Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps
The Pioneer Drum & Bugle Corps was a World Class competitive junior drum and bugle corps from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Pioneer is a former member corps of Drum Corps International. The unit current operates as three different winter ensembles.
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Pioneer traces its roots to the St. Patrick's parish of Milwaukee and its drum and bugle corps, the Imperials of St. Patrick, founded in 1961; although some have said that the actual founding of the corps was the start of the Thunderbolts of Cedarburg, Wisconsin in 1953. Both corps had been active in the Milwaukee area and the Midwest region, and both attended the inaugural DCI World Championship prelims in Whitewater, Wisconsin in 1972, with the Imperials of St. Patrick finishing in 19th place and the Thunderbolts in 28th.
By 1973, the Imperials were facing financial difficulties and the Thunderbolts were having difficulty maintaining support staff, so the two corps merged. This resulted in a 150 member corps—much larger than most drum corps of that time—with financial and staff stability. Unable to decide on a better name and wearing the vastly different uniforms of both corps, the new corps was called "The Thing" during its first season. In 1974 the corps received the sponsorship of the Pioneer Container Corporation and found a name. The Thunderbolts' cadet corps continued, joined by a second "feeder" corps known as Pioneer II. After only a few years, the Thunderbolts' part of the merger departed in favor of the Thunderbolts Cadets, leaving only the Imperials' part in place, bringing about the unit's dropping the Thunderbolts' 1953 founding as its beginning.
While not initially a strong contender, Pioneer became a regular competitor in the Midwest region during the remainder of the 1970s, and in 1978, the corps was one of the founding members of Drum Corps Midwest which was to become the premier regional circuit in North America over the next quarter century. In 1985 the primary corps went inactive, and Pioneer II began a transition into becoming Pioneer in 1986. By 1989, Pioneer had started to become a power in Class A60. In 1991, the corps won both the DCM Division III title and the DCI Class A60 World Championship; in 1992, they won their 3rd DCM DIII championship but finished second in DCI DIII to the Mandarins.
In 1993 Pioneer moved into Division II, where the corps was an immediate challenger for the championship. The corps was DCM DII champion for four consecutive years, from 1993 to 1996. In 1994, the corps went undefeated and won the DCI DII crown. They defended their DCI title in 1995, but in 1996 fell in finals to Quebec's Les Etoiles by two-tenths of a point. Pioneer moved to Division I in 1997, and have continued to compete in that division, where the corps' best finish at the DCI World Championships was 16th place in 2000. Although Pioneer won the DCM DI title in 2004 and 2005, making them the only corps to win DCM titles in 3 divisions, the most prominent corps had abandoned DCM by then and there were no other competitors for the DI titles.
In 1994, the organization was administratively dissolved by the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. But in 1998, the organization was restored to good standing.
Pioneer celebrated the corps' 50th anniversary during the 2011 season.
Since the banning of smoking in public places, such as during Pioneer's bingo operation, fundraising declined for the corps. In response, Pioneer "tightened its belt" by eliminating many expenses. The end result was a smaller corps, often the smallest in World Class, and diminished scores and lower finishes at the DCI Championships. Regardless, the corps has kept going and striving to be "Better Every Day".
On May 17, 2019, Pioneer announced that it will be hosting a weekend-only performance corps. The performance corps was started to be a foundation for Pioneer's plans to compete in WGI.
Pioneer competed in Drum Line Battle for the first time, when it competed in the 2019 Drum Line Battle during the DCI Championships in Indianapolis.
On November 17th, 2019, Pioneer announced a new executive director, Bobby Bonslater. Bobby previously joined the organization as the director for Pioneer's 2019 drumline.
Sponsorship
Pioneer Drum & Bugle Corps & Color Guard, Inc. is a 501 musical organization. As such, it has a Board of Advisors, director, and staff assigned to carry out the organization's mission. The organization is under the direction of Executive Director, Bobby Bonslater and an interim Board of Advisors. However, the interim board of directors does not have the legal authority to remove current Board members, or make legal decisions on behalf of the corps without permission of the existing Board of Directors.Winter Ensembles
On October 28, 2019, Pioneer announced that they will be hosting three different winter ensembles, which will all compete in the Winter Guard International circuit. These ensembles consist of a percussion ensemble, winds ensemble, and color guard ensemble. These winter ensembles will have show themes that stray away from being Irish, as a way for the organization to re-brand itself. The percussion ensemble will continue to field a cymbal line, as long as there are still interest and membership.DCI Membership Revoked
During the 2018 season, Pioneer members and staff had sent reports to DCI and made threads on drum corps forums for compliance and administrative issues. These issues included little to no treatment for health issues and injuries sustained during the season, the organization's executive director making racist/culturally insensitive comments to the corps international members and jokes about the holocaust, and the organization having unreliable buses with no or little air conditioning for the long southern tour. As well as the organization's executive director saying at an all corps meeting discussing the reports sent to DCI, "If your dad is beating you, you wouldn't go tell people, would you?".On August 16, 2018, DCI had suspended Pioneer from all DCI activities, while DCI investigated the organization. The investigation focused on many issues reported by members and staff, possible retaliation for those who spoke out against Pioneer, as well as discouraging members from reporting questionable incidents and areas of concern.
On August 24, 2018, DCI had decided that Pioneer will not be allowed to participate in the 2019 season as a condition of the corps' suspension. Following the decision, Pioneer informed DCI that they are moving immediately to replace the executive director and all board members of the organization.
On January 10, 2019, DCI voting membership voted to revoke Pioneer's DCI membership. DCI stated that if Pioneer makes operational and administrative improvements, they will be eligible to re-apply for open class participation as early as 2020.
Show Summary (1973-2019)
Sources:Gold background indicates DCI Championship; pale blue background indicates DCI Class Finalist; pale green background indicates DCI semifinalist.
| Year | Theme | Repertoire | Score | Placement |
| 1973 | Fanfare / Circus March / Rule Britannia by Thomas Arne and James Thomson / Skyliner by Charlie Barnet and Dale Bennett / Elijah Rock / Here There And Everywhere by Lennon–McCartney | 65.15 | 26th | |
| 1974 | Fanfare / Elegy March by Roger Nixon / Hey Jude by Lennon–McCartney / Skyliner by Charlie Barnet and Dale Bennett / In the Mood by Wingy Manone, Joe Garland, and Andy Razaf / 1812 Overture by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | 71.10 | 22nd | |
| 1975 | Alexander's Ragtime Band by Irving Berlin / Temptation by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed / In the Mood by Wingy Manone, Joe Garland, and Andy Razaf / Encore in Jazz by Vic Firth / How the West Was Won by Alfred Newman / Battle Hymn of the Republic by William Steffe and Julia Ward Howe | 74.45 | 22nd | |
| 1976 | Alexander's Ragtime Band by Irving Berlin / Encore in Jazz by Vic Firth / My Quiet Thoughts / El Malo by Willie Colón / Selections from Cabaret by John Kander and Fred Ebb | 72.30 | 36th | |
| 1977 | Sheherazade by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov / Selections from Cabaret by John Kander and Fred Ebb | 65.95 | 34th | |
| 1978 | Could it be Magic by Adrienne Anderson, Barry Manilow, and Frédéric Chopin / Pepsi Theme / McDonald's Theme by Kevin Gavin and Sid Woloshin / Bandstand Boogie by Charles Albertine / Theme from New York New York by John Kander and Fred Ebb | 57.85 | 4th Class A | |
| 1979 | Circus March / Harrigan by George M. Cohan / Sheik Of Araby by Harry B. Smith, Francis Wheeler, and Ted Snyder / Give My Regards to Broadway by George M. Cohan / Try to Remember by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones | 65.96 | 31st | |
| 1980 | Circus March / Mambo Tambo by Miguelito Valdés / They're Playing Our Song by Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager / Pippin by Stephen Schwartz | 53.95 | 35th | |
| 1981 | Annie by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin / New York Jump / Walking Papers by John Kander and Fred Ebb / Mambo Tambo by Miguelito Valdés / Morning Glow by Stephen Schwartz | 60.55 | 3rd Class A | |
| 1982 | Selections from 42nd Street by Harry Warren and Al Dubin / Morning Glow by Stephen Schwartz | 56.30 | 5th Class A | |
| 1983 | Alexander's Ragtime Band by Irving Berlin / Way Down Yonder in New Orleans by John Turner Layton, Jr. and Henry Creamer / I Feel the Earth Move by Carole King / Waiting for the A Train by Jimmie Rodgers / Lullaby of Broadway by Harry Warren and Al Dubin | 51.45 | 32nd | |
| 1984 | Far From Over by Vince DiCola and Frank Stallone / All Night Long by Lionel Richie / Shop Around by Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy / Waiting for the A Train by Jimmie Rodgers / La Cage Aux Folles by Jerry Herman | 64.70 56.20 | 15th Div.III 39th | |
| 1985 | Oklahoma! by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II / Medley of George M. Cohan pieces / Comedian's Galop by Dmitry Kabalevsky / Return of the Spiders by Alice Cooper, Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, and Neal Smith / The Hands of Time by Michel Legrand, Marilyn and Alan Bergman | --- | --- | |
| 1986 | Irish Rhapsody by Victor Herbert / McNamara's Band by Guy Bonham, John J. Stamford, Red Latham, Shamus O'Connor, and Wamp Carlson / The Girl I Left Behind from , adapted by Leroy Anderson / Reeling and Railing / Kelly the Boy from Calion / When Irish Eyes Are Smiling by Ernest R. Ball, Chauncey Olcott, and George Graff, Jr. | 53.4 | 15th Class A60 | |
| 1987 | The American Spirit | America by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim / When Irish Eyes Are Smiling by Ernest R. Ball, Chauncey Olcott, and George Graff, Jr. / America by Neil Diamond / Stars and Stripes Forever, Thunder March & Manhattan Beach March by John Philip Sousa / | 57.50 | 13th Class A60 |
| 1988 | Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin / Jericho by Morton Gould / Carioca by Vincent Youmans, Edward Eliscu, and Gus Kahn / Rockin' Robin by Leon René / My Old Kentucky Home & Camptown Races by Stephen Collins Foster / Autumn Leaves by Joseph Kosma and Jacques Prévert, adapted by Johnny Mercer / Way Down Yonder in New Orleans by Turner Layton and Henry Creamer | 69.20 | 11th Class A60 | |
| 1989 | Lazy River by Hoagy Carmichael and Sidney Arodin / Go Tell It on the Mountain / Jericho by Morton Gould / Carioca by Vincent Youmans, Edward Eliscu, and Gus Kahn / Where is the Love by Ralph MacDonald and William Salter | 76.10 | 8th Class A60 | |
| 1990 | Repertoire unavailable | 85.59 | 3rd Class A60 | |
| 1991 | Irish Festival | A collection of traditional Irish folk songs | 86.00 | 1st Class A60 |
| 1992 | Jig by Gustav Holst / Freda by Kenny Baker / Minstrel Boy and Thomas Moore / The Rakes of Mallow, adapted by Leroy Anderson / Four Scottish Dances by Malcolm Arnold | 88.90 88.70 | 2nd Div.III 5th Div.II/III | |
| 1993 | Gary Owen March / Over There by George M. Cohan / Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! by George F. Root / My Bonny Boy, adapted by Ralph Vaughan Williams / Far and Away by John Williams | 91.10 65.50 | 4th Div.II 27th | |
| 1994 | Voices of the Isle | Four Scottish Dances by Malcolm Arnold / Maggie Goes To Scotland & The Seduction by Hummie Mann / Gary Owen March / Danny Boy and Frederic Weatherly | 96.00 69.60 | 1st Div.II 18th |
| 1995 | Shades of the Emerald | Diamond Dance by Bill Douglas / Maggie Goes To Scotland, Helicopter Chase& The Seduction by Hummie Mann / Cursum Perficio, Storms in Africa & Orinoco Flow by Enya and Roma Ryan | 95.40 74.70 | 1st Div.II 18th |
| 1996 | Celtic Twilight | Highstep by Bill Douglas / The Journey Home by John Doan / Scotland the Brave / Gary Owen March | 95.30 74.10 | 2nd Div.II 20th |
| 1997 | Riverdance | Riverdance, The Heart's Cry, Shivna, Woman of Sidhe, Russian Dervish, American Wake, Firedance & Home and the Heartland All from Riverdance by Bill Whelan | 76.80 | 19th |
| 1998 | Irish in your Face | Irish Washerwoman , adapted by Leroy Anderson / Londonderry Air \, adapted by Percy Grainger / Irish Rhapsody by Victor Herbert | 77.20 | 18th |
| 1999 | Greensleeves | Flute Concerto Movement III by Christopher Rouse / The Girl I Left Behind , adapted by Leroy Anderson / Magh Seola by Gerard Fahy / The Cat Rambles to the Child's Saucepan / English Dances 4th Movement by Malcolm Arnold / Dargason , adapted by Gustav Holst | 75.20 | 17th |
| 2000 | Dances of Brigadoon | Fanfare / McConachy Square, Come To Me, Almost Like Being in Love & The Chase From Brigadoon by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe | 77.60 | 16th |
| 2001 | Irish in the Civil War... A Quest for Freedom | Main Theme from Gettysburg by Randy Edelman / Variations on the Theme from Minstrel Boy by Frank McNamara / Over the Fence & Dawn by Randy Edelman / Dixie by Daniel Decatur Emmett / Battle at Devil's Den by Randy Edelman / America the Beautiful by Samuel A. Ward and Katharine Lee Bates | 79.30 | 18th |
| 2002 | Oliver! | Where is Love?, Main title theme, Be Back Soon, Consider Yourself, The Robbery, As Long As He Needs Me & Who Will Buy All from Oliver! by Lionel Bart | 73.25 | 22nd |
| 2003 | Spirit of the Pioneer | The Song of Moses by David Holsinger | 72.30 | 23rd |
| 2004 | Return to Ireland | By Loch and Mountain by Robert W. Smith / Irish Washerwoman , adapted by Leroy Anderson / Irish Washerwoman, adapted by Robert W. Smith / Lord of the Dance by Ronan Hardiman / Believe Me, if All those Endearing Young Charms and Thomas Moore / Riverdance by Bill Whelan | 71.60 | 24th |
| 2005 | This Place Called Ireland | Our Homeland / The Irish Spirit / Tragic Legacy / Celtic Pride | 71.525 | 23rd |
| 2006 | Emeraldscapes | Tarantella by Phil Kline / Slane, commonly attributed to Dallán Forgaill | 71.55 | 23rd |
| 2007 | Fields of Green | Suite in E♭ by Gustav Holst / Dargason , adapted by Gustav Holst / The Rakes of Mallow & Irish Washerwoman , adapted by Leroy Anderson / Minstrel Boy and Thomas Moore / Gary Owen March | 73.325 | 22nd |
| 2008 | Celtic Reflections | Suite in E♭ by Gustav Holst / Horkstow Grange adapted by Percy Grainger / The Celtic Symphony by Brian Warfield / Richard III & Crown Imperial by William Walton | 74.125 | 20th |
| 2009 | Celtic Trinity | Three Celtic Dances by Brian Balmages / Into The Raging River by Steven Reineke | 75.75 | 21st |
| 2010 | Corps Prayer | Swing Low, Sweet Chariot by Wallace Willis / Make His Praise Glorious by Bill and Robin Wolaver / The Prayer by David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager, Alberto Testa and Tony Renis / Stained Glass by David Gillingham / Old Hundredth by Loys Bourgeois | 73.95 | 23rd |
| 2011 | Celebrate | Four Scottish Dances by Malcolm Arnold / Song without Words, I'll Love My Love from 2nd Suite in F for Military Band, adapted by Gustav Holst / New World Symphony by Antonin Dvořák / As Time Goes By by Herman Hupfeld | 68.40 | 27th |
| 2012 | Irish Immigrants: The Hands that Built America | New World Symphony by Antonín Dvořák / Recollections of Ireland by Ignaz Moscheles / I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen by Thomas P. Westendorf / I'm Shipping Up To Boston by Woody Guthrie, Al Barr, Ken Casey, Matt Kelly, James Lynch, Marc Orrell, Josh "Scruffy" Wallace, and Tim Brennan | 66.20 | 27th |
| 2013 | A New Spirit | Doxology by Loys Bourgeois and Thomas Ken / Awesome God by Rich Mullins / It Is Well With My Soul by Philip Bliss and Horatio Spafford / Just A Closer Walk With Thee / When the Saints Go Marching In adapted by Luther G. Presley / The Hymn of Joy by Ludwig van Beethoven and Henry van Dyke / Gary Owen | 69.050 | 28th |
| 2014 | Joy! | A Mighty Fortress Is Our God by Martin Luther / We Gather Together by Adrianus Valerius / When the Saints Go Marching In by Virgil Oliver Stamps and Luther G. Presley / Hallelujah Chorus by George Frideric Handel Irish Tune from County Derry, adapted by Percy Grainger / Gary Owen | 68.850 | 30th |
| 2015 | Exodus– Divide the Sea Unite the People | Exodus by Ernest Gold / The Ten Commandments by Elmer Bernstein / Man of Steel by Hans Zimmer | 66.175 | 29th |
| 2016 | The Story of St. Joan of Arc | Act I: Voices–Voices of the Sky by Samuel Hazo / Act II: Conflict–Lauds by Ron Nelson / Act III: Capture and Condemnation–Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber / Act IV: Ascension–The Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky | 68.375 | 29th |
| 2017 | Irish on Broadway: The Music of Les Misérables | Look Down, At the End of the Day, Master of the House, On My Own, The Attack on Rue Plumet, and One Day More All from Les Misérables by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, Jean-Marc Natel and Herbert Kretzmer | 65.913 | 34th |
| 2018 | Celtic Dragons' | The Awakening by Rob Stein, Dave Campbell, and Julia Coleman / Taking Flight by John Powell / Dragon Fire & Beneath the Earth and Sky by Rob Stein, Dave Campbell, and Julia Coleman / | 64.300 | 36th |
| 2019 | Parade Corps'' | DCI Membership Revoked |
Traditions
Pioneer has a tradition of Irish and Celtic influence in its uniforms and musical programs. This and the corps' shamrock logo are a heritage of the Imperials of St. Patrick.Since the corps' days in Division III, Pioneer's motto has been "Better Every Day". This motto had been used by the Marion Cadets D&B corps, who in 1990 allowed Pioneer to also use it.
Whether it was a part of the year's musical program or not, from at least the mid-1990s Pioneer concluded each performance by marching off the field and/or "trooping the stands" while playing the traditional Irish air Garryowen. This tradition has occurred less frequently since 2010 but is still performed at parades.