Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps

Blue Stars

Location	La Crosse, WI
Division	World Class
Founded	1964
President	Kevin Hanson
Director	Brad Harris
Championship titles	CYO : 1973 VFW : 1977 DCI Open Class: 1989 1993 2001 2003
Website	www.bluestars.org

The Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps is a World Class competitive junior drum and bugle corps. Based in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the Blue Stars was one of the thirteen founding member corps of Drum Corps International.

History

The Blue Stars, 2008

The Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps was founded in 1964 by Frank Van Voorhis and David Dummer. That first year, there was only a color guard, but soon the color guard merged with the Apple Arrows Drum and Bugle Corps of La Crescent, Minnesota to become the Blue Stars. The Blue Stars took to the streets in 1965 as a competitive parade corps. They were sponsored by First Federal Savings and Loan and were known as the First Federal Blue Stars. In order to raise funds, First Federal issued stock in the corps and sold it to the citizens of LaCrosse. ^{[1] [2]}

In 1966, the corps moved into field competition, and found immediate success, winning several competitions, including the Minnesota State American Legion Championships, before traveling to Washington, DC for the American Legion National Championships, where they finished 20th of 47 junior corps. The following year, the corps finished 10th of the 25 corps competing at the VFW Nationals in New Orleans. This commenced a streak that continued from 1966 through 1979, wherein the corps advanced to the finals of every major competition they entered. During this streak, the Blue Stars won the 1973 Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) Nationals and the 1977 VFW National Championships. ^[2]

In 1971, at the urging of Cavaliers founder Don Warren and Troopers founder Jim Jones, the Blue Stars, Cavaliers, Madison Scouts, Santa Clara Vanguard, and the Troopers formed the Midwest Combine. This action was taken in reaction to the rigid, inflexible rules of the American Legion and VFW (the primary rule makers and sponsors of both corps and shows) and the low or nonexistent performance fees paid for appearing in the various competitions. The corps felt that not only were they having their creative potential as artistic performing groups stifled, but they were being financially starved. (A similar group of Eastern corps, the United Organization of Junior Corps (also known as the "Alliance"), was formed by the 27th Lancers, Garfield Cadets, Boston Crusaders, Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights, and Blue Rock.) The Combine members felt that the corps should be making their own rules, operating their own competitions and championships, and keeping the bulk of the money those shows earned. For the 1971 season, the corps stuck together, offering show promoters the five corps as a package. Despite pressure on show sponsors, judges, and other drum corps, the Combine corps were not only booked into a number of shows together, but they found a host for a show of their own, which was a spectacular success despite fears of failure that lasted until a standing-room-only crowd arrived literally at the last moment. ^[3]

In 1972, the Blue Stars, along with the nine other corps from the Midwest Combine and the Alliance, plus the Anaheim Kingsmen, Argonne Rebels, and De La Salle Oaklands were founding members of Drum Corps International, which remains as the sanctioning body for junior corps in North America. At the first DCI World Championships in Whitewater, Wisconsin, the Blue Stars finished in second place in a competition that featured thirty-nine corps from the East, the South, the West Coast, the Midwest and Great Plains, and Canada. For DCI's first eight years, Blue Stars were an annual finalist. In 1980, the corps missed finals, finishing in 13th place and continued to decline for the next two years. The corps, no longer sponsored by First Federal and beset with heavy debt and declining membership, ceased operations after the 1982 season. ^{[1] [2]}

Some alumni of the corps refused to see the Blue Stars die. Building a new organization, LBS Cadets, Inc., on the ashes of the old, they returned a corps the field in 1983, competing in the Cadet Corps International circuit under the name, Blue Star Cadets, because the original corps and the Blue Stars name were still encumbered with debt. In 1985, the Blue Star Cadets began competing in Class A60 in Drum Corps Midwest (DCM), which the original corps had helped found in 1978. In 1986, the Blue Star Cadets finished 7th of 20 corps in the DCI Class A60 prelims. Although the corps missed making DCI Finals, the new organization had paid off enough of the old one's debt to regain use of the name, Blue Stars. In the years after regaining its name, the Blue Stars became one of the most consistently competitive corps in Divisions II and III (now Open Class), never placing lower than 5th in its division. The corps won the Class A60 World Championship in 1989 and the renamed Division III World Championship titles in 1993, 2001, and 2003. ^{[1] [2]}

Disaster loomed in 2003, however, when the corps's fundraising bingo operation suddenly began losing money. A plea to the drum corps public resulted in an influx of funds that saw the corps survive the season that culminated with its fourth DCI title--- earned while going undefeated in competition. The reorganization resulting from the crisis directed more attention across the river from Wisconsin into Minnesota and out into the rest of the Midwest with the result that the corps doubled in size from 53 to over one hundred members and moved into Division II competition for 2004. ^{[1] [4]}

The Blue Stars 50th Anniversary banner, 2014.

With the move to Division II, the Blue Stars began planning for expansion to the then-maximum drum corps size of 135 members and a return to Division I competition. In 2004, the corps placed 5th in Division II, rose to 3rd place in 2005, and returned to Division I competition in 2006 for the first time since 1982. In 2006 and 2007, the corps finished in 14th place at the DCI Division I World Championship Finals. In 2007, the corps introduced a more contemporary uniform design, abandoning the cross-straps and buckle used for the majority of its existence, although their trademark helmet was retained until late in the 2008 season. In 2008, the Blue Stars qualified for World Class Championship Finals for the first time since 1979, and finished in 8th place each season from 2008 to 2010. In 2010, the corps finished with a 91.9, the highest World Class finals score in corps history. The corps missed finals for a single season in 2012 when they placed 13th, before re-entering finals in 2013 placing 12th, and moving up to 9th place in 2014. ^[1] After placing 11th, 9th, and 10th respectively from 2015 to 2017, the corps again finished 8th in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. In 2020, the corps cancelled its season (along with the rest of DCI) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cadet corps

After the Blue Stars name had been returned to the corps, a cadet corps for younger members was formed. Initially, this was a parade drum and bugle corps. In order to broaden its appeal, the Blue Star Cadets were converted to a youth band with woodwinds as well as brass and percussion instruments. The group has been inactive for several years. ^[5]

Alumni corps

The Blue Stars Alumni Corps was started in 2005 and marches annually in the La Crosse Oktoberfest parade. ^[6] In 2014, the alumni corps performed in exhibition at the corps' home show on July 12 to celebrate the corps' 50th anniversary.

Show summary (1972–2024)

Source: ^[7]

Key

Light blue background indicates DCI Open Class Finalist [lower-alpha 1]

Goldenrod background indicates DCI Open Class Champion [lower-alpha 1]

Pale green background indicates DCI World Class Semifinalist [lower-alpha 2]

Pale blue background indicates DCI World Class Finalist [lower-alpha 2]

1. From 1986–1992, the Blue Stars competed in Class A60, and from 1992–2005 in Division II & III; these are the same tier and have since been renamed Open Class.
2. From 1972–1982, the Blue Stars competed in Open Class, from 2006–2007 in Division I, and have competed since 2008 in World Class. These are the same tier, just renamed.

Year	Repertoire	World Championships
		Score	Placement
1972	Intermezzo (from First Suite in E-Flat) by Gustav Holst / First Federal March / Bridge Over Troubled Water by Paul Simon / Norwegian Wood by John Lennon & Paul McCartney / Scarborough Fair by Paul Simon / South Rampart Street Parade by Bob Haggart & Ray Bauduc / Green Leaves of Summer by Dimitri Tiomkin	87.45	2nd Place Open Class Finalist
1973	Suite for Band by Gustav Holst / First Federal March / Battle Hymn of the Republic by William Steffe & Julia Ward Howe / Malaga by Bill Holman / South Rampart Street Parade by Bob Haggart & Ray Bauduc / El Cid by Miklos Rosza & Paul Francis Webster / Conquest (from Captain from Castile) by Alfred Newman	85.50	3rd Place Open Class Finalist
1974	Tiger Rag by Nick LaRocca, Eddie Edwards, Henry Ragas, Tony Sbarbaro & Larry Shields / In the Mood by Wingy Manone, Joe Garland & Andy Razaf / El Cid by Miklos Rosza & Paul Francis Webster / Conquest (from Captain from Castile) by Alfred Newman / Hall of the Mountain King (from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1) by Edvard Greig / Light My Fire by Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore & Robby Krieger	75.70	12th Place Open Class Finalist
1975	Canzona by Peter Mennin / I've Been Searching So Long by James Pankow / Introduction by Terry Kath / The Ballad of Billy the Kid by Billy Joel / Soulero by Bob James & Richard Evans	87.50	5th Place Open Class Finalist
1976	Theme from Jaws by John Williams / O Bless The Lord (from Godspell) by Stephen Schwartz / Echano (from Children of Sanchez) by Chuck Mangione / Malagueña by Ernesto Lecuona / S.W.A.T. by Barry De Vorzon / Bellavia (from Children of Sanchez) by Chuck Mangione / Soulero by Bob James & Richard Evans	80.35	9th Place Open Class Finalist
1977	Wedding Dance by Joaques Press / Hatikvah (Israeli National Anthem) by Naftali Herz Imber & Shmuel Cohen / Hava Nagila (Traditional) / Selections from The Planets by Gustav Holst / Backwoods Sideman by John LaBarbera / If You Believe (from The Wiz) by Charlie Smalls / Soulero by Bob James & Richard Evans	84.30	6th Place Open Class Finalist
1978	Malaga by Bill Holman / Suite for Jazz Flute and Piano by Claude Bolling / Hatikvah (Israeli National Anthem) by Naftali Herz Imber & Shmuel Cohen / Hava Nagila (Traditional) / Selections from The Planets by Gustav Holst / Backwoods Sideman by John LaBarbera / Come In From the Rain by Melissa Manchester & Carole Bayer Sager / España by Emmanuel Chabrier	84.60	8th Place Open Class Finalist
1979	St. Louis Blues March by W. C. Handy, adapted by Glenn Miller / Birdland by Joe Zawinul / La Fiesta by Chick Corea / Strike Up the Band (from Strike Up the Band) by George Gershwin / Children of Sanchez by Chuck Mangione	83.05	10th Place Open Class Finalist
1980	Pontieo by Edu Lobo & José Carlos Capinam / Go Back Home by Sam Falzone / La Fiesta by Chick Corea / Children's Dance (from Merry Mount Suite) by Howard Hanson / March (from First Suite in E-Flat) & Military Suite in F by Gustav Holst	77.05	13th Place Open Class
1981	Mathis der Mahler by Paul Hindemith / Country Road by James Taylor / Charter Jazz Suite by Bill Holcombe / Carnival (from La Fiesta Mexicana) by H. Owen Reed / April in Paris by Vernon Duke & E. Y. Harburg	75.70	16th Place Open Class
1982	Canzona by Peter Mennin / Celebration Suite by Chick Corea / Alexander's Ragtime Band by Irving Berlin / Image of Maria by Mark Slater / Tiger Rag by Nick LaRocca, Eddie Edwards, Henry Ragas, Tony Sbarbaro & Larry Shields	53.10	37th Place Open Class
1983	American Salute by Morton Gould / Suicide Is Painless (from M*A*S*H) by Johnny Mandel / Come In From the Rain by Melissa Manchester & Carole Bayer Sager	Did not attend World Championships
1984	Come Follow the Band (from Barnum) by Cy Coleman / Moorside March by Gustav Holst / Rootbeer Rag by Billy Joel / Don't Get Around Much Anymore by Duke Ellington / Come In From the Rain by Melissa Manchester & Carole Bayer Sager
1985	My Favorite Things (from The Sound of Music) by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II / Scenes From An Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel / Jeanine by Kenny Burrell / Strike Up the Band (from Strike Up the Band) by George Gershwin / In Your Eyes by George Benson / Soulero by Bob James & Richard Evans
1986	My Favorite Things (from The Sound of Music) by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II / Day By Day & God Save the People (from Godspell) by Stephen Schwartz / I've Been Searching So Long by James Pankow / Soulero by Bob James & Richard Evans	71.70	7th Place Class A60 Finalist
1987	Rondo Capriccioso by Camille Saint-Saëns / Perpetual Rondo by Jean-Luc Ponty / At the End of the Day & I Dreamed a Dream (from Les Misérables) by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, Jean-Marc Natel & Herbert Kretzmer / Soulero by Bob James & Richard Evans	79.30	3rd Place Class A60 Finalist
		55.30	24th Place Open Class
1988	The Score / Don't Rain on My Parade (from Funny Girl) by Jule Styne & Bob Merrill / Selections from Les Misérables by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, Jean-Marc Natel & Herbert Kretzmer	75.10	3rd Place Class A60 Finalist
1989	Carmina Burana by Carl Orff	88.30	1st Place Class A60 Champion
		65.00	17th Place Open Class
1990	Rondo Capriccio by John Zdechlik / The Seventh Seal by Erik Nordgren	81.60	5th Place Class A60 Finalist
1991	For the Beauty of the Earth by Folliott Sandford Pierpoint / Praise Ye the Lord by John Rutter / Come Before Him by Dick Tunney & Melodie Tunney / Requiem Aeternam by John Rutter / Let There Be Praise by Dick Tunney & Melodie Tunney	84.70	3rd Place Class A60 Finalist
1992	Celebration of Music by John Rutter & GLAD A Mighty Fortress by Martin Luther / Amen by Bob Kauflin / Praise Ye the Lord by John Rutter / The Great Storm is Over by Bob Kauflin / Tag	82.40	8th Place Division II & III Finalist
1993	Selections from Candide Westphalia Chorale; Battle Music; Oh, Happy We; What A Day; Make Our Garden Grow & Overture All from Candide by Leonard Bernstein	85.40	1st Place Division III Champion
1994	Pictures at an Exhibition Promenade, Dance of the Unhatched Chickens, Hut of Baba-Yaga, Market Place at Limoges & The Great Gate of Kiev All from Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky	91.80	2nd Place Division III Finalist
		61.80	16th Place Division I
1995	Dance Pieces Armenian Dances by Alfred Reed / Liturgical Dances by David Holsinger	85.40	5th Place Division III Finalist
1996	Appalachian Spring Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland	87.80	3rd Place Division III Finalist
1997	Divine Comedy Inferno, Paradise & Ascension All from Symphony No. 1 (The Divine Comedy) by Robert W. Smith	93.40	2nd Place Division II Finalist
		67.20	26th Place Division I
1998	The Trials of Spartacus Spartacus Tone Poem by Jan Van der Roost / Love Theme (from Spartacus) by Aram Khachaturian / Symphony No. 3 by John Barnes Chance / War of the Elders (from Belkis, Regina di Saba) by Ottorino Respighi	85.70	5th Place Division III Finalist
1999	Ivan the Terrible Overture and Chorus, Song of the Fyodor Bazmanov, Uspensky's Cathedral, The Tartars, To Kazan, Humming Chorus & Dance of the Tsar's Men All from Ivan the Terrible by Sergei Prokofiev	92.20	2nd Place Division III Finalist
		70.20	26th Place Division I
2000	Carmina Burana Were diu werlt alle min; Tanz; In taberna quando sumus; Veni, veni, venias; In trutina; Ave formosissima & O Fortuna plango vulnera All from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff	89.55	5th Place Division II Finalist
2001	The Legend of Alcobaca Dom Pedro's Revenge (Mvt. 5), Ines (Mvt. 2) & Coronation of the Dead Queen (Mvt. 4) All from The Legend of Alcobaca by James Sochinski	88.50	1st Place Division III Champion
2002	Three Decades Jewish Fanfare and Chorale & Inferno (from Symphony No. 1 – The Divine Comedy) by Robert W. Smith / I Dreamed a Dream (from Les Misérables) by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, Jean-Marc Natel & Herbert Kretzmer / Overture to Candide by Leonard Bernstein	89.85	2nd Place Division III Finalist
2003	Visions of Blue Gavorkna Fanfare & Chorale and Toccata by Jack Stamp / Follies (from Divertimento) by Roger Cichy / Lento (from Dance Movements) by Philip Sparke / Symphony for Brass and Percussion, Mvt. 3 by Alfred Reed	88.60	1st Place Division III Champion
2004	Reloaded Gundam Wing by Kow Otani / Tank by Yoko Kanno / The Legend of Ashitaka (from Princess Mononoke) by Joe Hisaishi	91.500	5th Place Division II & III Finalist
2005	Pixelation: The Music of Final Fantasy The Man With the Machine Gun, Liberi Fatali, Isn't It Beautiful? & Don't Be Afraid All from Final Fantasy by Nobuo Uematsu	93.925	3rd Place Division II & III Finalist
2006	The Gift of Freedom Grover's Corner (from Our Town) by Aaron Copland / Simple Gifts by Elder Joseph Brackett / O Come Emmanuel (Traditional) / Liturgical Dances by David Holsinger / America The Beautiful by Samuel A. Ward	81.525	14th Place Division I Semifinalist
2007	Power and Grace The Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky / Swan Lake by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky / The Swan (from The Carnival of the Animals) by Camille Saint-Saëns	84.35	14th Place Division I Semifinalist
2008	Le Tour: Every Second Counts La Vie en Rose by Marguerite Monnot, Louis Guglielmi & Edith Piaf / Reverie by Claude Debussy / Toccata by Charles-Marie Widor / Pavane by Gabriel Faure / Pagodes, Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun & Suite Bergamasque (Claire De Lune) by Claude Debussy / Symphony No. 3 by Camille Saint-Saëns / Gymnopédies, No. 1 by Erik Satie / The Girl with the Flaxen Hair by Claude Debussy / Pavane for a Dead Princess & Le Tombeau de Couperin by Maurice Ravel	90.425	8th Place World Class Finalist
2009	The Factory Hardin County (from Lincoln) by Alan Menken / The Factory by Frank Sullivan / Fancy Free by Leonard Bernstein	90.05	8th Place World Class Finalist
2010	Houdini Notes on A Scandal & Morning Passages (from The Hours), Primacy of Number (from Naqoyqatsi) & The Illusionist by Philip Glass / Trapped by Frank Sullivan / Tearing Herself Away (from The Hours) by Philip Glass / The Mountain (from The Bucket List) by Marc Shaiman / Nixon in China by John Adams	91.90	8th Place World Class Finalist
2011	ReBourne Main Titles (from The Bourne Identity) by John Powell / Burly Brawl (from The Matrix Reloaded) by Don Davis / Bourne Gets Well (from The Bourne Identity) by John Powell / Trinity Definitely (from The Matrix Revolutions) by Don Davis / Treadstone Assassins (from The Bourne Identity) by John Powell / Bullet Time (from The Matrix) by Don Davis	86.20	11th Place World Class Finalist
2012	The Blue World Fate Has Smiled Upon Us by Marc Streitenfeld / The Explorers (from Symphony No. 1: A Sea Symphony) by Ralph Vaughan Williams / Variations on Symphony No. 9 (New World Symphony) by Antonín Dvořák / Original Music by Tom Aungst & Frank Sullivan	84.60	13th Place World Class Semifinalist
2013	Voodoo: I Put A Spell On You Voodoo by Richard Saucedo, Ian Grom & John Mapes / I Put A Spell On You by Screamin' Jay Hawkins / At Last by Harry Warren & Mack Gordon / One Speed by Graeme Revell	85.45	12th Place World Class Finalist
2014	Where the Heart Is The Chairman Dances by John Adams / Homeward Bound by Paul Simon / Home by Drew Pearson & Greg Holden / To Build a Home by Jason Swinscoe, Patrick Watson & Phil France (The Cinematic Orchestra) / Original Music by Richard Saucedo, Ian Grom & John Mapes	89.600	9th Place World Class Finalist
2015	Side Show Entrance of the Gladiators by Julius Fucik / The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze by Gaston Lyle & George Leybourne / I Will Never Leave You (from Side Show) by Henry Krieger & Bill Russell / Send in the Clowns (from A Little Night Music) by Stephen Sondheim / Carnivale by Jeff Beal / Original Music by Richard Saucedo, Ian Grom & John Mapes	85.150	11th Place World Class Finalist
2016	Le Rêve Overture by Benoit Jutras / Chapel by Benoit Jutras / Tristan und Isolde by Richard Wagner / The Dream Finale by Richard Saucedo, Ian Grom & John Mapes	89.050	9th Place World Class Finalist
2017	Star Crossed Romeo and Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev / Kissing You by Des'ree Weeks (aka Des'ree) & Tim Atack / Number One Crush by Butch Vig, Shirley Manson, Doug Erikson & Steve Marker (Garbage) / Young and Beautiful by Rick Nowels & Elizabeth Grant (aka Lana Del Rey) / Nature Boy by eden ahbez / Lady Marmalade by Bob Crewe & Kenny Nolan / Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend by Jule Styne & Leo Robin	87.398	10th Place World Class Finalist
2018	The Once and Future Carpenter We've Only Just Begun by Paul Williams & Roger Nichols / Skyscrapers by John Alden Carpenter / Precious Metals by Thomas Newman / (They Long To Be) Close to You by Burt Bacharach & Hal David / Rainy Days and Mondays & I Won't Last A Day Without You by Paul Williams & Roger Nichols	90.050	8th Place World Class Finalist
2019	Call of the Wild Concerto No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 8, RV 297 (Winter) by Antonio Vivaldi / Symphony No. 1 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky / Dance Panels by Aaron Copland / Sora by Yoko Kanno / Avalanche by Jim Wunderlich, Rick Barclay & Matthew Hernandez / The Great Thaw (Vuelie Reprise) by Frode Fjellheim & Christophe Beck	91.225	8th Place World Class Finalist
2020	Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021	@ The Top of the World In the Heights, No Me Diga, Piragua, Breathe, Everything I Know, The Club, Blackout & Finale All from In the Heights by Lin-Manuel Miranda	No scored competitions
2022	Of War & Peace War and Peace Symphonic Suite & Ballad of an Unknown Boy by Sergei Prokofiev / Variations for Oboe and Military Band by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov / No One Else by Dave Malloy / Confrontation on Eadu by Michael Giacchino / Dust and Ashes by Dave Malloy	92.775	7th Place World Class Finalist
2023	In Absintheia Avrio by Everfish / Green by Michael Torke / Let Me Drown by Orville Peck / Such Letting Go Is Love by The Symbion Project & Mellissa R. Kaplan / In Absintheia by Jim Wunderlich	88.625	11th Place World Class Finalist
2024	Universal Musical Selections by Steven Wilson, Yoko Kanno, Juris Karlsons, Tomas Kaco, Hogay Carmichael, SZA, Kendrick Lamar, Ultravox, and Coldplay

References

1. "Blue Stars/History". DCX: The Drum Corps Xperience. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
2. Vickers, Steve, ed. (2003). A History of Drum & Bugle Corps. Vol. 2. Drum Corps World.
3. "DCI.org News: Determination: Believing in the Midwest Combine". Drum Corps International. March 12, 2004. Archived from the original on 16 December 2022. Retrieved April 5, 2012.
4. "The Drum Corps Discussion Group". The Sound Machine. Archived from the original on 21 April 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2012.
5. "Blue Star Cadets Youth Band". Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved May 28, 2012.
6. "Blue Stars Alumni". Facebook. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
7. "Blue Stars". DCX: The Drum Corps Xperience. Retrieved 26 July 2022.

External links

• Official website