Founded 2012 | Division Open Class Director Jonathan Doerr | |
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Uniform Jacket w/black back,light green collar, right sleeve& right side of front,dark left sleeve & front panelrunning diagonally fromleft shoulder to right side,then diagonally to right hipw/medium green stripe aboveupper diagonal, epaulets matchingshade beneath, silver buttonsGauntlets matching sleeve colorw/black stripe & silver buttonsBlack pantsBlack shoes and socksDark green shako w/blackbill & straps & dark green plume Similar Eruption Drum and Bugle Co, Impulse Drum and Bugle Co, Thunder Drum and Bugle Co, Forte Drum and Bugle Corps, Esperanza Drum and Bugle Co | ||
The guardians drum and bugle corps
The Guardians Drum and Bugle Corps is an Open Class (formerly Divisions II & III) competitive junior drum and bugle corps. Based in Houston, Texas, the Guardians perform in Drum Corps International (DCI) competitions.
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History
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Johnathan Doerr, a 19-year-old student at Texas Tech University approached his best friend, Isaac Lee, former drum major of the Blue Devils with the idea of a community-based local touring drum corps in the Central Texas area. On October 28, 2012, Doerr founded the Central Texas Drum Corps Initiative in San Marcos, the organization which would become the Guardians Drum and Bugle Corps. A meeting was held in Seguin in December to gauge community support. With 25 people attending, a decision was made to go forward with developing the future performing unit with its base relocated to Seguin.
When, in early 2013, DCI announced the introduction of two new activities for small competitive units, DrumLine Battle™ and SoundSport®, Doerr saw that he could use SoundSport® as a means of helping to start the new corps.
The inaugural membership/rehearsal meeting of the Guardians was held in Seguin in March. Fifteen potential members were in attendance. Aid and assistance was soon forthcoming from established drum corps such as Open Class corps Genesis and Legends, Texas' World Class corps the Crossmen, and all-age corps the Vigilantes, as well as music businesses, interested individuals, and DCI. The corps also grew in size, rapidly approaching the SoundSport® maximum of 50, with members coming from throughout Texas.
In June, the Guardians Drum and Bugle Corps undertook a short, in-state tour, giving several performances and concluding with a SoundSport® exhibition at the DCI Southwestern Championship regional competition at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
Continuing to develop slowly, with an eye focused on the financial bottom line, the Guardians entered DCI Open Class competition in 2014. Fielding a corps of 112 members (56 brass, 16 battery percussion, 12 front ensemble, 24 auxiliary/guard, 4 drum majors), the unit entered only two contests, both in its home state of Texas, at Round Rock (which was rained out) and San Antonio.
In April 2015, the Guardians again relocated, this time to Houston. Addressing the move, corps director Johnathan Doerr stated that, "Houston is, proudly, the largest city in Texas and has one of the largest hearts for the marching arts activity. The Guardians tree logo represents a 'breath of fresh air' that our organization brings, and we believe that our organization will certainly bring 'fresh air' to the Houston marching arts community. Houston hasn’t seen a Drum Corps International Junior Corps for many years, and we are excited to return a Drum Corps International competing unit to this great city."
In 2016, the corps had a much longer season, including a three week long spring training (which is as long as most world class corps) which was located at a college, whereas most if not all open class corps have spring training at a high school, and eight competitions, including both open class and world class finals, as opposed to the previous year's three. In addition, the corps received a sponsorship from System Blue, and as such, got new instruments from them. The guardians are the only open class corp to use System Blue instruments in DCI history.
Sponsorship
The Guardians Drum and Bugle Corps is a 501 (c)(3) musical organization that has a Board of Directors, corps director, and staff assigned to carry out the organization's mission. Johnathon Doerr is the corps director.
Show Summary(2013–2016)
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