Thunder Drum and Bugle Corps

History

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In January, 2004 Spokane businessmen Tony LeLateur and Kent Meredith decided to start a local drum and bugle corps. On March 1, 2004 the Spokane Drum Corps Association was founded as a non-profit organization with the purpose of supporting that corps. After local high school music teachers were recruited to the scheme, the Spokane Thunder made its debut in exhibition at the drum corps show in Woodburn, Oregon on June 23, less than six months after the initial decision to begin. Such is the legend of the corps' beginnings.

In 2005, Spokane Thunder undertook a two-week tour, competing as a Division III corps in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and California.

The corps stepped up its participation in 2006. They competed in six shows in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho in eight days time. They then remained at home for several weeks before traveling to the Midwest, competing in Wisconsin and Indiana preparatory to their first DCI Division III World Championships in Madison, Wisconsin, where the corps placed 7th of 17 corps in prelims before rising to a 6th-place finish in the Championship Finals.

In 2007, the corps had only a single, late-season tour of Washington, Oregon, and California, ending at the DCI Division III Championships in Pasadena, California. Spokane Thunder finished 11th of 15 corps.

The new Open Class replaced Divisions II and III in 2008 as Spokane Thunder did a weekend of shows in Oregon and Utah before taking time off. The corps then made its second Midwest tour, competing in Iowa and Wisconsin on their way to the DCI Open Class World Championships in Michigan City, Indiana. In quarterfinals, they finished 6th of 23 corps, and advanced to semifinals, where they were 7th, a placement the corps would hold in Finals.

Economic conditions forced the corps to go inactive in 2009. Arrangements were made for corps members to march in DCI competition with Seattle's Cascades. It was during this period, though, that the corps recognized that it had become more of a regional activity than in its beginning. As a result, the corps' name was changed to the Thunder Drum and Bugle Corps.

Returning to the field in 2010, the Thunder toured Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and California for the next three seasons. In 2013, a trip to Wyoming and Colorado was added to attend DCI's Drums Along the Rockies regional competition.

In 2014, Thunder planned to return to the Midwest and the DCI World Championships after a five-year absence. However, in mid-May the corps suddenly ceased operations when the staff {composed primarily of area band directors) realized that, due to other obligations for the summer, too few of them would be available to support the tour. The corps resumed operations later in the year, held an audition camp for the 2015 season in December, and was returned to active status by DCI in February, 2015.

On December 6, 2016 the corps announced that, rather than fielding a corps for 2017, the organization would work, "...to put new leadership in place and to strengthen our financial position through sustainable funding and community sponsorship.

Sponsorship

The Thunder Drum and Bugle Corps is sponsored by the Greater Spokane Drum Corps Association, a 501 (c)(3) musical organization that has a Board of Directors, corps director, and staff assigned to carry out the organization's mission. Michael "Mike" Koch is the corps director.

Show Summary(2004–2016)

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