Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps

The Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps is a World Class competitive drum and bugle corps. Based in Sacramento, California, the Mandarins is a member corps of Drum Corps International (DCI).[2] Holders of eight DCI divisional championship titles, the Mandarins made its first World Class Finals appearance on August 11, 2018, with a tenth-place finish.[3]

Mandarins
Drum and Bugle Corps
Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps logo
LocationSacramento, CA
DivisionWorld Class
Founded1963
PresidentDaniel Fong[1]
DirectorJW Koester
Championship titles
  • DCI Open Class:
  • 1987
  • 1988
  • 1992
  • 1996
  • 1997
  • 1998
  • 1999
  • 2001
Websitewww.mandarins.org

History edit

The corps was founded in 1963 as the Ye Wah Drums and Lyras Corps, an activity for youth of Chinese-American heritage. Roy Wong, Frank Lim, Thomas Fong, and Yuk Fong had originally approached the Sacramento Chinese community with the intent of starting a drum and bugle corps to perform at the many festivals and parades held each year in the Sacramento area. After struggling to get underway, the corps made its debut on the Fourth of July, 1963. A color guard was added to the corps in 1964 and became a competitive unit in 1965.

Entering the field as a competition corps, the group changed its name to the Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps in 1967. The corps competed only in Northern California until making its first trip to Southern California in 1970. Since that first trip, the corps has represented its community, Sacramento, and California around the country and abroad. Mandarins appeared in the Taiwan presidential inaugural ceremonies in 1972 and '78. In 1974, they went to Hawaii to march in the King Kamehameha Parade. In 1975, they made their first trip to the Pacific Northwest and Canada. They made their first appearance at the DCI World Championships at Denver in 1978.

In 1983, under the leadership of Executive Director Ray Mar, the corps began working toward becoming a highly successful competitive corps, and they have been regular competitors in DCI since 1986, winning Class A60/Division III championships in 1987, '88, '92, and '96 through '99 and the Division II title in 2001. Mandarins moved into Division I (now World Class) in 2003, and their highest finish has been 6th place, earned in 2023.[4]

In 2014, the Mandarins and the Sacramento State Department of Music entered into a partnership to conduct the Mandarins Academies. These are performing arts camps held on the Sacramento State campus to help youth develop their skills in brass, percussion, woodwinds, and color guard performance, and in drum major conducting.[5]

Sponsorship edit

Since beginning in 1963, the Mandarins have been sponsored by a volunteer booster club of parents and supporters. The Mandarins of Sacramento, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) musical organization. JW Koester is the corps director, Jim Tabuchi is the executive director, and Raymond Mar is the organization's advisor and director emeritus.[6]

Show summary (1978–2023) edit

Source:[7]

Key
Light blue background indicates DCI Open Class Finalist[a]
Goldenrod background indicates DCI Open Class Champion[a]
Pale green background indicates DCI World Class Semifinalist[b]
Pale blue background indicates DCI World Class Finalist[b]
  1. ^ a b From 1986–1991, the Mandarins competed in Class A60, and from 1992–2002 in Division II & III; these are the same tier, and have since been renamed Open Class.
  2. ^ a b From 2003–2007, the Mandarins competed in Division I, and have competed since 2008 in World Class. These are the same tier, just renamed.
Year Repertoire World Championships
Score Placement
1978 Repertoires unavailable 43.250 12th Place
Class A
1979–83 Did not attend
World Championships
1984 Legacy by Bob James / Light on my Life by Bill Sharpe & Roger Odell / Loisita by Bill Sharpe & Roger Odell
1985 Ponteio by Edú Lobo & Jose Carlos Capinam / Rainmaker by Earl Klugh / Dark Orchid by Sammy Nestico
1986 Dark Orchid by Sammy Nestico / Rainmaker by Earl Klugh / Bossa Netti by Vic Cionetti / Copacabana by Barry Manilow, Jack Feldman & Bruce Sussman 64.800 10th Place
Class A60
1987 Storm at Sun-Up by Gino Vannelli / Celebration Suite by Chick Corea / Voyager by Derrick Graves, Dexter Wansel, George Howard, Herb Smith & Steve Gold / Sweet Cheryl Lynn by Chuck Mangione 85.300 1st Place
Class A60
Champion
61.900 20th Place
Open Class
1988 The Sorcerer and the Latin by Vic Schoen / In Her Family by Pat Metheny / Celebration Suite by Chick Corea / Voyager by Derrick Graves, Dexter Wansel, George Howard, Herb Smith & Steve Gold / More Than the Stars by Eddie Cole 80.200 1st Place
Class A60
Champion
53.700 19th Place
Open Class
1989 Dreams of the Sirens by Russ Freeman / In Her Family by Pat Metheny / Minuano & The First Circle by Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays 87.100 3rd Place
Class A60
Finalist
64.700 18th Place
Open Class
1990 The First Circle by Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays / Letter From Home & Third Wind by Pat Metheny / Minuano & Flight of the Falcon by Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays 88.200 2nd Place
Class A60
Finalist
63.900 19th Place
Open Class
1991 Let There Be Praise & In His Presence by Dick and Melodie Tunney / So Much 2 Say by Cedrick Dent & Mervyn Warren / Miracles Can Happen by Brent Henderson & Craig Patty / Make His Praise Glorious by Bill and Robin Wolaver 85.600 2nd Place
Class A60
Finalist
1992 Joy (Traditional) / Jubilee Variations, Appalachian Spring & The Red Pony by Aaron Copland 90.000 4th Place
Division II & III
Finalist
67.800 26th Place
Division I
1993 Episode Five for Brass by Carl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen / Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber / Rocky Point Holiday by Ron Nelson 92.600 2nd Place
Division II & III
Finalist
67.200 26th Place
Division I
1994 Voices of a Planet
Black Forest by Brian Slawson / Dance of the Hunter's Fire by Airto Moreira, Babatunde Olatunji, Flora Purim, Sikiru Adepoju & Vikku Vinayakram / Minuano by Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays / Bones by Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain, Babatunde Olatunji & Flora Purim / Udu Chant by Sikiru Adepoju, Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain & Airto Moreira / Appalachian Morning by Paul Halley
90.800 3rd Place
Division II & III
Finalist
1995 Cinematic Impressions
Theme from Speed by Mark Mancina / The Wedding Night (from Marnie) by Bernard Herrmann / A Perilous Direction, The Honeymoon & The Creation (from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein) by Patrick Doyle
91.500 2nd Place
Division III
Finalist
69.100 22nd Place
Division I
1996 To the Edge
Taiko Drumming (Original) / Rhythm of the Saints by Paul Simon / Cirque du Soleil by René Dupéré
94.000 1st Place
Division III
Champion
69.300 21st Place
Division I
1997 Passport
Ghost Train (from The Ghost Train Triptych) / The Ride (from The Ghost Train) / At the Station & The Motive Revolution (from The Ghost Train Triptych) / Bullet (from The Ghost Train)
All by Eric Whitacre
94.800 1st Place
Division III
Champion
73.100 20th Place
Division I
1998 Dragon Dance - Tan Dun
Dragon Dance by Tan Dun / Happy Valley by Vanessa-Mae / The Butterfly Lovers by Chen Gang and He Zhanhao
93.800 1st Place
Division III
Champion
71.500 23rd Place
Division I
1999 Transformations
Overture & Make Our Garden Grow (from Candide) / Symphonic Suite (from On the Waterfront)
All by Leonard Bernstein
93.700 1st Place
Division III
Champion
73.900 20th Place
Division I
2000 Katachi: The Essence of Design
Heroes Symphony & V2 Schneider by Philip Glass / Anakin's Theme, The Droid Battle, Panaka & Duel of the Fates (from Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace) by John Williams
94.300 2nd Place
Division II & III
Finalist
74.350 18th Place
Division I
2001 Festival of Music
Music for a Festival, Variations on an Enigma, Mountain Song & Partita
All by Philip Sparke
97.800 1st Place
Division II & III
Champion
79.300 16th Place
Division I
Semifinalist
2002 Year of the Dragon
Year of the Dragon by Philip Sparke / Montage by Peter Graham / A London Overture & Diversions by Philip Sparke
95.800 3rd Place
Division II & III
Finalist
78.050 19th Place
Division I
2003 Black Market Bazaar
Symphony No. 2 in B Minor, Polovetsian Dances (from Prince Igor) & In the Steppes of Central Asia by Alexander Borodin / Bacchanale (from Samson and Delilah) by Camille Saint-Saëns
80.300 18th Place
Division I
2004 Samurai
Red Warrior (from The Last Samurai) by Hans Zimmer / Ouverture Solennelle by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky / Tabidachi, Nishi he (Departure to the West) by Joe Hisaishi / Bullet by Wong / The Way of the Sword (from The Last Samurai) by Hans Zimmer
77.750 20th Place
Division I
2005 Loves Me... Loves Me Not...
Adagio (from Spartacus) by Aram Khachaturian / Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Variation 18) by Sergei Rachmaninoff / Vibraphonissimo & Nuevo Tango by Astor Piazzolla / Symphonic Dances, Mvt. 3 by Sergei Rachmaninoff
78.100 17th Place
Division I
Semifinalist
2006 Rhythm Nation
Martillo by Luis Garay / Egyptian Danza by Al Di Meola / Back Home by Nando Lauria / Din Daa Daa by George Kranz / Rhythm Nation by James Harris, Terry Lewis & Janet Jackson / Clapping Music by Steve Reich / Episode - Prelude by Nando Lauria / Tell it All & The Way Up by Lyle Mays & Pat Metheny
77.875 17th Place
Division I
Semifinalist
2007 Dragon Dance
Tea in Chinese Camp, Call of the Mountain (from Gates of Gold) & Shadow and Light by Joseph Curiale / Battle in the Forest (from House of Flying Daggers) by Shigeru Umebayashi / Jubilation Dragon Dance by Tan Dun
75.200 21st Place
Division I
2008 River
Wind River by Joseph Curiale / Cajun Folksong by Frank Ticheli / Sunrise (from Grand Canyon Suite) by Ferde Grofé / Inferno (from The Divine Comedy) by Robert W. Smith
77.925 19th Place
World Class
2009 ABSOLUTE
Absolute Fanfare: Festive Overture by Dmitri Shostakovich
Absolute Passion: Libertango by Astor Piazzolla
Absolute Joy: Ode to Joy (from Symphony No. 9) by Ludwig van Beethoven / Joy (Traditional) / Christmas Anthem by Robert W. Smith
Absolute Rhythm & Absolute Velocity: Partita by Philip Sparke
79.650 18th Place
World Class
2010 To Dream of Far Away Lands
Meetings Along the Edge by Philip Glass & Ravi Shankar / The Mountain of Fruit and Flowers by David Buckley / Samudra Manthan by Shivkumar Sharma / Quiet by Sheila Chandra, Steve Coe & Martin Smith / Ever So Lonely by Steve Coe / Ambush from Ten Sides (Chinese Traditional)
78.100 19th Place
World Class
2011 The Forty Thieves: An Ancient Tale of Spices, Toxins, and Perfumes
Octabones by Adi Morag / Spices, Perfumes, and Toxins by Avner Dorman
75.700 21st Place
World Class
Semifinalist
2012 Prophecy
Prophecy by Key Poulan
71.600 23rd Place
World Class
Semifinalist
2013 DESTINATION AMERICA: Journey of the Paper Sons
The Promise of a Better Life, Journey to America, Interrogation & Freedom
All by Key Poulan
79.750 18th Place
World Class
Semifinalist
2014 UnbreakABLE: The Human Spirit Is Limitless
UnbreakABLE: The Human Spirit is Limitless by Key Poulan, Tony Nunez & Kevin Shaw
78.150 21st Place
World Class
Semifinalist
2015 RESURRECTION
I. The Awakening
II. Warrior
III. The Dynasty of the Emperor
IV. Forever in Stone
All by Key Poulan with Sean Womack & Mark Hunter
76.425 20th Place
World Class
Semifinalist
2016 Forbidden Forest
I. Into the Forest
II. The Calling (inspired by Devilish Love from Hemingway's Garden of Eden)
III. Our Demons Within
IV. Triumph of our Inner Self
All by Key Poulan, Mark Hunter & Sean Womack /
The Calling by Roger Julia
81.200 17th Place
World Class
Semifinalist
2017 Inside the Ink
Flow & Drip by Key Poulan, Darren Van Derpoel & Bryan Nungaray / "The Sound of Silence" by Paul Simon / Crazy by Willie Nelson / Inside the Ink by Key Poulan, Darren Van Derpoel & Bryan Nungaray
85.550 13th Place
World Class
Semifinalist
2018 Life Rite After
String Quartet No. 8 in C Minor, Opus 110 (Allegro Molto) by Dmitri Shostakovich / Spiriti by Thomas Doss / True Colors by Tom Kelly & Billy Steinberg
88.150 10th Place
World Class
Finalist
2019 subTerra
Ritual and Discovery by Key Poulan & Ike Jackson / On the Shoulders of Giants by Peter Graham / Truman Sleeps (from The Truman Show) by Philip Glass / Allure by Key Poulan / Run, Boy, Run by Yoann Lemoine & Ambroise Willaume / Sacrifice by Key Poulan & Ike Jackson
89.300 10th Place
World Class
Finalist
2020 Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Beyond the Canvas
In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins / Stand Up by Cynthia Erivo & Joshuah Brian Campbell / Original Music by Key Poulan, Bryan Harmsen, Ben Pyles & Andy Filipiak
No scored competitions
2022 The Otherside
Another Brick in the Wall Pt 2 by Pink Floyd / Otherside by Avi Kaplan / The Wall, The Revolution, The Disintegration & The Triumph by Key Poulan, Bryan Harmsen, Ben Pyles & Andy Filipiak
90.013 10th Place
World Class
Finalist
2023 Sinnerman
Sinnerman by Nina Simone / Take Me to Church by Hozier / Smile by Nat King Cole / Swing Symphony, Mvt. 4 by Wynton Marsalis / Présage by Univers Zero / I'm Tired by Labrinth & Zendaya
93.775 6th Place
World Class
Finalist

References edit

  1. ^ "Board of Directors". Sacramento Mandarins. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Corps". Drum Corps International. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Mandarins raise the bar with inaugural Finals bid". Drum Corps International. 11 August 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  4. ^ "Drum Corps International: Official DCI Scores". www.dci.org. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Sacramento Mandarins Partner with Sac State". The Mandarins of Sacramento, Inc. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  6. ^ "Sacramento Mandarins". www.mandarins.org. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  7. ^ "Mandarins/Repertoire". DCX: The Drum Corps Xperience. Retrieved 6 March 2018.

External links edit