994 and 1995 and I can only say that they have been thrilling to watch. In 1994, I gave Star/CB a final score of 99.5 and in 1995, a score of 99.8. (Nobody is perfect so I couldn't give a perfect score but if we all keep trying, we might get it right someday.)

In summary, these were not stressful years for the corps because there were no competitive pressures. The pressure came from wanting to perform perfectly for an audience that would impartially adjudicate them.

There were several factors that contributed to the large attendance such as: 1) the summer concerts being a part of a series such as Lincoln Center's "Mozart Festival." 2) the events being publicized by professional promoters utilizing mailings and local media advertising. 3) the audiences being families and music lovers who attend regardless of composer or genre. 4) the audiences being familiar with the Canadian Brass and Star names.

Based upon these observations, it was obvious that Star needed to downsize the corps to fit music venues; in 1994, Star marched 100 members, in 1995, 96 members and in 1996, 76 members. The downsizing took place through attrition created by aging-out. In 1997, the corps will reach an optimum size of 60 or less. It was also obvious in 1995 that more practice time was needed. The members had to adjust to many more practice hours than ever before in the history of the corps. Learning two hours of music and movement for two different types of stages was tough; it required not only talent but also an ability to overcome the tedium of repetition.

Because of the practice time required, the number of performances was reduced from 18 to 13 in 1996. Even though we knew that arena venues were going to have smaller crowds, we decided to work in them at least for another year or two. Practice time and space were needed to refine Brass Theater.

Unquestionably, the assessment of the 1995 Brass Theater was on-the money because in 1996, we finally saw what Brass Theater should be. All of the elements of this genre were demonstrated in "West Side Story"--a twenty-three minute brass and percussion presentation of the Broadway musical. The corps told the story utilizing brass, percussion, drill, dance, color guard, visuals, electronic sound, and expensive stage lighting. Some viewers told us that it was their greatest emotional experience with music.

The highlights for the corps this summer were performances at Great Woods, Massachusetts (16,500 attendance), Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis (3200 attendance), Interlochen Michigan (2800 attendance) and the two Bloomington shows (10,000 total attendance.) Even though the two Bloomington performances were before a hometown crowd, the local newspaper critique was wonderful and worth publishing below in its entirety.

Other highlights for the year include an upcoming FANFARE magazine feature article on Brass Theater and having one FANFARE writer recognize the Brass Theater I CD as one of the 6 top CDs produced in 1995. In addition, Star will appear on PBS in an hour-long show that is scheduled for December. PBS donated funds to this project and it will carry the PBS logo, a feat that I was never able to accomplish during my tenure as Executive Producer of the DCI Summer Music Games. Star's Brass Theater CDs are now being distributed in several Midwestern record stores.

The Star Beginning Band (7-13) completed its second year with 60 members performing a spring concert and marching in the Bloomington Fourth of July Parade. The members are taught for fee and some receive scholarships.

Star of Indiana is now providing scholarships to members who attend Indiana University. As the corps reduces in size, there are funds available for members who commit to an annual association with Star and who are selected by audition. These scholarships are not limited to music or dance majors. By 1999, there will be fifty scholarship students.

In summary, 1996 was a benchmark for Star and the Canadian Brass relationship because we learned what Brass Theater should be. We had wonderful reception everywhere we performed and the membership realized that this production was something very special. In addition, our staff now knows what is needed to make Brass Theater more appealing. As is said--wait till next year!

Traveling would not have been a problem had we been able to remain in one place for more than one performance. To reduce the loss of time and expenses involved in setting up and tearing down the show, it was obvious that Brass Theater needed to be performed in one theater over a prolonged period--Star's summer home. With two exceptions, cities do not have large enough audiences in summer to justify the expense of establishing a permanent place to perform. New York theaters are too expensive, so the one place left was little Branson, Missouri. It has a year-round audience, and theater costs are not prohibitive.

For those of you who have never journeyed to Branson, the town is instant culture shock complete with traffic jams and every reason to not exist. Branson is there for only one reason -- vaudeville and musical performances. In this small town of 3,500 permanent residents, there are over 50 theaters and 30,000 hotel rooms. The place is shoped to entertain the very young and the 'big spending' Blue Hair Set. Branson comes alive before 7 a.m. and goes to bed after the end of the last show at 11 p.m. Vacationers have choices to see shows, fish, or drive through the Ozarks. Virtually every Las Vegas show ends up in Branson -- familiar stars, some over-the-hill, some young arisen'. It is a town of contrasts.

Jim Mason and I decided that performing in Branson would give us an opportunity to stay in one place in order to save travel costs and to develop Brass Theater into a legitimate professional show.

Corps members lived in rented apartments, four to an apartment. They performed two times a day, six days a week, for 5 weeks at the 3,500 seat Grand Palace Theater. I got to see the show only 20 times during our two-year stint. Over the two-years, the Brass Theater repertoire was not changed much. Wizard of Oz and West Side Story were the bases for the two acts.

Learning and performing 2-hour drum corps type shows, presented twice a day, is no easy task. The members were dedicated and seemed excited to perform each day, but at the end of the tour they were happy the regimen was over. Virtually all of the corps returned in 1998 except for age outs.

These two summers were successful in determining how to perform Brass Theater better and what it takes for each member to become a professional performer. Corps members were motivated by the actual performances; audiences, at times, topped 3,000, but most of the shows had an audience of 1,000 or less in the evening and 500 during the afternoon.

Media in St. Louis, Springfield, and Kansas City gave Star excellent reviews. The cards filled out by the audience were fantastic -- they loved the show.

Summing up these past two years, I can say that the members enjoyed doing Brass Theater and they performed the show beautifully. The staff learned many things about Brass Theater that will be incorporated in future performances. We also came to understand that if Brass Theater was ever going succeed, it would need a sophisticated audience and a venue that has a large audience pool.

Problems with trying to compete while entertaining the audience are rooted in the judging system where general effect criteria preclude the use of many vehicles for entertainment. Levels of difficulty in all of the drum corps captions makes simple, entertaining music almost pass. The major drum corps of the 90s are continually faced with the problem of finding challenging music that will standup under the general effect criteria. Marching and drill are also impacted by general effect. Corps caption heads look for new moves, new guard effects, and new music in order to fulfill the requirements in the so-called judges top box.

Star's last year in active competition was spent performing a 11-1/2 minute show based upon the works of Barber and Bartok, hardly household words to the drum corps fan. We learned so much in 1993 by performing Medea --a rather obscure piece of music enhanced by visual and marching captions. Suffice it to say the music bombed but one thing is for sure, many, many people remember the frenzy, the rage, and the excitement it created.

It is ironic that Star’s greatest moments on the field was not winning the 1991 DCI World Championship in Dallas but performing Medea in Jackson in 1993. A further irony about the summer of 1993 was that we knew that the corps would not be performing again as a drum and bugle corps.

What happened? Simply put, we knew that the corps had to return to entertainment by leaving competition. We had to improve the musical experience for the talented members by converting to conventional brass instruments. And we had to rethink how dynamic music can be performed by a precision marching unit. In the spring of 1993, we accepted an invitation to perform with the Canadian Brass starting in the summer of 1994.

The title of our new genre was Brass Theater but we didn't learn what Brass Theater was for three years. In 1996, we performed West Side Story and the members and staff said together -- that's Brass Theater.

So what is Star of Indiana today? We are still a precision marching unit that relies upon tradition for strength. We are a pare-military unit dedicated to playing music while enhancing it with visual elements. Star uses a large stage while performing without restriction for lighting or props. With the teaching of the Canadian Brass and the staff, the level of the performers has risen each year. In the best sense of the phrase, we are amateurs performing as professionals. The members have learned that two hours of motion and music can be learned every year and that excellence is created by practice and determination to achieve.

The question about Star is also asked -- what does it take to make the corps? Any young person with better than average ability, determination, and desire for work can make Star. Desire for work and determination are more important than ability because ability stems from practice.

Another question is -- do Star members have fun? Yes, when time permits they do. Being a member of Star is not for everyone. We demand a lot but our justification is results. For example, it is not unusual for Star members to be with the corps for six or seven years and it is not unusual for our members to be a little more serious. We try to give everyone a pleasant experience they will never forget. We all work for the pleasure of the work itself and yet, we want to enjoy what is accomplished and ourselves.

The final question -- could Star still be competitive in drum corps and will it ever return to the activity? None of us can say when, if ever, we will return to drum corps but I, for one, can say that it makes little difference. Whether Star performs Brass Theater or is performing in drum corps, we will try to do our best. If we are in the business of entertaining, we will entertain but if we are in competition, we will to compete to win. Objectives are different but achieving the objectives are the same -- hard work and talent achieve the desired results. The members and the corps are still capable of competing in drum corps and if we ever do compete again, it will be to win.

Star did not tour in the summer of 1999 since the staff was devoting their time to making changes in preparation for a winter season. New material was being explored that would attract audiences that would be paying up to $50.00 per ticket. This was no easy task, but it became obvious that the show would have additional entertainment value and so a new name for the show was selected: Blast!.

During the summer of 1999, Jim Mason, Donnie VanDoren, Jim Moore, and Thom Hannum held cast interviews and tryouts. Over 500 musicians and color guard performers applied for the seventy positions. These caption heads had to find members who had professional quality talent and also the stamina to complete two hours of music, movement, and dance.

Jim Moore, choreographer, recruited the best color guard people who could spend a year rehearsing and performing with Star. Jim Prime was arranging new music, while John Vanderkolff and Jim Moore were choreographing and staging the new Blast!.

The visual ensemble moved into the corps hall the first of July, 1999, followed by brass and percussion sections the latter part of August. The rehearsal time was frantic and the months whirled by.

In the middle of November, the corps headed for London. The logistics that Mason and others faced were awful.

For example, every corps member had to have a British work permit, which was a Herculean task; English immigration made certain that foreigners did not replace citizens in the work place. Even in October, we did not have a theater under contract, and when a contract for the Apollo (Hammersmith) Theater arrived, it was a formidable tome. Like most legal documents, it presented a mountain of hurdles to overcome.

Next, Jim Mason had to find apartments for every corps member; British housing is very, very tight, not to mention expensive.

Originally, American Airlines was to be the air travel sponsor for the flights overseas and back. At the last moment they backed out of their commitment. Fortunately, Virgin Airlines had some very attractive airfares and another crisis was avoided.

Because someone other than a Star staff person selected the housing, several apartments were unsuitable for the 6 to 8 corps members to live in. Within hours before the corps arrived at Heathrow Airport, the last apartment needed for the show's run was selected and leased.

Rehearsals were to start in London by mid-November but Mason could not find a suitable place to rehearse a cast of seventy musicians and dancers. Finally a lodge hall was found, again on the day that the corps arrived.

During the week just before the first performance on December 14, the corps rehearsed in the Apollo Theater itself. We didn't even have the costumes (called "boiler suits" in England) until final rehearsals began. Hugh Vanderstone, the English costume designer, had a hell-of-a-time finding and fitting the simple coveralls and shirts that the corps was to wear. On opening night, some of the costumes were still not fitted but somehow everyone avoided killing himself or herself on pant legs that were too long.

Also on opening night, the lighting and sound designers were at the panic stage. Lights, ceiling drops, and sound equipment still needed to be re-positioned, hung, or computerized. None of the audio or lighting boards had their final programs. What a mess!

But someway, somehow the show opened and at the end, the crowd rose in mass for a standing ovation. Standing ovations are very unusual in England. When we attended Lion King one night, the audience only clapped for the performance-there was no standing "0". Of course, our show was rigged-no audience can resist going crazy when the last salvo of Malaguena is played. Jim Prime's arrangement of Malaguena is an unbelievable closure to a superb show. The sound and lighting engineers worked wonders with the microphones. Sound control was very difficult because some members of the cast are miked while others are not.

Blast! during January, February, and two weeks in March 2000 had reasonable sales but the theater was never completely filled. During the last days of March, our luck changed. The cast gave fifteen-minute performances on two popular BBC television shows. During the next week after the telecasts, the ticket phones rang off the hooks. Star of Indiana and Blast! had finally made the big time.

My first time to see Blast! was December 14; by that time the corps had adjusted to the new environment and the show content. While the performances were not perfect, they were close enough to be called professional, and the reviews were good. I returned to London three more times after the opening and the improvements were amazing.

There were times that Jim Mason and I would have given up but each time we hit a downer, some positive event kept us going. For example, ticket sales were dropping slowly until the public saw Blast! on the BBC. In late January, we even talked about closing the show and going home but the enthusiasm of the cast kept us going. They probably never realized that they were our strength during a period when financial losses were mounting and advertising had run out. During this bleak period, however, media critics were giving us rave reviews.

After twenty-two weeks the theater contract was complete and a new show was moving in. Star had to come home, with ticket sales booming and knowing that they had succeeded beyond any expectation.

On April 22, the final Blast! show was performed. It was fantastic. The cast moved up tempos and put all of their hearts into one last effort. The audience stayed for an hour afterward listening to the corps play selections of Blast! outside the theater. The cast members and the audience were having a final love affair - it was a true happening. So, we gave the members a week to tour England and Europe. After the 22-week run, they deserved the opportunity to relax and sightsee.

Theatre personnel told me that the cast was the most disciplined, punctual, hardworking, and cooperative group they had worked with. During the show run, I might mention that many of the members and even entire ensembles took their days off to visit and work with drum corps in England. A lot of British corps members came to see Blast; some attended over and over; some members of the audience loved the show so much that they returned ten or twelve times.

At the time, Jim Mason and I thought that the drum corps idiom had commercial possibilities but we never visualized what a huge success Blast! would be.

Even though drum corps is perform all over the world, relatively few individuals have had the opportunity to see and hear what has excited and enthralled those of us who are the "loyal following."

Since the inception of Star, I have believed that drum corps is a state of mind, a discipline, an art form, and a positive influence for young people. Without question, drum corps captures the heart of anyone who has been a part of it. The appeal is an enigma even though it has long been a part of the American fabric.

As years passed after 1993, Jim Mason, the staff, and the Blast! members worked thousands of hours to create a marketable product that wider audiences could enjoy. The Canadian Brass helped us hone our professional skills in order to get maximum attention during a performance. For five years, we performed in out of the way places and also in major venues such as Lincoln Center, Ravinia, Wolftrap, Tanglewood, Hollywood Bowl and Branson, Missouri. The membership rarely, if ever, complained about being tired or bored. The desire to perform and excel was always obvious even though life on the road is not easy.

In the fall of 1999 a group of young people left Bloomington, Indiana for London without knowing where they would live or how they would be accepted professionally. In mid-December, Blast! opened at the Apollo Hammersmith Theater, and at that moment in time, it was elevated to a recognized, creative theatrical art form. When they returned to the United States, other opportunities were waiting.

In the fall of 2000, there were performances in Boston, Detroit, Milwaukee, Chicago, and the Kennedy Center, and in the spring of 2001 New York City and Disney World were added to the list.

When the show closed on Broadway in September 2001, it closed at a time of unspeakable horror with the destruction of the World Trade Center. Again, the young people of Star's Blast! controlled their destiny by accepting adversity as a part of living. They persevered through a nightmare to perform other days and in other places.

Several days after the September 11 destruction of the World Trade Center, Broadway and Blast! reopened. Members gave freely of themselves to perform for a thousand relief workers and families who lost loved ones in the disaster.

The cast was there to help victims' families try to forget for a moment what had befallen them.

Today, Blast! has two separate units that are performing at California's Disneyland and in theaters throughout the United States. Memories are created each day and will be a part of the psyches for the rest of their lives. Someday they will look back and say to themselves, "I was the best, I was a part of Blast!."

Because of drum corps and Blast!'s association with it, the organization has received accolades that no one could ever imagine a few years ago. The show has won three coveted performance nominations and awards, a Kennedy Center nomination for best musical performance, a 2001 Tony for Broadway's best Special Theatrical Event, and a 2001 TV Emmy for outstanding choreography, created by Jim Moore, John Vanderkolff, and George Pinney. I believe that Star of Indiana has earned the right to be recognized as a goodwill ambassador for the activity. If drum corps is a way of life and an art form, Blast! and its cast represents everything that is good within the activity and society. We trust in God and believe that perseverance and work are the keystones to survival in this life. Drum corps and adversity have given us this lesson.

If you have an opportunity to see Blast!, please stop a moment after the show and say thanks to the wonderful group of young people. They are there to please and entertain and they appreciate hearing that you enjoyed their performance and the show.