The Bushwackers Drum and Bugle Corps is an all-age drum and bugle corps that competes in the Drum Corps Associates circuit, It was founded in 1981 in Harrison, New Jersey. The corps is based in Princeton, New Jersey, and is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. The corps has won the Drum Corps Associates Open Class World Champions six times, and the corps' percussion section is the only one in either junior or senior corps to ever win six straight High Percussion Awards at Championships: 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991.
History The Bushwackers Drum and Bugle Corps was formed as a parade corps in 1981 with a field corps forming in 1982. They were once located in Harrison, New Jersey. During their first year of competition, The Bushwackers were able to make DCA finals in 8th place. In 1983, the corps was very competitive and ended the season with a fifth-place showing. The corps continued to grow until 1986, with a brand new staff, The Bushwackers captured their first DCA title. This placed The Bushwackers in the upper echelon of DCA corps. The Bushwackers would go on to win the DCA twice more before the end of the decade. In the 1990s, The Bushwackers continued their championship ways, going on to take DCA’s top spot again in 1990, 1992, and 1993. The corps has been a top-ten finalist of DCA in 35 of its 38 years. In 2013 the corps made its television debut on The Daily Show. In 2014 the Bushwackers performed as the opening act at the Special Olympics USA closing ceremony. In 2017, the corps collaborated with ASPIRA of Pennsylvania to establish the Bushwackers Academy, an educational organization.
Show summary (1982–2026) Source:
+KeyGoldenrod background indicates DCA Open Class ChampionBlue background indicates DCA Open Class Finalist Year Repertoire Score Placement 1982 Clash of Titans by Laurence Rosenthal / Fish Legs by Walter Murphey / Mickey Mouse by Frank Churchill / That Cat is High by J.M. Williams / Snowbird Fantasy by Robert James / Chariots of Fire by Vangelis 70.550 8th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 1983 Cleopatra's Asp by Doc Severinsen / Emerald Eyes by Louis Alter / Egyptian Danza by Al Di Meola / Quensabe Los Suertas de Los Tontos (from Cuban Fire Suite) by Johnny Richards / La Suerte de Los Tontos (from Cuban Fire Suite) by Johnny Richards / Chariots of Fire by Vangelis 82.650 5th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 1984 Santos by Louie Bellson and Remo Palmier / Quensabe Los Suertas de Los Tontos (from Cuban Fire Suite) by Johnny Richards / La Suerte de Los Tontos (from Cuban Fire Suite) by Johnny Richards / Egyptian Danza by Al Di Meola / I'll Be There by Berry Gordy, Hal Davis, and Willie Hutch / Thriller by Rod Temperton 89.000 3rd PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 1985 The Epic by / The First Circle / Supertonic Suite All by the Pat Metheny Group 86.550 4th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 1986 Santos by Louie Bellson and Remo Palmier / Quensabe Los Suertas de Los Tontos (from Cuban Fire Suite) by Johnny Richards / La Suerte de Los Tontos (from Cuban Fire Suite) by Johnny Richards / Egyptian Danza by Al Di Meola / Ayres Eyes by Author Unknown 92.450 1st PlaceOpen ClassChampion 1987 Pellet Suite by Ian McDougal / Marguerite by Sammy Nestico / Corner Pocket by Freddie Green / Ayres Eyes by Author Unknown 92.960 3rd PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 1988 Pellet Suite by Ian McDougal / Inner Crisis by Larry Willis / Mira, Mira by Matt Harris / Out of Africa (from Congo) by Marilyn Bergman 96.360 1st PlaceOpen ClassChampion 1989 Time Check by Donald Menza / In Her Family by Pat Metheny / No Pasaran by Jeffrey Schanzer / Mira, Mira by Matt Harris 95.100 1st PlaceOpen ClassChampion 1990 PrototypePrototype by Steve Melillo 96.900 1st PlaceOpen ClassChampion 1991 Son of StormSon of Storm by Steve Melillo 94.000 3rd PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 1992 Sweeney ToddHistory of the World / The Ballad of Sweeney Todd / My Friends (from Sweeney Todd) / Worst Pies in London (from Sweeney Todd) / Epiphany (from Sweeney Todd) / Nothin' Gonna Harm You (All Sweeney Todd Music by Stephen Sondheim) 96.700 1st PlaceOpen ClassChampion 1993 Sunday in the Park with GeorgePutting it Together (from Sunday in the Park with George) / Color and Light (from Sunday in the Park with George) / Sunday in the Park (from Sunday in the Park with George) / Sunday (All by Stephen Sondheim) 96.600 1st PlaceOpen ClassChampion 1994 A Nightmare Before ChristmasWhat's This? / This is Halloween / Making Christmas / Kidnap the Sandy Claws / Sally's Song / What's This Reprise (All from the Nightmare Before Christmas by Danny Elfman) 94.200 3rd PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 1995 A Symphony For Drum CorpsMathis der Maler by Paul Hindemith / Age of Anxiety by Leonard Bernstein 93.600 4th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 1996 Sunset BoulevardAs if We Never Said Goodbye / Let's Have Lunch / The Car Chase / With One LookAll from Sunset Boulevard by Andrew Lloyd Webber 91.500 4th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 1997 El Congo Valiente (from Cuban Fire Suite) by Johnny Richards / Verde Luz by Caban Vale Antonio / Festival de Ritmo by Dave Weckl / A Mis Abuelos by Arturo Sandoval 89.600 5th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 1998 Jeckyll & HydeThis is the Moment / Facade / Murder, Murder / Transformation / Alive / Take me as I AmAll from Jeckyll & Hyde by Frank Wildhorn & Leslie Bricusse 85.200 8th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 1999 Sondheim SnapshotsOverture (from Merrily We Roll Again) / Next (from Pacific Overtures) / Pretty Woman (from Sweeney Todd) / Putting it Together (from Sunday in the Park with George) (All by Stephen Sondheim) 87.800 7th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2000 Music from the Dark SideThe Duel of Fates (from the Phantom Menace) / The Battle (from A New Hope) / Battle in the Snow (from The Empire Strikes Back) / The Crash (from The Return of the Jedi) / The War, Ewok Battle (from The Return of the Jedi) / The End (from the Phantom Menace) (all by John Williams) 82.100 10th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2001 The Raging RiverInto the Raging River by Steven Reineke / On the Waterfront by Leonard Bernstein 92.400 5th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2002 The Myths of FireInferno (from Divine Comedy) by Robert W. Smith / Vesuvius by Frank Tilcheli / Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky 91.100 7th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2003 Journey to the MoonTwelve Seconds to the Moon by Robert W. Smith / Star Trek: First Contact by Jerry Goldsmith / To Tame the Perilous Skies by David Holsinger 91.038 7th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2004 Early American LandscapesSymphony No. 9 (from The New World) by Antoin Dvorak / Amber Waves by Martin Gould / William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini 88.638 8th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2005 Russian Winter PortraitsRussian and Ludmilla by Mikhail Glinka / Dance of the Tumblers by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov / Romeo and Juliet / 1812 Overture (Both by Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky) 94.738 3rd PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2006 Stages: A 25th Stages Anniversary CelebrationFanfare for the New by Hugo Montenegro / The Perfect Year (from Sunset Boulevard) by Andrew Lloyd Webster / Rocky Point Holiday by Ron Nelson 95.638 3rd PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2007 Around the Town 94.575 4th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2008 Gypsodic! 93.425 6th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2009 Scenes from a Psychotic CircusParade of Characters / Circus Normalus / Death Defying Feats / Freak Show / Three Ring Psychotic Circus (all from Scenes from a Psychotic Circus by Key Poulan) 88.963 9th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2010 VoodooOrigins / Rituals / Gris-gris / Black MagicAll from Voodoo by Key Poulan 86.763 9th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2011 A New BeginningFirst Climb / Rest at High Camp / Second Climb and Avalanche / To the Summit (all from Everest by Key Poulan, Paul Rennick, and Sandra Rennick) 79.800 11th Place 2012 American RootsScarborough Fair (Traditional) / Chester by William Billings / Shenandoah (Traditional) 80.200 11th Place 2013 WE AREIntro by Dennis Argul / I am the Doctor (from Doctor Who) by Murray Gold / Some Nights by FUN / Tonight Tonight by Smashing Pumpkins 87.430 8th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2014 The ResistantsSupremacy by Muse / Blowin' in the Wind by Bob Dylan / Knights of Cydonia by Muse / Symphonic Metamorphosis by Paul Hindemith 89.800 7th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2015 Industrial (r)EvolutionIndustrial Evolution, The Factory & Wild Ride (by Robert W. Smith) / Tempered Steel by Charles Rochester Young / Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar 82.300 12th Place 2016 Piano FortePiano Concerto No. 1 by Keith Emerson / Selection by Claude Debussy / Selection by Billy Joel 85.280 9th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2017 Where We BelongMusic from The Wizard of Oz by Harold Arlen & Yip Harburg / Creep by Radiohead / Orawa by Wojciech Kilar / Blue Shades by Frank Ticheli 89.830 8th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2018 PabloThe Canyon by Philip Glass / Nature Boy by Eden Ahbez 92.725 5th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2019 DivergeAdagio for Strings by Samuel Barber / Fearful Symmetry by John Adams / Us and Them by Richard Wright / Land of Make Believe by Chuck Mangione / Libertango by Astor Piazzola 91.625 5th PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2020 Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021 ReminiscorMan in the Mirror by Michael Jackson / Children's Dance by Howard Hanson / Original Music / Reflections of My Life by Marmalade 90.300 3rd PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2022 CanyonFanfare For The Common Man / Horse With No Name / Hallelujah / Original Composition / Short Ride in a Fast Machine 94.600 3rd PlaceOpen ClassFinalist 2023 Hollywood: A Walk in Their Shoes: A Tale of TinseltownDedicated to The One I Love by The Mamas and the Papas / Paparazzi by Lady Gaga / Car Chase by Andrew Lloyd Webber / Original Music 92.200 3rd PlaceFinalist 2024 The RideLast Train Home by Pat Metheny / Let You Break My Heart Again by Laufey / The Great Locomotive Chase by Robert W. Smith / Home Sweet Home by Nikki Sixx & Tommy Lee 92.625 3rd PlaceFinalist2025Where Do We Begin? Caves by Cody Fry / Air Waltz by Oliver Davis / You and I by Stevie Wonder, arr Jacob Collier / Bucimis by The Swingles94.250 3rd PlaceFinalist2026HypnoticHypnosis Theme by Wax Tailor / Prelude and Rooftop from "Vertigo" by Bernard Hermann / Movement IV of "The Four Sections" by Steve Reich / Frolic from "Rabbit and Rogue" by Danny Elfman / I Put a Spell on You by Jay Hawkins92.625 4th PlaceFinalist
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