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World Drum Corps Hall of Fame member Steve Gadd’s self-titled album was named the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album during the recent 61st annual Grammy Awards. He had previously been nominated in the same category for his 2016 album titled Way Back Home: Live from Rochester, NY.

A native of Irondequoit, next door to Rochester, he is one of the best-known session and studio drummers in the music industry, featured on more than 600 albums since he began recording in the late 1960s. He was inducted into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame in September 2016 for Distinguished Professional Achievement.

In his early years in Rochester, he played snare drum with a number of area drum and bugle corps, including the national champion Rochester Crusaders. He credits his drum corps experience for teaching him the power of team members playing together, practicing hard trying to sound like just one person.

The Grammy award is the latest in a steady stream of honors over many years.

He was named to the Rochester Music Hall of Fame in 2018. In 2005, he received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Berklee College of Music for outstanding contributions to contemporary music. He was inducted into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame the same year. In 2003 he received the Zildjian American Drummer’s Achievement Award. He received the Drummer’s Collective Award in 2002.

He has been a member of the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame since 1984. In 1961 was one of about 70 high school students from across the country selected to play in the School Band of America, which visited 12 cities in six European countries during a four-week tour.

He’ll be returning to his hometown area on June 21, 2019 when his band headlines the Rochester Jazz Festival, performing at Kodak Hall at the Eastman Theatre

First violinist Diane Nicholeris, inducted into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame in September 2018 for Distinguished Professional Achievement, is featured in the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) Orchestra’s Playbill, as part of an ongoing series to introduce musicians to SFS orchestra fans and supporters.

The Playbill article is available at: https://www.sfsymphony.org/dianenicholeris

A former color guard captain with the St. Thomas Moore Squires of Braintree, Massachusetts, she credits her early drum corps experience with providing the impetus for her career.

Now an instructor of violin and viola students at San Jose University, she began her violin lessons at age 10, hoping to inspire her father to take up the instrument again. One year after she began lessons, she broke her wrist riding an escalator and needed extensive surgery. Because of the range, motion, and use of the hand that violin playing required, practicing became a good form of physical therapy. Although doctors did not expect her to regain any wrist function she persisted for six years to regain about 70 per cent use of wrist motion.

She studied with Joseph Silverstein at Boston University and Sylvia Rosenberg at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, where she received her Bachelor of Music Degree. Studying at Tanglewood she met Jahja Ling, former Associate Conductor of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, who suggested in 1984 that she audition for a violin vacancy. In addition to since providing more than 20 years of service to the orchestra, she has appeared as soloist with the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Rochester Philharmonic and the Music Academy of the West Orchestra in Santa Barbara, served as concertmaster for the Monterey County Symphony and enjoys performing chamber music concerts throughout the bay area.

She maintained her connection to drum and bugle corps over the years, occasionally judging contests.

Link for PDF File of Presidents Message

Wes Hobby, voice of drum corps for more than 40 years passes away at age 90

Milton “Wes” Hobby Jr., known widely as the voice of drum corps for more than 40 years, passed away at the age of 90 on November 14, 2018 at Bridgeport Hospital in Connecticut. He was inducted into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame in 2010 for lifetime achievement in drum and bugle corps activity.

Anyone who has attended a major drum corps contest or listened to the introductions on classic Fleetwood Records contest recordings has likely heard the voice of Wes Hobby. He is also the narrator on the Fleetwood “Reflections” series of recordings.

For more than 40 years, he served as the stadium announcer at major junior and senior contests across New England and beyond.

He graduated in 1948 after two years of study at Boston’s School of Radio, Television and Theatre and worked as a staff member and sports announcer at a number of radio stations in New England. During his morning radio show on station WADS in Ansonia, Connecticut he began playing a drum corps selection on the air each day. There were no drum corps recordings available to the public yet: his selections were tapes borrowed from Frank Ogle of the Connecticut Hurricanes. The Hurricanes invited him to announce their contest in 1958, the first of a steady stream of engagements over the next four decades.

He was the announcer for such notable events as Drum Corps Associates (DCA) championships, the Barnum Festival, the World Open championships, Mission Drums, the U.S. Open championships, Blue Grass Nationals, Parade of Champions, the Grand Prix contest, An Evening With The Corps in Carnegie Hall, the Connecticut American Legion state championships, the SuperBowl of Music and Drum Corps International (DCI) East championships.

His voice has been heard by audiences in such well known venues as Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall, Meadowlands Stadium, Newark Symphony Hall, University of Kentucky and many other local stadiums and concert locations.

A graduate of Bassick High School, University of Bridgeport and Leland Powers in Boston, he served in the United States Army in Germany during the Korean War. After serving in the military, he worked at many radio stations, including WSKI, WADS, WNAB, WICC and WSTC.

He is survived by Lorraine, his wife of 55 years; daughters Maureen O’Donnell of Monroe, Connecticut and Shaune Montini of Naugatuck, Connecticut and son Thomas Hobby of Brightwaters, New York; eight grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

Visitation was held Saturday, November 17 from 10 am to12 pm, with a service at noon at Spadaccino & Leo P. Gallagher Community Funeral Home, 315 Monroe Turnpike, Monroe, Connecticut. Burial followed immediately at Mountain Grove Cemetery, Harvester Road, Easton, Connecticut.

Hall of Fame’s Ray Cappiccille passes away from heart failure

Ray Cappiccille, who was inducted into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame in 2004, passed away on Wednesday October 24 from congestive heart failure. According to his wishes, there was no public viewing. Expressions of sympathy and cards can be sent to his wife Jean at 201 Holly Court, Whiting, New Jersey, 08759.

Ray Cappiccille’s drum corps career began in 1950, when he began a long time association with the Holy Name Cadets—later the Garfield Cadets–playing French horn. During his years as a playing member, Holy Name Cadets won the American Legion national championship in 1950, 1953 and 1957, the last championship before the corps became known as Garfield Cadets. He was the drill designer/instructor for the Garfield Cadets from 1967 to 1973 and their program coordinator from 1974-1978.

From 1963 until 1981, he judged marching/general effect with various associations including New York All-American, National, Mid Atlantic, Drum Corps Associates (DCA), Drum Corps International (DCI), and Winter Guard International (WGI).

He continued playing French horn with the Hawthorne Caballeros from 1957 to 1965, and switched to the mellophone when he joined the Hawthorne alumni corps in 1994.

Regular World Drum Corps Hall of Fame members are honored for their dedication, contributions and achievements over a long period of time in categories including administration, arranging, adjudication, instruction, innovation and design. Associate members have dedicated at least five consecutive years of service to any drum and bugle corps as a performer or in a support role. Special membership categories include inductees honored for Distinguished Professional Achievement and individuals receiving the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

The World Drum Corps Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization honoring those individuals who have contributed significantly over many years to the development and continuing excellence of drum and bugle corps activity around the world.

Congratulations to the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame 2018 inductees!

Introduction videos for new inductees in the Distinguished Professional Achievement, President’s Lifetime Achievement and
Regular Member categories that were shown during the inductee banquet in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on August 31
have been uploaded by Gail Langan to YouTube.

The links below are in alphabetical order.

Gino Cipriani – World Drum Corps Hall of Fame 2018 Inductee

Chick Corea – World Drum Corps Hall of Fame 2018 Inductee

Erik Julliard – World Drum Corps Hall of Fame 2018 Inductee

Danny McBride – World Drum Corps Hall of Fame 2018 Inductee

Diane Nicholeris – 2018 World Drum Corps Hall of Fame Inductee  *Audio muted due to copyright issues

Jeff Prosperie – World Drum Corps Hall of Fame 2018 Inductee

Jeff Sacktig – World Drum Corps Hall of Fame 2018 Inductee

Lou Tierno – World Drum Corps Hall of Fame 2018 Inductee

Jim Wedge – World Drum Corps Hall of Fame 2018 Inductee

Hall of Fame’s Jim Cossetti passes following long standing medical issues

World Drum Corps Hall of Fame member Jim Cossetti passed away peacefully on June 28 at age 73, following some very serious and long lasting medical issues. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame at ceremonies held in Scranton, Pennsylvania in 2002. He was also a member of the International Trumpet Guild, the Bugler’s Hall of Fame and the Pennsylvania Drum Corps Hall of Fame.

A celebration of life service will be held on Friday July 6, 2018 with visitation beginning at 10 am and service beginning at noon at the Maclean-Chamberlain Funeral Home, 339 West King’s Highway, Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, his family requests donations to help defray the cost of medical expenses incurred. Visit https://www.gofundme.com/james-v-cossetti-iii-memorial-fund to make a contribution.

He had an extensive background in performance, administration and instruction in the drum corps community. In 1975 he assisted with the formation of Archer-Epler, the first successful alumni corps. By serving on the steering committee of the Great Alliance of Seniors (GAS), and as its first president, he helped set the stage for enormous growth in drum and bugle corps alumni activity that took place over the following 20 years. He was director of Archer-Epler from 1988 through 1995.

He also assisted with the coordination of members for the Pride of Eastern Drum Corps, which performed twice at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

He was a soprano soloist with the Archer-Epler Musketeers and the Reilly Raiders/Musketeers in the 1960s and with Archie’s Alumni Corps and then with the Reilly Raiders Alumni. He later performed with the Music Express Drum and Bugle Corps.

He was a strong tenor voice in the alumni chorus of the Musketeers and continued to sing with the New York Skyliners Alumni Chorus. He also performed with the Hawthorne Caballeros Alumni Chorus.

His career as a brass instructor began in 1964 at Archer-Epler and continued from 1969 through 1974 with Blue Rock. He taught the Musketeers’ horn line in the 1960s, ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.

A 1962 graduate of Northeast Catholic High School, he studied Psychology at University of Delaware. In the late 1960s, he served as a private in the Pennsylvania and Delaware Army National Guards. Later in life he worked in construction as a consulting engineer and owned his own corporation.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years Dorothy; children Michelle (John Peiffer), Kristen (Raphael Lauro), and Jamie (Christopher McDade); sister Donna Marie Wiater; grandsons Jason, Domenick and Owen and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

As we approach the Fourth of July, it’s time to remember to make your commitment and payment for the Hall of Fame banquet.

CLICK HERE for Banquet Information and Form

I hope to see many of you in Williamsport.

The WDCHOF is offering a new Lapel Pin that can be proudly worn by its Regular and Associate members. This circular pin is 1” in diameter, enamel over metal and depicts our Hall of Fame logo. It can be worn on your jacket, hat, lapel or anywhere you would like to show that you are a member of this distinguished organization.

The cost of the pin is $5.00 which includes shipping and handling.

Payment can be made through PayPal – submit to WDCHOF@gmail.com, or by check made payable to the WDCHOF. Please include your mailing address along with your payment.

Checks should be mailed to:
WDCHOF
PO Box 357
Pine Brook, NJ 07058

Top Secret Drum Corps organizer and director Erik Julliard to be inducted into Hall of Fame as 2018 President’s Lifetime Achievement Award winner

It’s no secret that organizer and director Erik Julliard has produced one the best drum corps in the world: the widely popular and admired Top Secret Drum Corps of Basel, Switzerland. He will be inducted into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame as the 2018 winner of the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award, during the Hall of Fame’s annual banquet and induction ceremony in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on Friday August 31.

Top Secret originated in 1991 when seven talented local drummers founded the group to play more than traditional carnival drum marches. The annual carnival named “Fasnacht” showcases Basel’s rich drumming tradition. It’s estimated there are more than 3,000 drummers active in the city at any given time.

Basel drumming style is adapted from military drumming exercises and drills dating back to the Middle Ages. This serious traditional style is often used to accompany traditional Swiss marching tunes. Top Secret retains some of the military nature of traditional Basel drumming but adds an upbeat, humorous tone with routines that may include Latin rhythms, stunning visual effects such as drummers dueling, tossing, juggling and twirling sticks, flagpoles shooting fireworks, other lighting effects and intricate marching routines. Although Top Secret wears 18th century style military uniforms and displays the precision of bands of the Swiss army, the group is not affiliated with any military unit. Members, most with regular day jobs, are highly motivated, practicing almost every day of the year to achieve the high performance levels.

There hasn’t been anything secret about the group, enlarged from the original size to permit a marching show, since its first performed at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Scotland in 2003. Top Secret was one of the first non-military, non-British Commonwealth units to perform on the Esplanade at Edinburgh Castle. Top Secret returned to Edinburgh in 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2015.

Under Erik Julliard’s leadership, Top Secret helped found the annual Basel Tattoo in 2006. His organizational skills, creativity and emphasis on perfectionism have given military music a new look. Under his direction and choreography, music groups from around the world inspire the Basel audience. Top Secret’s appearances around the world help him cultivate relations with many other music directors and event organizers.

Over the past 15 years, Top Secret has travelled the world to perform across Europe, the United States, Australia, Canada and South Africa. They are featured in a Swiss television documentary film recounting their rise to world fame through exposure at the Edinburgh Tattoo. In 2016, the drum corps performed during the spectacular 90th birthday celebration for Great Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II.

In addition to presenting the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award to Erik Julliard, the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Williamsport will honor individuals in several other categories.

Diane Nicholeris, a former drum and bugle corps color guard captain who now performs with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, and iconic jazz pianist Chick Corea, who once played lead soprano on a single-valve bugle, will be inducted for Distinguished Professional Achievement. The ceremony will also include the induction of six new regular members and five associate members.