Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps

Pre-DCA (VFW/American Legion)

The Reading Buccaneers were formed in 1957 as a parade corps for WWII veterans. A field corps was formed in 1958 competing in the VFW circuit. The Reading Buccaneers captured the VFW championship in 1960, 1961, and 1962. The Reading Buccaneers were the last drum and bugle corps to win the VFW championship as the award was retired in 1962.

Modern Years (DCA)

In 1965, the Reading Buccaneers became a charter member of Drum Corps Associates. The Buccaneers won the first DCA Open Class World Champions in 1965. They have since repeated thirteen times, in 1968, 1979, 1980, 2005, 2006, 2007 (the corps' 50th anniversary), 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, and most recently in 2015. The corps has also placed second eight times (1973, 1974, 1976, 1984, 1985, 1999, 2001, and 2011) and third seven times (1972, 1975, 1977, 1981, 2000, 2002, and 2004). They have missed being a DCA finalist only twice.

Traditions

1965

The corps won the very first DCA championship with a score of 84.50.

1968

The corps won their second DCA championship, becoming the first DCA corps to win a second DCA title.

1979

Led by future World Drum Corp Hall of Fame drum major George N. Parks, the Bucs captured the last DCA title of the 1970s with a score of 90.5

1980

The Bucs pulled off a repeat with a score of 91.3.

2005

With new uniforms, new instruments in all sections, and a full hornline playing on instruments in the key of B-flat, the Buccaneers finished their first undefeated season, cruising to victory with the second-highest score in DCA history, 98.45. The show, entitled Variations in B, featured Georges Bizet's Farandole, Béla Bartók's String Quartet No. 4 - Movement 5, Benjamin Britten's The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, and Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings.

2006

After coming off an undefeated season, the corps emerged victorious with another undefeated season with Exotic Impressions including the Ravel's Boléro, Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio Espagnol, Claude Debussy's Clair de Lune and Scheherazade, with a score of 97.238.

2007

Celebrating the corps' 50th anniversary, the Buccaneers again finished another undefeated to capture their third consecutive DCA title. The show, entitled Blue Era, also gave the Bucs the third-highest score in DCA history, a 98.313. The show consisted of Aaron Jay Kernis' New Era Dance, Aaron Copland's The Promise of Living, Alberto Ginastera's Malambo, and George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue.

2008

At the 2008 DCA Championships, the Buccaneers tied the Brigadiers' record by winning their fourth consecutive championship with a fourth consecutive undefeated season, and earned the Buccaneers the highest prelims score in history, a 98.138, and a final score of 97.913. The show, entitled The Pursuit of Joy, consisted of Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D, David Holsinger's Abram's Pursuit, Giacomo Puccini's Nessun Dorma, and Ludwig von Beethoven's Ode to Joy.

2009

At the 2009 DCA Championships, the Buccaneers became the first DCA corps to win five consecutive championships with a fifth consecutive undefeated season. The show earned the Buccaneers the highest score in DCA history, a 99.025. The show, entitled Demons & Angels, consisted of Giuseppe Verdi's Dies Irae, Manuel de Falla's Ritual Fire Dance, Leonard Bernstein's A Simple Song, and David Holsinger's Symphonia Resurrectus.

2010

At the 2010 DCA Championships, the Buccaneers added another notch to their streak with their sixth consecutive undefeated season finishing with a score of 98.263. The show, entitled ROME, consisted of Ottorino Respighi's Pines of the Appian Way from Pines of Rome, Ottorino Respighi's Circuses from Feste Romane, Aram Khachaturian's Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia from the ballet Spartacus, and Ottorino Respighi's Epiphany from Feste Romane.

2012

At the 2012 DCA Championships in Annapolis, Maryland the Buccaneers captured their 11th DCA championship and their 7th in 8 years with an undefeated season. In July, the Bucs became the first DCA corps to ever break 90 before August. During championships weekend, the Buccaneers earned the highest ever prelims score with a 98.5, and the highest score in DCA history at finals with a 99.03. Their show, The Black Symphony takes its audience on a journey through colors to black, exploring a variety of moods and textures associated with color as we celebrate the color black for what it is: powerful, elegant, formal, classic, bold and regal. The Black Symphony consists of Warm Colors, an original composition from arranger Mark Lortz. Cool Colors from The Four Sections for Orchestra, Mvt. IV by contemporary American composer Steve Reich. Shadows, based off New World by Björk Guömundsdóttir from the movie Dancer in the Dark. The program closes with Black, a composition of 1812 from Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

2013

The 2013 program was titled "Higher, Faster, Stronger". In Annapolis, Maryland, at DCA World Finals the corps received first place with a score of 98.43. Yet again, the Buccaneers had an undefeated season.

2014

On August 31, 2014, at the DCA World Championships in Rochester, New York, the Buccaneers received first place with a score of 97.550 with their program "Break on Through." This come-from-behind victory occurred after placing 3rd in the previous day's preliminary competition.

2015

The Bucs won their 14th DCA World Championship with their show "Twist It" and a score of 97.580. They had an undefeated season.

Show Summary (1965-2017)

Gold background indicates DCA Championship; Pale blue background indicates DCA Finalist.

Notable alumni

Sponsorship

The Buccaneers are currently sponsored in part by the American Legion Post # 537 of Morgantown, the Buccaneer Alumni Association and devoted fans.

Trivia