Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps

Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps

Location	Milwaukee, WI
Founded	1961
Championship titles	DCI Open Class 1991 1994 1995
Website	pioneer-corps.org

The Pioneer Drum & Bugle Corps was a World Class competitive junior drum and bugle corps from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Pioneer is a former member corps of Drum Corps International (DCI).

History

Pioneer traces its roots to the St. Patrick's (Catholic) parish of Milwaukee and its drum and bugle (D&B) corps, the Imperials of St. Patrick, founded in 1961. Both corps had been active in the Milwaukee area and the Midwest region, and both attended the inaugural DCI World Championship prelims in Whitewater, Wisconsin in 1972, with the Imperials of St. Patrick finishing in 19th place and the Thunderbolts in 28th.

By 1973, the Imperials were facing financial difficulties and the Thunderbolts were having difficulty maintaining support staff, so the two corps merged. This resulted in a 150 member corps—much larger than most drum corps of that time—with financial and staff stability. Unable to decide on a better name and wearing the vastly different uniforms of both corps, the new corps was called "The Thing" during its first season. In 1974 the corps received the sponsorship of the Pioneer Container Corporation and found a name. The Thunderbolts' cadet corps continued, joined by a second "feeder" corps known as Pioneer II. After only a few years, the Thunderbolts' part of the merger departed in favor of the Thunderbolts Cadets, leaving only the Imperials' part in place, bringing about the unit's dropping the Thunderbolts' 1953 founding as its beginning.

While not initially a strong contender, Pioneer became a regular competitor in the Midwest region during the remainder of the 1970s, and in 1978, the corps was one of the founding members of Drum Corps Midwest (DCM) which was to become the premier regional circuit in North America over the next quarter century. In 1985 the primary corps went inactive, and Pioneer II began a transition into becoming Pioneer in 1986. By 1989, Pioneer had started to become a power in Class A60. In 1991, the corps won both the DCM Division III (DIII) title and the DCI Class A60 World Championship; in 1992, they won their 3rd DCM DIII championship but finished second in DCI DIII to the Mandarins.

In 1993 Pioneer moved into Division II (DII), where the corps was an immediate challenger for the championship. The corps was DCM DII champion for four consecutive years, from 1993 to 1996. In 1994, the corps went undefeated and won the DCI DII crown. They defended their DCI title in 1995, but in 1996 fell in finals to Quebec's Les Etoiles by two-tenths of a point. Pioneer moved to Division I (DI) in 1997, and have continued to compete in that division (now known as World Class), where the corps' best finish at the DCI World Championships was 16th place in 2000. Although Pioneer won the DCM DI title in 2004 and 2005, making them the only corps to win DCM titles in 3 divisions, the most prominent corps had abandoned DCM by then and there were no other competitors for the DI titles.

In 1994, the organization was administratively dissolved by the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. But in 1998, the organization was restored to good standing.

Pioneer celebrated the corps' 50th anniversary during the 2011 season.

During the 2018 season, members and staff of Pioneer sent reports to DCI and posted threads on drum corps forums regarding compliance and administrative issues. These issues included inadequate treatment for health issues and injuries sustained during the season, the organization's executive director making racist and culturally insensitive comments to the corps members as well as jokes about the holocaust, and the organization having unreliable buses with no or inadequate air conditioning during the long southern tour.

On August 16, 2018, DCI suspended Pioneer from all DCI activities, while it investigated the organization. The investigation focused on the many issues reported by members and staff, as well as possible retaliation for those who spoke out against Pioneer.

On August 24, 2018, DCI decided that Pioneer would not be allowed to participate in the 2019 season as a condition of its suspension. Following the decision, Pioneer informed DCI that they would move immediately to replace the executive director and all board members of the organization.

On January 10, 2019, DCI voted to revoke Pioneer's membership in DCI. DCI stated that if Pioneer makes operational and administrative improvements, they would be eligible to re-apply for open class participation as early as 2020.

On May 17, 2019, Pioneer announced that it will be hosting a weekend-only performance corps. The performance corps was started to be a foundation for Pioneer's plans to compete in WGI.

Sponsorship

Pioneer Drum & Bugle Corps & Color Guard, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) musical organization. The organization is under the direction of executive director, Bobby Bonslater and an interim Board of Advisors.

Winter ensembles

On October 28, 2019, Pioneer announced that they will be hosting three different winter ensembles, which will all compete in the Winter Guard International circuit. These ensembles consist of a percussion ensemble, winds ensemble, and color guard ensemble. These winter ensembles will have show themes that stray away from being Irish, as a way for the organization to rebrand itself. The percussion ensemble will continue to field a cymbal line, as long as there are still interest and membership.

Show summary (1973–2019)

Sources:

Key

Light blue background indicates DCI Open Class Finalist

Goldenrod background indicates DCI Open Class Champion

Pale green background indicates DCI World Class Semifinalist

Year	Theme	Repertoire	World Championships
			Score	Placement
1973		Fanfare / Circus March / Rule Britannia by Thomas Arne & James Thomson / Skyliner by Charlie Barnet & Dale Bennett / Elijah Rock (Traditional) / Here There and Everywhere by Lennon–McCartney	65.160	26th Place Open Class
1974		Fanfare / Elegy March by Roger Nixon / Hey Jude by Lennon–McCartney / Skyliner by Charlie Barnet & Dale Bennett / In the Mood by Wingy Manone, Joe Garland & Andy Razaf / 1812 Overture by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky	71.100	22nd Place Open Class
1975		Alexander's Ragtime Band by Irving Berlin / Temptation by Nacio Herb Brown & Arthur Freed / In the Mood by Wingy Manone, Joe Garland & Andy Razaf / Encore in Jazz by Vic Firth / How the West Was Won by Alfred Newman / Battle Hymn of the Republic by William Steffe & Julia Ward Howe	72.450	22nd Place Open Class
1976		Alexander's Ragtime Band by Irving Berlin / Encore in Jazz by Vic Firth / My Quiet Thoughts / El Malo by Willie Colón / Selections from Cabaret by John Kander & Fred Ebb	71.200	26th Place Open Class
1977		Scheherazade by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov / Selections from Cabaret by John Kander & Fred Ebb	65.950	32nd Place Open Class
1978		Could it be Magic by Adrienne Anderson, Barry Manilow & Frédéric Chopin / Pepsi Theme / McDonald's Theme by Kevin Gavin & Sid Woloshin / Bandstand Boogie by Charles Albertine / Theme from New York, New York by John Kander & Fred Ebb	57.850	4th Place Class A Finalist
1979		Circus March / Harrigan by George M. Cohan / Sheik Of Araby by Harry B. Smith, Francis Wheeler & Ted Snyder / Give My Regards to Broadway (from Little Johnny Jones) by George M. Cohan / Try to Remember by Harvey Schmidt & Tom Jones	65.950	31st Place Open Class
1980		Circus March / Mambo Tambo by Miguelito Valdés / They're Playing Our Song by Marvin Hamlisch & Carole Bayer Sager / Pippin by Stephen Schwartz	53.95	35th Place Open Class
1981		Annie by Charles Strouse & Martin Charnin / New York Jump / Walking Papers (from The Act) by John Kander & Fred Ebb / Mambo Tambo by Miguelito Valdés / Morning Glow (from Pippin) by Stephen Schwartz	60.55	3rd Place Class A Finalist
1982		Selections from 42nd Street by Harry Warren & Al Dubin / Morning Glow (from Pippen) by Stephen Schwartz	56.30	5th Place Class A Finalist
1983		Alexander's Ragtime Band by Irving Berlin / Way Down Yonder in New Orleans by John Turner Layton Jr. & Henry Creamer / I Feel the Earth Move by Carole King / Waiting for the A Train by Jimmie Rodgers / Lullaby of Broadway (from 42nd Street) by Harry Warren & Al Dubin	51.450	20th Place Open Class
1984		Far From Over by Vince DiCola & Frank Stallone / All Night Long by Lionel Richie / Shop Around by Smokey Robinson & Berry Gordy / Waiting for the A Train by Jimmie Rodgers / La Cage Aux Folles by Jerry Herman	64.700	15th Place Open Class
1985		Oklahoma! (from Oklahoma!) by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II / George M. Cohan Medley / Comedian's Galop by Dmitry Kabalevsky / Return of the Spiders by Alice Cooper, Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway & Neal Smith / The Hands of Time (Theme from Brian's Song) by Michel Legrand, Marilyn & Alan Bergman	Did not attend World Championships
1986		Irish Rhapsody by Victor Herbert / McNamara's Band by Guy Bonham, John J. Stamford, Red Latham, Shamus O'Connor & Wamp Carlson / The Girl I Left Behind (from Irish Suite) (Traditional), adapted by Leroy Anderson / Reeling and Railing (Traditional) / Kelly the Boy from Calion (Traditional) / When Irish Eyes Are Smiling by Ernest R. Ball, Chauncey Olcott & George Graff Jr.	53.400	15th Place Class A60
1987	The American Spirit	America (from West Side Story) by Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Sondheim / When Irish Eyes Are Smiling by Ernest R. Ball, Chauncey Olcott & George Graff Jr. / America by Neil Diamond / Stars and Stripes Forever, Thunder March & Manhattan Beach March by John Philip Sousa	57.500	13th Place Class A60
1988		Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin / Jericho by Morton Gould / Carioca by Vincent Youmans, Edward Eliscu & Gus Kahn / Rockin' Robin by Leon René / My Old Kentucky Home & Camptown Races by Stephen Collins Foster / Autumn Leaves by Joseph Kosma & Jacques Prévert, adapted by Johnny Mercer / Way Down Yonder in New Orleans by Turner Layton & Henry Creamer	69.200	11th Place Class A60
1989		Lazy River by Hoagy Carmichael & Sidney Arodin / Go Tell It on the Mountain (Traditional) / Jericho by Morton Gould / Carioca by Vincent Youmans, Edward Eliscu & Gus Kahn / Where Is the Love by Ralph MacDonald & William Salter	76.100	8th Place Class A60
1990		Repertoire unavailable	85.500	3rd Place Class A60 Finalist
1991	Irish Festival	A collection of traditional Irish folk songs	86.000	1st Place Class A60 Champion
1992		Jig (from Saint Paul's Suite, First Movement) by Gustav Holst / Freda by Kenny Baker / Minstrel Boy (Traditional) by Thomas Moore / The Rakes of Mallow (Traditional), adapted by Leroy Anderson / Four Scottish Dances by Malcolm Arnold	88.700	5th Place Division II & III Finalist
1993		Gary Owen March (Traditional) / Over There by George M. Cohan / Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! by George F. Root / My Bonny Boy (Traditional), adapted by Ralph Vaughan Williams / Far and Away by John Williams	91.100	4th Place Division II Finalist
			65.500	27th Place Division I
1994	Voices of the Isle	Four Scottish Dances by Malcolm Arnold / Maggie Goes To Scotland & The Seduction (from Year of the Comet) by Hummie Mann / Gary Owen March (Traditional) / Danny Boy (Traditional) by Frederic Weatherly	96.000	1st Place Division II & III Champion
1995	Shades of the Emerald	Diamond Dance by Bill Douglas / Maggie Goes To Scotland, Helicopter Chase & The Seduction (from The Year of the Comet) by Hummie Mann / Cursum Perficio, Storms in Africa & Orinoco Flow by Enya & Roma Ryan	95.400	1st Place Division II Champion
			74.700	18th Place Division I
1996	Celtic Twilight	Highstep by Bill Douglas / The Journey Home by John Doan / Scotland the Brave (Traditional) / Gary Owen March (Traditional)	95.300	2nd Place Division II Finalist
			74.100	20th Place Division I
1997	Riverdance	Riverdance, The Heart's Cry, Shivna, Woman of Sidhe, Russian Dervish, American Wake, Firedance & Home and the Heartland All from Riverdance by Bill Whelan	76.800	19th Place Division I
1998	Irish In Your Face	Irish Washerwoman (First Movement from Irish Suite) (Traditional), adapted by Leroy Anderson / Londonderry Air (Traditional), adapted by Percy Grainger / Irish Rhapsody by Victor Herbert	77.200	18th Place Division I
1999	Greensleeves	Flute Concerto Movement III by Christopher Rouse / The Girl I Left Behind (from Irish Suite) (Traditional), adapted by Leroy Anderson / Magh Seola (The Level Plain) by Gerard Fahy / The Cat Rambles to the Child's Saucepan (Traditional) / English Dances, 4th Mvt. by Malcolm Arnold / Dargason (from The Saint Paul's Suite – Mvt. 4) (Traditional), adapted by Gustav Holst	75.300	17th Place Division I Semifinalist
2000	Dances of Brigadoon	Fanfare / McConachy Square, Come To Me, Almost Like Being In Love & The Chase (from Brigadoon) by Alan Jay Lerner & Frederick Loewe	77.60	16th Place Division I Semifinalist
2001	Irish in the Civil War... A Quest for Freedom	Main Theme from Gettysburg by Randy Edelman / Variations on the Theme from Minstrel Boy by Frank McNamara / Over the Fence & Dawn (from Gettysburg) by Randy Edelman / Dixie by Daniel Decatur Emmett / Battle at Devil's Den (from Gettysburg) by Randy Edelman / America the Beautiful by Samuel A. Ward & Katharine Lee Bates	79.300	18th Place Division I
2002	Oliver!	Where is Love?, Main title theme, Be Back Soon, Consider Yourself, The Robbery, As Long as He Needs Me & Who Will Buy All from Oliver! by Lionel Bart	73.25	22nd Place Division I
2003	Spirit of the Pioneer	The Song of Moses by David Holsinger	72.300	23rd Place Division I
2004	Return to Ireland	By Loch and Mountain by Robert W. Smith / Irish Washerwoman (First Movement from Irish Suite) (Traditional), adapted by Leroy Anderson / Irish Washerwoman (Traditional), adapted by Robert W. Smith / Lord of the Dance by Ronan Hardiman / Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms (Traditional) by Thomas Moore / Riverdance by Bill Whelan	71.600	24th Place Division I
2005	This Place Called Ireland	Our Homeland, The Irish Spirit, Tragic Legacy & Celtic Pride All by Rick Kirby	71.525	23rd Place Division I
2006	Emeraldscapes	Tarantella (from The Blue Room and Other Stories) by Phil Kline / Slane (Traditional)	71.550	23rd Place Division I
2007	Fields of Green	Suite in E♭ by Gustav Holst / Dargason (from The Saint Paul's Suite – Mvt. 3) (Traditional), adapted by Gustav Holst / The Rakes of Mallow & Irish Washerwoman (Irish Suite, 1st Mvt.) (Traditional), adapted by Leroy Anderson / Minstrel Boy (Traditional) by Thomas Moore / Gary Owen March (Traditional)	73.325	22nd Place Division I
2008	Celtic Reflections	Suite in E♭ by Gustav Holst / Horkstow Grange (from Lincolnshire Posy) (Traditional), adapted by Percy Grainger / The Celtic Symphony by Brian Warfield / Richard III & Crown Imperial by William Walton	74.125	20th Place World Class
2009	Celtic Trinity	Three Celtic Dances by Brian Balmages / Into The Raging River by Steven Reineke	75.750	21st Place World Class
2010	Corps Prayer	Swing Low, Sweet Chariot by Wallace Willis / Make His Praise Glorious by Bill and Robin Wolaver / The Prayer by David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager, Alberto Testa & Tony Renis / Stained Glass by David Gillingham / Old Hundredth (Doxology) by Loys Bourgeois	73.950	23rd Place World Class
2011	Celebrate	Four Scottish Dances by Malcolm Arnold / Song without Words, I'll Love My Love from 2nd Suite in F for Military Band (Traditional), adapted by Gustav Holst / New World Symphony by Antonin Dvořák / As Time Goes By (from Everybody's Welcome) by Herman Hupfeld	68.400	27th Place World Class
2012	Irish Immigrants: The Hands that Built America	New World Symphony by Antonín Dvořák / Recollections of Ireland by Ignaz Moscheles / I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen by Thomas P. Westendorf / I'm Shipping Up To Boston by Woody Guthrie, Al Barr, Ken Casey, Matt Kelly, James Lynch, Marc Orrell, Josh "Scruffy" Wallace & Tim Brennan	66.200	27th Place World Class
2013	A New Spirit	Doxology by Loys Bourgeois & Thomas Ken / Awesome God by Rich Mullins / It Is Well With My Soul by Philip Bliss & Horatio Spafford / Just A Closer Walk With Thee (Traditional) / When the Saints Go Marching In (Traditional), adapted by Luther G. Presley / The Hymn of Joy by Ludwig van Beethoven & Henry van Dyke / Gary Owen (Traditional)	69.050	28th Place World Class
2014	Joy!	A Mighty Fortress Is Our God by Martin Luther / We Gather Together by Adrianus Valerius / When the Saints Go Marching In by Virgil Oliver Stamps & Luther G. Presley / Hallelujah Chorus (from The Messiah, Part II) by George Frideric Handel / Irish Tune from County Derry (Traditional), adapted by Percy Grainger / Gary Owen (Traditional)	68.850	30th Place World Class
2015	Exodus: Divide the Sea, Unite the People	Exodus by Ernest Gold / The Ten Commandments by Elmer Bernstein / Man of Steel by Hans Zimmer	66.175	29th Place World Class
2016	The Story of St. Joan of Arc	Act I: Voices– Voices of the Sky by Samuel Hazo Act II: Conflict– Lauds (Praise High Day) by Ron Nelson Act III: Capture and Condemnation– Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber Act IV: Ascension– Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky	68.375	29th Place World Class
2017	Irish on Broadway: The Music of Les Misérables	Look Down, At the End of the Day, Master of the House, On My Own, The Attack on Rue Plumet & One Day More All from Les Misérables by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, Jean-Marc Natel & Herbert Kretzmer	65.913	34th Place World Class
2018	Celtic Dragons	The Awakening by Rob Stein, Dave Campbell & Julia Coleman / Taking Flight (from How To Train Your Dragon) by John Powell / Dragon Fire & Beneath the Earth and Sky by Rob Stein, Dave Campbell & Julia Coleman	64.300	36th Place World Class

Traditions

Pioneer has a tradition of Irish and Celtic influence in its uniforms and musical programs. This and the corps' shamrock logo are a heritage of the Imperials of St. Patrick.

Since the corps' days in Division III, Pioneer's motto has been "Better Every Day". This motto had been used by the Marion (OH) Cadets D&B corps, who in 1990 allowed Pioneer to also use it.

Whether it was a part of the year's musical program or not, from at least the mid-1990s Pioneer concluded each performance by marching off the field and/or "trooping the stands" (marching across the front of the grandstand in parade formation) while playing the traditional Irish air Garryowen (better known as the Garry Owen march). This tradition has occurred less frequently since 2010 but is still performed at parades.

A picture of "The Blenski Stone" at the entrance of the main field at Pioneerland in Cudahy, Wisconsin.

Purchased on St. Patrick's Day in 1993, the "Pioneer Musical Youth Center", better known as "Pioneerland", is a 7 acres (2.8 ha) property in the Milwaukee suburb of Cudahy, Wisconsin, which is the corps' own rehearsal and storage facility.

External links

• Official site