Connecticut Hurricanes Drum and Bugle Corps
 | |
| Location | Seymour, CT |
|---|---|
| Division | DCI All-Age |
| Founded | 1932 |
| Executive Director | David Pyrch |
| Championship titles | American Legion
|
 | This article may be written from a fan's point of view, rather than a neutral point of view. (March 2024) |
The Connecticut Hurricanes Drum and Bugle Corps, also known by their nickname the Hurcs, is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization based in Seymour, Connecticut existing as an all-age competitive drum and bugle corps. The Hurricanes reigned as the oldest, continually active organization in Drum Corps Associates until its merger with Drum Corps International.[1][2]
History[edit]
Pre-competitive years, 1932–1954[edit]
The Hurricanes were formed in 1932 in Derby, CT and were originally known as the John H. Collins Post Fife Drum & Bugle Corps. Members were predominantly veterans from World War I. They thrived as a parade corps for twenty three years accompanying the John H. Collins American Legion Post in local parades as well as to the American Legion's State and National Conventions throughout the U.S.A. In the post World War II years of the 1940s the ranks were swelled by returning vets, as well as many new members, and the interest began shifting towards competitive field competition, an activity rapidly gaining in popularity. The fifes were phased out beginning in 1949 as the corps transformed to drums and bugles only.
Pre-DCA, 1955–1963[edit]
The Corps officially transformed into a competitive field corps in 1955 and became a member of the Yankee Circuit, and subsequently the Northeastern Circuit. Though the corps was unofficially known by the nickname Hurricanes since 1951, Hurricane Diane and Hurricane Connie, powerful back to back storms that devastated the Naugatuck Valley of Connecticut in 1955, served as the inspiration to permanently change the name of the corps to the Connecticut Hurricanes in February 1956. The fledgling corps endured the expected growing pains that accompanied the transition in those first few years, but a top notch instructional staff and gritty determination propelled the Corps towards new heights and they would eventually become one of the premier corps of the Northeastern Circuit, where they competed through 1963, garnering two championships.
Modern years, 1964–present[edit]
In 1964 on the heels of a successful rise to prominence in the Northeastern Circuit, the Hurricanes became a charter member of Drum Corps Associates (DCA). Since that inaugural year of DCA competition, they have captured five DCA Championship titles (1967, 1969, 1981, 2022, and 2023) and have failed to reach the finals in the DCA championship contest five times (1986, 1989, 2003, 2016, and 2017). The Hurricanes have finished in the coveted top five in DCA finals competition a respectable twenty-six times. Starting in 2024, due to DCA merging with DCI, the Hurricanes will now be competing in the new DCI All-Age Class.
Show summary (1972-2023)[edit]
| Year | Affiliation | Theme | Repertoire | Score | Placement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | DCA Championship | Fanfare for the New * Fiddler on the Roof * Malaguena * The Impossible Dream (from Man of La Mancha) * America the Beautiful * Rule Britannia * La Marseillaise * Fanfare for the Common Man * Hang 'Em High * Magnificent Seven * Sprach Zarathustra (from 2001: A Space Odyssey) | 88.200 | 4th (tie) | |
| 1973 | DCA Championship | Circus Medley; Entry of the Gladiators, Ballyhoo March, Barnum and Bailey's Favorites & Billboard March * Theme from Shaft * Rhapsody in Blue * Journey for Peace * America the Beautiful * Rule Britannia * La Marseillaise * Fanfare for the Common Man * The Impossible Dream (from Man of La Mancha) * What the World Needs Now * Hang 'Em High * Magnificent Seven * Billboard March (reprise) | 85.300 | 3rd | |
| 1974 | DCA Championship | Stormy Weather (from Stormy Weather) * Don't Rain on My Parade (from Funny Girl) * Rat Tat Tat * Margie * Circus Medley; Entry of the Gladiators, Ballyhoo March, Barnum and Bailey's Favorites & Billboard March * The Way We Were * Tropical Heatwave * They Call the Wind Maria (from Paint Your Wagon) * Magnificent Seven * Stormy Weather (from Stormy Weather) | 66.700 | 6th | |
| 1975 | DCA Championship | I Got Rhythm (from Girl Crazy) * Walk on the Wild Side * Hallelujah Chorus * Jesus Christ Superstar * Hang 'Em High * Magnificent Seven * Circus Medley; Entry of the Gladiators, Ballyhoo March, Barnum and Bailey's Favorites & Billboard March * My Way | 86.980 | 4th | |
| 1976 | DCA Championship | I Got Rhythm * Ease on Down the Road * Tropical Heat Wave * Hallelujah Chorus * Yankee Doodle * Stars and Stripes Forever * | 79.950 | 6th | |
| 1977 | DCA Championship | Light Cavalry Overture * Watch Closely Now (drum solo) * Mighty High * Stormy Weather * Oklahoma Crude * Velvet Green (drum solo) * Nadia's Theme * Magnificent Seven | 78.650 | 8th | |
| 1978 | DCA Championship | Cantina Band (from Star Wars) * Main Title (from Star Wars) * Throne Room (from Star Wars) * Antares, the Star * Princess Leia's Theme (from Star Wars) * Sanctus (from The Mass) * Agnus Dei (from The Mass) * Chorale Almighty Father (from The Mass) * Offertory (from The Mass) * Saturday Night Fever Medley * Salsation * My Way * Magnificent Seven | 82.800 | 5th | |
| 1979 | DCA Championship | Children of Sanchez * Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band * "Got to Get You into My Life" * Nowhere Man * Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band * My Way * Magnificent Seven | 78.650 | 5th | |
| 1980 | DCA Championship | Les Preludes Overture * Queen of Sheba March * Swing, Swing, Swing (from 1941) * Spirit of America Medley * Magnificent Seven | 86.350 | 3rd | |
| 1981 | DCA Championship | Les Preludes Overture * Queen of Sheba March * Swing, Swing, Swing (from 1941) * Salute to Freedom * Devil Went Down to Georgia * It's My Turn * Magnificent Seven | 89.650 | 1st | |
| 1982 | DCA Championship | Rustic Wedding Overture * Moonlight Serenade * Swing, Swing, Swing (from 1941) * Salute to Freedom * Let It Be Me * Magnificent Seven | 87.650 | 3rd | |
| 1983 | DCA Championship | Overture (from Swan Lake) * Rustic Wedding March * Swing, Swing, Swing (from 1941) * Hallelujah Chorus * Memory (from Cats) * Magnificent Seven | 82.200 | 7th | |
| 1984 | DCA Championship | Meadowland * Pictures at an Exhibition * Gumbie Cats (from Cats) * Rhapsody in Blue * Magnificent Seven | 83.250 | 6th | |
| 1985 | DCA Championship | Olympic Fanfare * Imagination * Don't Leave Me * I Loved These Days * Magnificent Seven | 74.050 | 9th | |
| 1986 | DCA Championship | Concerto to End All Concertos * Catavento * Return of the Magnificent Seven * They Call the Wind Maria * Greatest Love of All * Magnificent Seven | 73.400 | 12th | |
| 1987 | DCA Championship | Theme (from An American Tail) * Market Street * Begin the Beguine * They Call the Wind Maria (from Paint Your Wagon) * Magnificent Seven | 82.640 | 10th | |
| 1988 | DCA Championship | Magnificent Seven Suite * Requiem for the Masses * Platoon * America the Beautiful * Market Place * Begin the Beguine * Try to Remember (from The Fantasticks) * The Way We Were * Magnificent Seven | 81.040 | 9th | |
| 1989 | DCA Championship | Buddy Rich Tribute; Bugle Call Rag & Willowcrest * West Side Story Medley; Maria, Somewhere, & Something's Coming * Magnificent Seven * Hang 'Em High * Magnificent Seven (reprise) | 82.000 | 11th | |
| 1990 | DCA Championship | Night on Bald Mountain * Pictures at an Exhibition * Swing Street * Cleanin' Up the Town * Wind Beneath My Wings * Magnificent Seven | 85.900 | 10th | |
| 1991 | DCA Championship | Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered * That Old Black Magic * Umulu * Symphonie Fantastique | 90.500 | 5th | |
| 1992 | DCA Championship | Gospel John * Make His Praise Glorious * Pour On the Power * Amazing Grace * Maybe God Is Tryin' to Tell You Something | 93.200 | 4th | |
| 1993 | DCA Championship | Ben Hur | "Ben Hur"... Theme Song * Prologue * Adoration of the Magi * The Rowing of the Galley Slaves * The Naval Battle * Chorale * Finale | 91.200 | 5th |
| 1994 | DCA Championship | Ben Hur | "Ben Hur"... Theme Song * Prologue * Adoration of the Magi * Rowing of the Galley Slaves * Naval Battle * Finale | 89.900 | 5th |
| 1995 | DCA Championship | "Hurcs Through the Years"... Stormy Weather * Rhapsody in Blue/Concerto in "F" medley by Gershwin * They Call the Wind Maria * Magnificent Seven | 90.600 | 5th | |
| 1996 | DCA Championship | To Die For (from The Lion King) * Hippo Attack (from Congo) * Bail Out (from Congo) * Umulu * Medley (from The Lion King) | 84.000 | 9th | |
| 1997 | DCA Championship | Sophisticated Lady * It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing * Caravan * Autumn Leaves * Magnificent Seven | 87.600 | 6th | |
| 1998 | DCA Championship | Baroque Samba * Stella by Starlight * Swing, Swing, Swing (from 1941) | 87.700 | 7th | |
| 1999 | DCA Championship | Vision of the American West | "Vision of the American West"... Magnificent Seven Suite * Hang 'Em High | 90.100 | 6th |
| 2000 | DCA Championship | Celtic Pride: Music from Far and Away | "Celtic Pride: Music from Far and Away"... The Land Race (from Far and Away) * Greensleeves * Fantasia on the Dargason (from Second Suite in F) * Joseph and Shannon * Blowing Off Steam -drum solo * Finale (from Far and Away) | 91.300 | 6th |
| 2001 | DCA Championship | Storm Warning | "Storm Warning"...You Are My Sunshine (jazz version) * Stormy Weather (from Stormy Weather) * Hurricane (drum solo) * Come In from the Rain * Somewhere Over the Rainbow | 85.100 | 10th |
| 2002 | DCA Championship | A Tribute to American Composers | "A Tribute to American Composers" - Fanfare for the Common Man * Symphony #3, Mvt. 3 * Agnus Dei (from Adagio for Strings) * Ballet Sacra | 88.000 | 8th |
| 2003 | DCA Championship | Hurcs in Vegas | "Hurcs in Vegas"... Godzilla Eats Las Vegas * Viva Las Vegas * Theme from "I Dream of Jeannie" * Magnificent Seven * Bacchanal * I'll Be Seeing You * Heartbreak Hotel | 84.300 | 11th |
| 2004 | DCA Championship | The Hurcs 50th Anniversary Celebration : The Magnificent 50 | Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin / Make His Praise Glorious by Bill Wolaver / The Storm by John Meehan | 84.475 | 9th |
| 2005 | DCA Championship | The Year It all Began | "The Year It All Began"... Frankie Machine (from The Man with the Golden Arm) * To Kill a Mockingbird | 84.425 | 10th |
| 2006 | DCA Championship | Jesus Christ Superstar | "Jesus Christ Superstar"... Heaven on Their Minds * Everything's Alright * Jesus Must Die * Trial Before Pilate * John Nineteen Forty One * Superstar | 86.738 | 7th |
| 2007 | DCA Championship | The Music of Leonard Bernstein | "The Music of Leonard Bernstein"...On the Waterfront * Mambo (from West Side Story) * Make Our Garden Grow (from Candide) * Overture to Candide | 92.488 | 7th |
| 2008 | DCA Championship | Journey West | "Journey West"... Billy the Kid * Shenandoah * They Call the Wind Maria * Hoedown * Magnificent Seven | 94.913 | 4th |
| 2009 | DCA Championship | The Gold Rush | "The Gold Rush"... Gates of Gold: Call of the Mountain * Theme from Can-Can * The Red Pony * Grover's Corners (from Our Town) * Silverado | 95.838 | 4th |
| 2010 | DCA Championship | Heaven Sent | "Heaven Sent"... Gloria * Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee * God Said (from Bernstein's Mass) * Before the Throne of God Above * Gloria | 95.338 | 4th |
| 2011 | DCA Championship | Gersshwin: Old, New and Blue | "Gershwin: Old, New, and Blue"... Porgy and Bess * Concerto in F * Rhapsody in Blue * But Not for Me * Fascinating Rhythm | 94.350 | 4th |
| 2012 | DCA Championship | Blokes and Birds | "Blokes and Birds"... Rule Britannia * Downtown * Georgy Girl * Windy * First Suite in E-Flat * Greensleeves * Water Music * Major Modern General (drum solo) * Crown Imperial * The Windmills of Your Mind * Fantasia on the Dargason (from Second Suite in F) * Turn, Turn * God Save the Queen * A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra | 93.180 | 4th |
| 2013 | DCA Championship | Rage Against the Machine | "Rage Against the Machine"... Enter the Machine * The Machine (from the Fifth Symphony) * Mechanical Love (from Bicentennial Man) * Sam at the Lake (from Transformers) * Revenge of the Fallen * Flynn Lives (from Tron Legacy) * My Name Is Lincoln (from The Island) | 84.850 | 9th |
| 2014 | DCA Championship | Always Greener | "Always Greener"... The Promise of Living (from Tender Land) * They Call the Wind Maria (from Paint Your Wagon) * Children's Dance (from Merry Mount Suite) * Make Our Garden Grow (from Candide) * Magnificent Seven | 87.350 | 8th |
| 2015 | DCA Championship | After Hours | "After Hours"...Sing Sing Sing * Since I Don't Have You * Nutville * Harlem Nocturne * Jump Jive an' Wail | 83.800 | 10th |
| 2016 | DCA Championship | Freedom | "Freedom"...Amazing Grace * Freedom * Nelle Tue Mani (from The Gladiator) * Freedom Trilogy | 82.25 | 13th |
| 2017 | DCA Championship | Porgy and Bess | "Porgy & Bess" - My Man's Gone Now (from Porgy and Bess) * Summertime (from Porgy and Bess) * Bess, You Is My Woman Now (from Porgy and Bess) * It Ain't Necessarily So (from Porgy and Bess) * Oh, Lord, I'm On My Way (from Porgy and Bess) | 79.78 | 13th |
| 2018 | DCA Championship | Clash Atop Olympus | "Clash Atop Olympus"...Original composition framing a Greek Mythology themed show... | 85.275 | 9th |
| 2019 | DCA Championship | The Deadly Seven | "The Deadly Seven"...Original composition based on the Seven Deadly Sins | 84.150 | 8th |
| 2020 | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic | ||||
| 2021 | DCA Championship | Brought to Light | "Brought to Light"...Discover (Leap) * Expose (Prelude to Being Faster) * Emerge (But I will Always be Faster) | 85.450 | 7th |
| 2022 | DCA Championship | Journey Home | "Journey Home"...Home * Call to Adventure * Challenges and Temptations * Both Sides Now | 89.450 | 1st
(Open Class) |
| 2023 | DCA Championship | Channel Green | "Channel Green"...Stormy Weather * Blowin' in the Wind * White Rabbit * Rocket Man | 89.400 | 1st
(Open Class) |
References[edit]
- ^ Fisher, John M. (2019). Connecticut Hurricanes Drum & Bugle Corps. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4671-0388-6.
- ^ Pisani, Joseph F. (May 5, 1974). "'Connecticut Hurricanes' Looking Ahead To a Championship Drum Corps Season". The Bridgeport Post. pp. C7.