KENNEWICK, Wash. – The Columbian’s Drum and Bugle Corps are heading east for a national tour to prepare for the Drum Corps International National competition.
According to Dillon Miller, the Columbian’s Drum and Bugle Corps Director, last year was the first time they made nationals.
Miller said they placed fourth at nationals last year in an open class for typically smaller groups. Dillon said they also were semi-finalists for the World Class, a group that competes at the highest level.
Miller said that kids have to sacrifice part of their summer to achieve performance at a competitive level.
“For an organization that started with just people volunteering to help kids,” said Miller. “To be able to take that ten years later to a national stage is nothing short of a miracle. It’s incredible.”According to Miller, touring nationally and competing in the national competition was emotionally and financially trying for the Columbians, but more opportunities opened up for them.According to Miller, the band comprises members from Washington and Florida. He said the group was started several years ago by music educators to provide higher performance opportunities and train a new generation of band directors.The Columbian’s directors have drum and bugle experience and are eager to share their knowledge. Miller said the group started with 60 members in 2013 and now has over 130.”This year’s program is called Bent,” he said. “The idea is that we can bend lots of things. Sometimes, they’re cooler when they are bent. Also, we touch on being bent, which doesn’t mean you’re broken. Things can happen in your life that you bend but don’t break.”Miller says they’ve put in more hours than they can count designing this year’s show. The group starts planning the show a year in advance, with the design team meeting weekly to develop the field show program.–Miller says that during winter through spring, they rent a school once a month and start rehearsing until summer, when they can take the field to practice the show.The group will head to Minnesota to kick off their national tour before attending a national competition in Indianapolis in August at Lucas Oil Stadium.
