Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps

«The Cavaliers are a drum and bugle corp and part of Drum Corps International (DCI). In short, DCI is like a professional marching band, only the participants are usually between the ages of 16 – 22 and they don’t get paid. They do it purely for the competition and experience and the camraderie. DCI is a wonderful combination of athleticism and art.
I’ve been a huge fan since 1988, and growing up in LA, I was excited to be in the Bay Area where two of the top drum corps in the nation were nearby (Concord Blue Devils and the Santa Clara Vanguard). However, the most dominant corp in the past 12 years is clearly the Cavaliers of Rosemont, IL. Nicknamed «Green Machine» based on their corp colors and their machine-​like domination of the sport, they are one of only two all-​male corps in DCI. They’ve been in existence since 1948 and won their first DCI championship in 1992, then 1995. Since 2000, they’ve won another 5.
They were originally known for more contemporary and classical music arrangements, and it was through their performances that I got to know works like Firebird Suite, Gavorkna Fanfare, Peterloo Overture, and Variations on a Korean Folk Song (Arirang). They’ve definitely spread out in the last decade, doing homages to Billy Joel, 007, and music composed specifically for them.
They have a distinctive rich sound, but what they’re more known for are their astounding field shows. They’ve completely revolutionized the sport with their insane marching and general effects programs. Their clever, constantly changing, and amazing shows full of geometric shapes and elegant curves actually give me chills. Almost every year, the competitors try to emulate moves from a previous Cavies’ show, only to be trumped by completely new moves from this year’s show. They are probably most recently famous for the 2002 show Frameworks, which is tied for the highest score overall in finals with a 99.15 (tied with the 2005 Cadets).
Impressively, the Cavaliers have finished in the top 3 for the last 9 years and the top 5 for 21 of the last 22 years, a streak completely unmatched in DCI history.