Madison Scouts Perform at Yamaha US Headquarters to Celebrate Longstanding Partnership

Yamaha and the Madison Scouts celebrated their 32-year partnership this month in fine fashion, with the top 12 drum and bugle corps presenting their 2016 production of “Judas” for Yamaha staff and executives at the company’s Buena Park, California headquarters.

The lunchtime event was part of the Madison, Wisconsin-based corps’ memorable California tour, its first visit to California in ten years. The tour also included performances and competitions before enthusiastic capacity crowds at The Rose Bowl, Riverside City College, Stanford University and other southern California locations.

The Madison Scouts was the first Drum Corps International (DCI) corps to use Yamaha instruments effectively helping to kick start the introduction of Yamaha band instruments in the United States. The corps has consistently performed at the pinnacle of the modern competitive circuit for drum and bugle corps, with thousands of young performers coming up through its ranks, and even winning the DCI Championship in 1988. This year, close to thirty percent of the corps members are using this instrumental and performance mastery as a strong foundation for their music education or music performance degree.

“Madison Corps members’ early experiences with the quality and breadth of the Yamaha instruments, as well as with our company’s enduring commitment to product service, stay with them throughout a lifetime in music,” said Troy C. Wollwage, percussion marketing manager, Band & Orchestral division, Yamaha Corporation of America. “Since Yamaha sees the DCI activity as the ultimate testing ground for brass and percussion instruments, these young performers recognize Yamaha as the one place to go for everything: brass, marching, pit percussion, pro-audio, drum sets and more once they become a music educator further down the road in their own musical journey.”

Founded in 1938, today the Madison Scouts boasts 150 active members from around the globe, and each member is selected following a highly competitive audition process. The early and sustaining relationship between Yamaha and the Madison Scouts set the stage for Yamaha to become the official musical instrument brand for 18 total drum corps (nine world class and nine open class), representing an all-time high for the world’s largest music product manufacturer. Once again, Yamaha is truly the most preferred musical instrument brand in drum corps.

The Madison Scouts, like many other drum and bugle corps, have elevated marching musical performances to an innovative art form, taking field performances well beyond earlier incarnations when band members stood in front of grandstand audiences to play their instruments. Today’s drum and bugle corps present highly orchestrated concerts with demanding musical production and choreography requirements in addition to instrumental proficiency.

“For more than three decades the Madison Scouts have enjoyed the world-class quality products and support that Yamaha provides,” said Chris Komnick, executive director of the Madison Scouts. “We were proud to perform for Yamaha and showcase the talents of our corps for the great people who support music education.”

Since 1985, Yamaha has supported DCI, which is widely known as Marching Music’s Major League™ because it attracts a combined attendance of nearly 60,000 enthusiastic fans to its annual World Championship events. Yamaha corps have compiled an enviable record of accomplishments, including 16 DCI Championships, 15 Fred Sanford High Percussion Awards and nine Jim Ott High Brass Awards – more than any other manufacturer. Over the past 32 years, corps that rely on Yamaha have won a third of all gold, silver and bronze medals bestowed in DCI competitions.