- Oregon Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps
-
Oregon Crusaders 
Location Portland, Oregon Division Open Class Founded 1999 Director Michael "Papa Q" Quillen Championship Titles 2004 (Division III) Uniform Green jacket with black and white compass rose, black pants, black shoes, black shako with black plume The Oregon Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps (previously known as the Southern Oregon Crusaders) is a Drum Corps International Open Class drum corps based in Portland, Oregon. The corps is known for its undefeated championship season in Div. III in 2004. The corps currently contains around 90 members of age 14 to 21.[1]
Contents
Mission statement
OC in 2008.
The symbol of the Oregon Crusaders is the OC1 compass rose, along with the tagline "Oregon's Major League Team in Marching Music."
OC's mission statement, according to its official web site, is as follows:
The Oregon Crusaders holds a deep-seated philosophy of Education Through Performance. Our purpose, engrained in the by-laws of our organization, is to provide education through performance in the areas of percussion, brass, dance and visual ensemble artistry.
We believe that through the group’s achievement of artistic and performance excellence, and through the addition of a leadership curriculum that draws upon some of the leading leadership training methodologies used in corporate America, the organization provides the educational, cultural, interpersonal, physical and emotional growth necessary for our young people to become leaders.
It is with this philosophy that we have created Oregon's Major League Team in marching music.[2]
History
The Oregon Crusaders junior drum and bugle corps was founded in 1970 by brothers Ron and David Jones as the "Dickensons Oregon Crusaders" based in Oregon City, Oregon. The organization would later merge with another Northwest based corps, the Imperial Cadets, to form what was then known as the "Imperial Crusaders". The title 'Crusaders' was later used in the fall of 1999, when founded what became known as the "Southern Oregon Crusaders" based out of Medford, Oregon. In the fall of 2001, Bill Perkins, a longtime champion of the activity along with a number of dedicated staff successfully relocated the corps to the greater Portland Metro area and officially returned the corps title to "Oregon Crusaders" after the original Clackamas-based corps.
2001-03
In 2002 with their production "Stormworks" and in 2003 with Mysterious Mountain - a tribute to the music of Alan Hovaness (a program co-arranged by original corps founder Ron Jones), the corps fielded a fledgling and committed ensemble competing in what was then known as DCI Division III at select NW shows, including Woodburn, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; and Boise, Idaho. This inceptive work became the nucleus of performance excellence steering the organization towards the successes to come.
The Oregon Crusaders in 2004.2004-06
Since that time, the Crusaders have the Division III championship in 2004 and in 2006, receiving fourth place in the Division II Drum Corps International World Championships. In 2007 their show "Gates", advanced to 4th place finish in the new combined Open Class Championships in 2008 with their show "Inner Connections", and placed as a DCI Open Class Finalist in 2009 with their show "Equilibrium".
In the year 2004, the corps moved past its regional travel to field its largest corps since Imperial Crusaders with the show entitled "Metro Metals" featuring the music of Samuel Hazo's "Ride", Eric Whitacre's "Sleep", and Charles Rochester Young's "Tempered Steel". This Div III group went on to win the coveted DCI Division III finals in Denver, Colorado, as part of an undefeated season.
In 2005, the Corps experienced massive growth early in the season. Fielding Division II corps of 135 members, many talented musicians auditioned and joined the ranks of a. The corps grew to the final number of 106 members, taking their show "Sands of Time" at the 2006 DCI world Championships.
During the 2006 season, the corps fielded 94 members for their show "Echo", achieving 4th place in DCI's Division II. The corp's bassline competed in the DCI I&E (Individual and Ensemble) competition, placing first out of all the basslines competing.
2007-present
2007 represented a transformative year for OC. Much of the previous post 2003 staff abandoned the corps and moved to the Seattle Cascades, while board member Dr. Phillip Marshall ("Dr. Phil") was elected by the board as Executive Director. Jeff Bush (percussion) and Travis Moddison (brass) joined Dr. Phil in re-establishing the corps with an all new staff and modernized style. The program was titled "Gates", featuring "Selections from Philip Glass to Ney Rosauro". The corps ended the season with a 5th place finish in their division at DCI Championships in Pasadena, California. Drum Majors Rick Vranish and Haili Sun.]
The 2008 Oregon Crusaders perform their program, "Inner Connections."2008 represented a significant move forward competitively, as the show "Inner Connections", which was based on a yoga type named the same, garnered the organization's highest score ever - 93.025 - at DCI's semifinals, now competing in the new "Open Class" which combined Division II and III. OC finished 4th at finals. Missy Goodling joined the organization for the colorguard, and Todd Zimbelman drove the creative program as Program Coordinator. Drum Majors Rick Vranish and Graham Kim.
With another Todd Zimbelman program - "Equilibrium" - the Oregon Crusaders fielded 72 performers and received 8th place in Open Class, performing in the new Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Drum Majors Rachel McCoy and Samantha Rohrich.
OC's 2010 program was arranged by Travis Moddison, entitled "Dance of the Flames". Fielding 79 performers, the corps scored a 94.00 at DCI Finals in Indianapolis, achieving its highest score in its history. OC placed second in Open Class, only losing to Blue Devils B. Additionally, this year numerous corps members placed first or second in their division at I&E; The Oregon Crusaders Brass Ensemble #2 placed first with an 88.5, Leila Hawana (marimba) won first with a 95.0, The Oregon Crusaders Bass Drum Ensemble took first with a 92.55, with part of their selection a tribute to the corps' first place bass drum ensemble in 2006, Kyle Peterson (French horn) won first with an 89.6, Kelsey Jenkins (dance) placed second with a 94.5, and the OC Brass Ensemble #1 placed second with an 86.0. Drum majors Graham Kim and Kaleigh Hull.
OC Indoor
As of 2008, the Oregon Crusaders march an independent percussion ensemble that competes during the winter at various events and competitions within the NWAPA and WGI circuits. The Oregon Crusaders Indoor ensemble, in its inaugural season, took first place at the 2009 WGI world championships in the A class. In 2010, the ensemble placed third in the Open class. And most recently, in the 2011 season and their first year in World Class competition, OC Indoor took fifteenth place and was a World Class finalist.
From the OCI web site:
OC Indoor is a competitive indoor percussion ensemble formed in the fall of 2008 in order to give local students an opportunity to continue or further their performance opportunities beyond high school. For years, students from our area were forced to either relocate or spend thousands of dollars in order to participate in a group of this nature. In only our first year of competition, OCI won both the regional and World championships. Once accepted in OCI, students will be receiving instruction and show design of the highest caliber available.
OCI is part of our parent organization, THE OREGON CRUSADERS which includes both the Oregon Crusaders Indoor Percussion Ensemble (OCI) and the Oregon Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps.[3]
Traditions
The traditions of the Oregon Crusaders are heavily influenced by the backgrounds of its designers, including Mike Stevens (Blue Devils/Cadets), Travis Moddison (Cadets), Todd Zimbelman (marching wind ensembles) and Dylan Thompson (Santa Clara Vanguard).
Some traditions include:
- The chant "OC - CRUSADE!"
- "Going T-Mode", where the members turn their hats backwards for the final run through (a term used to parody Travis Moddison's love for backwards hats)
- The "walk" on the final rehearsal evening of the season, where the corps members march forward 5 yards for every year they've been in the corps, followed by the staff marching, twirling and playing to the demands of the corps.
- The Oregon Crusaders' rendition of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" before every show.
- Shouting "Stadium Lights!" on the approach to the performing facility, or in the case of the unfinished Lucas Oil Stadium in the 2009 season, "Stadium Crane."
- The color guard has a tradition of naming sections of choreography, counts and movements after things that affected their summer. For example, in the ending movement of the 2009 show "Equilibrium," a toss was counted: "1-3-4 duh duh OUT, GET IT WALL-E, catch."
On the last full day of rehearsal it is traditional for the entire corps to wear a cape typically composing of a towel, commonly referred to as "Cape Day". Occurring on the same day, it is tradition for trumpets to wear a tie in conjunction with their cape, thus the day being called "trumpet cape and tie day" by trumpets only.
Shows by Year
The following is according to CorpsReps.com.[4]
Year
Show Title
Repertoire
Score
Placement
2000
Music With a Latin Flair
Living La Vida Loca / Smooth / Hot, Hot, Hot
2001
Fantasia 2000
Fifth Symphony / The Sorcerer's Apprentice / Firebird Suite
2002
Stormworks
The Storm / Mourning of Destruction / Rebuilding
2003
Mysterious Mountain:
A Tribute to the Music of Alan HovhanessMysterious Mountain (Symphony 1) / Mount St. Helens Symphony (Symphony 50)
2004
Metro Metal
Bronze: Ride / Silver: Sleep / Gold: Tempered Steel
87.425
1 (Div. III)
2005
The Sands of Time
Festival of Light / Vintage / Original Music
88.600
8 (Div. II)
2006
Echo
Echo / Snow Caps / Equus
92.675
4 (Div. II)
2007
Gates
1000 Airplanes on the Roof / Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra / Acrostic Song (from Final Alice) / Wild Nights (from Harmonium)
80.775
5 (Div III)
2008
Inner Connections
Danza de los Duendes
93.025
4 (Open)
2009
Equilibrium
Philadelphia Stories
87.95
8 (Open)
2010
Dance of the Flames
The Dance of the Flames / Arabian Waltz / Of Sailors and Whales / Prayer Cycle, Mvt. 3: Hope / Kingfishers Catch Fire
94.00
2 (Open)
2011
The Blue Hour
Moonlight Sonata / Blue Shades / Music of John Mackey / Music of Ginastera / Music of Beltrami / Music of Debney
94.700 (Open) 75.150 (World)
2 (Open) 22 (World)
See also
References
External links
Categories:- DCI Open Class corps
- Musical groups established in 1999
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