The Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps is a World Class competitive junior drum and bugle corps based in Concord, California. The Blue Devils are members of Drum Corps International (DCI).[1] They have finished in the top three at the DCI World Championships since 2006, and have placed no lower than fifth since 1992. They also hold the record for the highest score in DCI history, winning the 2014 DCI World Championships with a score of 99.65.[2] The Blue Devils hold a record of twenty-one titles to date.
History
In 1957, Tony and Ann Odello and the Concord VFW post assumed control of the Martinettes, a defunct drum corps and drill team. They reorganized the unit as the Blue Devils. Initially, the group performed as an all-boy drum corps with an all-girl drill team. In 1958, the Blue Devils added glockenspiels, becoming a drum and bell corps, while the girls became a separate baton twirling troupe, the Majorettes. The two units continued to perform together, winning numerous state and local competitions between 1957 and 1970.[citation needed] In 1961, the Blue Devils added a flag section to the unit that was then competing in the state's Junior division. In 1968, the drum and bell corps moved into Senior Division competition, and the new junior corps, Blue Devils B, was founded.
In 1970, a group of buglers was added to the Blue Devils drums and flags, and the corps entered its first competition as the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. By 1972, the unit, now with over seventy members, advanced from Class B competition to Class A and traveled on tour outside California for the first time. The summer of 1973 marked the Blue Devils first national tour and their first appearance at the Drum Corps International World Championships in Whitewater, Wisconsin. The younger Blue Devils C Drum and Bugle Corps was also formed in 1973. In 1976, the Blue Devils won the first of the corps' twenty-one DCI World Championship titles.
In 2014, the Blue Devils won their sixteenth DCI World Championship. At the DCI Finals in Indianapolis on August 9, the corps received a record high score of 99.650.[7] The Blue Devils are also the only corps to have crossed the 99-point threshold twice in DCI World Championship history, achieving a 99.050 in 2009, and a 99.650 in 2014.
In the Blue Devils' 2017 program, voiceovers were used from a newly-discovered audio tape recording of the late former director Jerry Seawright addressing the crowd at the Blue Devils' first appearance as a drum and bugle corps in 1972.[8][9]
In 2023, the Blue Devils claimed their first Three-Peat in the corps’ history. After winning in 2019, 2022 and now its third title in a row, the corps reached a DCI Title “Three-Peat”. The Cadets and The Cavaliers are the only other World Class corps to reach such a feat in Drum Corps International history.
BD Performing Arts also sponsors the Blue Devils B, the Blue Devils C, the Blue Devils Open Class and A Class Winter Guards programs, the Diablo Wind Symphony, and BD Entertainment.
In 2015, BD Performing Arts added the Blue Devils International Corps, a 97-member unit made up of alumni of the Blue Devils and 8 other DCI World Class corps. The corps spent more than a month traveling and performing in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Switzerland, concluding with 9 days and 15 performances of their show at the Basel Tattoo in Switzerland.[11] A similar tour was planned for 2020, with stops in Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and the Basel Tattoo in Switzerland, but was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[12]
Pale blue background indicates DCI World Class Finalist[a]
Dark gold background indicates DCI World Class Champion[a]
^ abFrom 1972-1991, the Blue Devils competed in Open Class; from 1992-2007 in Division I, and since 2008 in World Class. These are the same tier, just renamed.
Chicago III Suite (Canon by James Pankow; Mother by Robert Lamm; Once Upon a Time by James Pankow & Free by Robert Lamm), adapted by Stan Kenton / La Suerte de Los Tontos (from Cuban Fire Suite) by Johnny Richards / A Pauper in Paradise by Gino Vannelli / My Heart Belongs to Me by Alan Gordon
Selections from Tommy Sparks, See Me Feel Me, Tommy Can You Hear Me, Pinball Wizard, Underture, Listening To You & Overture Finale All from Tommy by Pete Townshend (The Who)
A Don Ellis Portrait Open Wide & Great Divide by Don Ellis / Chain Reaction by Hank Levy / Strawberry Soup & Niner-Two by Don Ellis
95.100
4th Place Division I Finalist
1994
My Spanish Heart Spanish Fantasy, Part 1; Night Streets; Day Danse; My Spanish Heart & Spanish Fantasy, Part 4 All from My Spanish Heart by Chick Corea
Rhythms... At the Edge of Time Rhythm 1 – Afrocuban/Malambo: Estancia by Alberto Ginastera Rhythm 2 – Rhumba: Rhumba for Orchestra – Rhumba by Graeme Koehne Rhythm 3 – Samba: Rhumba for Orchestra – Samba by Graeme Koehne Rhythm 4 – Tango: Adios Nonino by Astor Piazolla Rhythm 5 – Jazz: Unchained Melody by Graeme Koehne Rhythm 6 – Swing: The Dirty Boogie by Brian Setzer
Awayday Blue Awayday by Adam Gorb / Fantasy Variations (on George Gershwin's Second Prelude for Piano) by Donald Grantham / Paganini Variations by Philip Wilby
Jazz: Music Made in America Ragtime, adapted by Randy Newman / I Got Rhythm (from Girl Crazy) & Fascinating Rhythm by George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin / House of the Rising Sun (Traditional) / Channel One Suite by Bill Reddie
Winged Victory Bird and Bela in B Flat, Mvt. 2 by Don Sebesky / Celebrare Celeberrime by Carl Vine / Introduction to Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky / Pegasus by Hank Levy / The Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky / The Kiss by Michael Torke
The Beat My Heart Skipped A House Is Not a Home, Summer of 77, Walk On By, One Less Bell To Answer, Woman, I Say A Little Prayer, Wives and Lovers & God Give Me Strength All by Burt Bacharach
The Re:Rite of Spring The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky / The Rite of Spring by Don Sebesky / The ReWrite of Spring by Darryl Brenzel
98.050
2nd Place World Class Finalist
2014
Felliniesque Act 1 – Fellini's Religion: Old Toys (from Iris) by Danny Elfman / La Strada Theme by Nino Rota Act 2 – Fellini's Circus: The Clowns by Nino Rota / Circo Compagnia by Gordon Goodwin Act 3 – Fellini's Fantasy: Be Italian (from Nine) by Maury Yeston / Movie Studio (from Iris) by Danny Elfman
Ink Dark Forest by Dave Glyde / The Ballad of Sweeney Todd & The Giant Attack (from Into the Woods) by Stephen Sondheim / The Mad Hatter's Tea Party by Gordon Goodwin / I Like You by J.Y. Park (GOT7) / Children Will Listen & Last Midnight (from Into the Woods) by Stephen Sondheim
The Cut Outs Proverb by Steve Reich / The Rise by Dave Glyde / Caves by Cody Fry / Jojo's Bizarre Adventure by Tominaga, Fujibayashi, Tanaka / Stardust Crusaders (Jotaro's Theme) by Yugo Kanno / Resistance by Dave Glyde / Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell / Of Energy by TesseracT / Incident In Jazz by Bob Graettinger / Grand Canyon Fanfare by James Newton Howard
98.975
1st Place World Class Champion
2024
The Romantics Romantics Whisper by Dave Glyde / And the Heavens Shall Tremble by Russell Brower and Matt Uelmen / Fable Legends (Title Theme) by Russell Shaw / Merry Go Round by Joe Hisaishi / Shattered Pixel by Dave Glyde / Game Girl by Dave Glyde / Time by Billy Porter / Distance by Dave Glyde / Can You Hear the Music by Ludwig Goransson / Poor Things (Finale) by Jerskin Fendrix
^In 2001, the Blue Devils and the Cadets tied for 2nd place.
^To date, this is the highest score received by any corps at DCI World Championships.
Caption awards
At the annual World Championship Finals, Drum Corps International (DCI) presents awards to the corps with the high average scores from prelims, semifinals, and finals in five captions. The Blue Devils have won these caption awards:[14]
The Blue Devils B Drum and Bugle Corps are an Open Class competitive junior drum and bugle corps based in Concord, California. The corps is a member of Drum Corps International and has grown from a feeder corps for the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps to a full-fledged Drum Corps in its own right. The corps has won the DCI Open Class World Championship five times.[15]
History
In 1968, the original Blue Devils corps moved up from B Class competition to A Class, and the Blue Devils B was started as a younger cadet corps. In 1973, the Blue Devils B converted from a drum and bell corps to a drum and bugle corps.[16]
As a cadet corps, the unit performed for years almost exclusively on the West Coast. Only when the World Championships were held in Pasadena, California did the Blue Devils B become a regular competitor in the Division II & III (now Open Class) Championships. The Blue Devils B won the first of three consecutive Open Class World Championships in Indianapolis in 2009. In 2011, the corps also competed in World Class preliminaries, finishing in 19th place and earning membership in DCI.
On September 5, 2018, BD Performing Arts, Vanguard Music & Performing Arts, and Drum Corps International announced that the Blue Devils B had "decided to travel and compete only in California for the 2019 season" and that both the Blue Devils B and the Vanguard Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps would not attend DCI Open Class Championships in 2019.[17][18]
Malaguena by Ernesto Lecuona / Samba de Haps by Mark Taylor
1983–88
Repertoires unavailable
1989
Suncats (Unknown) / Night Flight by Steve Robertson & Terry Shalberg
1990
Flight of the Condor by Dave Grusin / Bossa Corona by Bill Wiedrich / San Juan by Claus Ogerman / Samba de Haps by Mark Taylor / Don't Let Me be Lonely Tonight by James Taylor
Baroque Samba by Darmon Meader / Space Shuttle by John LaBarbera / Now or Never by Caprice Fox, Darmon Meader, Kim Nazarian, Peter DeRose, Peter Eldridge & Sara Krieger (New York Voices)
Nutville by Horace Silver / Guaguancó by Arturo Sandoval / Night of the Capricorn Moon by Mike Vax / Minuano by Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays / Scott and Fran's Paso Doble (from Strictly Ballroom) by David Hirschfelder
86.000
4th Place Division II Finalist
1998
There's No Place Like Home The Wiz Medley & Believe in Yourself (from The Wiz) by Charlie Smalls / On Dangerous Ground Medley by Bernard Herrmann / Witches' Themes (from the Wizard of Oz) by Herbert Stothart / Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky / Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz / Over the Rainbow (from The Wizard of Oz) by Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg / So You Want to See The Wizard, Home & Brand New day (from The Wiz) by Charlie Smalls
Blue Fusion: The Music of the New York Voices and Pat Metheney Baroque Samba by Darmon Meader / The Sultan Fainted by Darmon Meader & Peter Eldridge / Third Wind by Lyle Mays & Pat Metheny / Letter From Home by Pat Metheny / Minuano by Lyle Mays & Pat Metheny
88.375
7th Place Division II Finalist
2005
3 Generations Grandparents, Parents & Children All by John Meehan
Did not attend World Championships
2006
Chain Reactions Fission by John Meehan, Vinnie Angelo & Mark Higgenbotham / Propagation & Mutual Excitation by John Meehan & Vinnie Angelo / Fusion by John Meehan, Vinnie Angelo & Mark Higgenbotham
89.350
6th Place Division II Finalist
2007
Trilogy Trilogy, Jerusalem & C'est la Vie by Keith Emerson & Greg Lake / Piano Concerto No. 1 by Keith Emerson / Karn Evil 9 by Keith Emerson, Greg Lake & Peter Sinfield
90.875
4th Place Division II Finalist
2008
Flight Flight by John Meehan & John Mackey / Turbine by John Mackey / Through the Night, Turbulence & Final Approach and Landing by John Meehan & John Mackey
96.775
2nd Place Open Class Finalist
2009
Pursuit... Original Music by John Meehan & John Mapes / Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap
95.500
1st Place Open Class Champion
2010
Space Introduction and March & Battle: Planning the Attack; Return Fire & The Last Missile (from Interstellar Suite) by Amin Bhatia / Lux Arumque by Eric Whitacre / Aha! by Imogen Heap / Original Music by John Meehan
97.550
1st Place Open Class Champion
2011
Syncronicity Synchronicity I by Sting / Kaleidoscope Heart by Sara Bareilles / Murder by Numbers by Sting / Krump by Scott McAllister / Synchronicity II by Sting / Original Music by John Meehan
95.000
1st Place Open Class Champion
76.450
19th Place World Class Semifinalist
2012
Ecstatic Waters Ecstatic Waters by Steven Bryant / Kingfishers Catch Fire by John Mackey / Over the Edge, Splashdown & River's End by John Meehan, Brian Dinkle & John Mapes
93.850
2nd Place Open Class Finalist
73.600
21st Place World Class Semifinalist
2013
Warped Dom Pedro's Revenge (5th Mvt. of The Legend of Alcobaca) by Jim Sochinski / Bizarro by Michael Daugherty / Serenada Schizophrana by Danny Elfman / Original Music by John Meehan
95.700
2nd Place Open Class Finalist
77.950
20th Place World Class Semifinalist
2014
Noir [nuvo] Young and Beautiful (from The Great Gatsby) by Lana Del Rey / Brute Force (from The Naked City) by Miklós Rózsa / Theme (from The Usual Suspects) by John Ottman / Children's Hour of Dreams by Charles Mingus / Asphalt Cocktail by John Mackey / Film Noir/Pursuit (from Iris) by Danny Elfman
To The Moon Claire de Lune by Claude Debussy / Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine by Eric Whitacre / Space Race by John Meehan / Hostility: Intruder Alert & The Attack by Amin Bhatia / Symphony No. 10, Mvt. 2 by Dimitri Shostakovich / Countdown and Launch by Maverick Peterson & Dave Glyde / Adagio from Spartacus by Aram Khachaturian / Main Title (from Apollo 13) by James Horner
I AM Original Music by John Meehan, Sean Clark & Chavadith Tantavirojn
81.588
3rd Place Open Class Finalist
78.375
22nd Place World Class Semifinalist
2023
Fathers of Electricity Original Music by John Meehan, Sean Clark & Chavadith Tantavirojn
Did not attend World Championships
2024
Sacred Geometry Ordo Virtutum by Hildegard von Bingen / O Magnum Mysterium by Tomas Luis de Victoria / Geometry by Sean Clark and Chavadith Tantavirojn / Primacy of Number by Philip Glass / Stabat Mater by Jean-Charles Gandrille / The Laws of Nature by Sean Clark and Chavadith Tantavirojn / Once Upon a Castle by Michael Daughtry
82.475
2nd Place Open Class Finalist
81.075
20th Place World Class Semifinalist
Blue Devils C Drum and Bugle Corps
The Blue Devils C Drum and Bugle Corps are an Open Class competitive junior drum and bugle corp and a feeder corps for the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps.[20]
As a junior cadet corps, with members aged 8–14, the unit for many years performed only as a parade and exhibition unit, not entering actual competition. The corps began entering field competitions in 2001, but the corps still performs almost exclusively on the West Coast.
You're a Grand Old Flag by George M. Cohan / Bandstand Boogie by Charles Albertine / Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing) by Louis Prima / Rock and Roll (The Hey Song) by Gary Glitter & Mike Leander
WOZ Ease on Down the Road (from The Wiz) by Charlie Smalls / We're Off to See the Wizard, Over the Rainbow & If I Only Had a Brain (from The Wizard of Oz) by Harold Arlen & E. Y. Harburg / Brand New day (from The Wiz) by Charlie Smalls
The Greatest Show on Turf Entry of the Gladiators (Thunder and Blazes) by Julius Fučík / Fantasy on Two Folk Songs by Nikolai Pavlovich Budashkin / Over the Waves by Juventino Rosas
The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour, Can't Buy Me Love, Yesterday, "Eleanor Rigby", Drive My Car, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band All by Lennon–McCartney
It's About Time! Dr. Who Theme by Ron Grainer / What Time Is It? by Matthew Gerrard & Robbie Nevil / Don't Stop Me Now by Freddie Mercury / My Life Would Suck Without You by Max Martin, Lukasz Gottwald & Claude Kelly
