10 Of Top 12 Drum Corps At DCI 2012 World Championships Depend On Yamaha

Sept. 18, 2012 - PRLog -- INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — At the DCI 2012 World Championships, 10 of the 12 top scoring Drum Corps performed on Yamaha products. Placing second overall, Carolina Crown won the Jim Ott High Brass Award for second year in a row, and three out of the last four years. The win also represents the seventh High Brass award won in 13 years by a Yamaha sponsored corps since Yamaha Bb instruments were introduced in 2000.  

According to Crown’s Brass Caption Supervisor Matthew Harloff, “There is a direct relationship between success, and the trust and confidence that two partners have with each other. When you listen to Crown, you can hear the trust, the integrity, the quality and the confidence that Crown Brass has in the instruments that we play and the guys that represent Yamaha.”

Also a DCI corporate sponsor, Yamaha additionally marked its 29th season supporting the Championship activity this year.

“A partnership that took root with the Madison Scouts in 1984 now comprises 27 distinguished corps that relies upon Yamaha in some way,” said Roger Eaton, Director of Marketing, Yamaha Band & Orchestral Division. “Awards are great, but we feel that longevity – and consistency – in the art form is equally important.”

Two drums corps have been with Yamaha for 28 years (the Madison Scouts) and 26 years (the Cavaliers). In fact, Yamaha-affiliated drum corps have been with the company, on average, twice as long as the next closest competitive brand (12.625 years, vs. 6.75). This indicates the strong degree to which Yamaha drum corps tend to remain faithful to the brand, while corps associated with other manufacturers tend to switch brands more frequently.

Continued Eaton, “Yamaha Corps are loyal because they appreciate how hard we work to provide the finest quality instruments, service and support.”

This partnership has enabled Yamaha to expose future educators and next generation musicians to its Band & Orchestral products. This relationship, however, has now extended into the world of Pro Audio. 2012 marks the first time ever that 10 of the top 12 corps used Yamaha Pro Audio Systems exclusively. Yamaha Pro Audio subs, amps, digital mixers and speakers have become the preferred products in the drum corps activity.

In other notable developments, 2012 also saw the return of The Crossmen – a Yamaha Corp since 2001 – to the Top 12 for the first time since 2004. The Sacramento Mandarins began using Yamaha percussion instruments this season, while Spirit of Atlanta has returned to using Yamaha brass instruments.

About Drum Corp International

From modest beginnings more than three decades ago, Drum Corps International (DCI) has developed into a powerful, nonprofit, global youth activity with far-reaching artistic, educational and organizational influence. Through the annual DCI Tour and more than 35 World Championships in 17 North American cities, Drum Corps International provides entertainment to millions through live performances and nationally-televised events. Drum Corps International is Marching Music’s Major League™. Boasting more than 250,000 active DCI alumni, DCI marked its first year on PBS in 1975 and ESPN II broadcast its finals from 2005 to 2007. Finals have been held in 20 different cities since 1972. Since 1985, Yamaha has supported 24 different corps. Learn more at www.4wrd.it/DCISITE.

DCI By the Numbers

·      400,00 fans attend DCI shows each summer

·      135+ events held each year

·      60-day summer tour visits 40+ cities

·      8,000 musician athletes audition for some 3,500 positions

·      10,000: average number of miles each corps will travel over the summer

·      1,200,000: number of meals corps feed their 5,000 performers and staff each summer

·      35,000 visit Indianapolis each year for DCI Championships

For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; or visit www.4wrd.it/yamahausa.

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About Yamaha
Yamaha Corporation of America (YCA) is one of the largest subsidiaries of Yamaha Corporation, Japan and offers a full line of award-winning musical instruments, sound reinforcement and home entertainment products to the U.S. market. Products include: Yamaha acoustic, digital and hybrid pianos, portable keyboards, guitars, acoustic and electronic drums, band and orchestral instruments, marching percussion products, synthesizers, professional digital and analog audio equipment, Steinberg recording products and Nexo commercial audio products, as well as AV receivers, amplifiers, Blu-ray/CD players, iPod docking systems, home-theater-in-a-box systems and its exclusive line of Digital Sound Projectors. YCA markets innovative, finely crafted technology and entertainment products and musical instruments targeted to the hobbyist, education, worship, professional music, installation and consumer markets.