CorpsVets

CorpsVets is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and one of only two competitive Drum Corps in the state of Georgia. The corps is a Senior Drum Corps and a member of Drum Corps Associates (DCA).

## History

### Founding

The CorpsVets started as a simple idea in the summer of 1997. The first rehearsal of the corps was in January, 1998 with the very first performance occurring that March at the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Atlanta.

That summer, the corps boasted a membership of 44 performers, and performed exhibitions at a local Drum Corps International (DCI) competition as well as marching in the WSB-TV Salute 2 America Parade on 4th of July in downtown Atlanta. The final performance that inaugural season was at the Drum Corps Associates Championship in Allentown, Pennsylvania where several members represented the corps in the Individual and Ensemble Competition.

### Growth

Subsequent years have shown steady growth in both the membership and talent of the corps. Every year since the corps' founding, they have participated in the Atlanta St. Patrick's Day parade, the WSB-TV Salute 2 America Parade and at the local DCI competitions in Georgia and Alabama.

In 1999 the corps grew to 55 members and traveled to the DCA Championships, placing 4th in the mini-corps competition. Growth continued in 2000, with the corps featuring 56 members and placing second at the DCA Championships in the Class A division.

### Class A Champions and the Move to Open Class

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  The CorpsVets had a very exciting year in 2001 when the 65 member corps won the Class A title at the championships with a record score in that division.  The following year, 2002, the corps grew to 94 members, advanced to the highly competitive Open Class Division of DCA and tied for 11th place at the championships.

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  Competing again in the Open Class Division, the corps passed another milestone by earning an 8th place finish at the 2003 DCA Championships in Scranton, PA with the  production of "The Wild Party."

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  For the 2004 competitive season, the CorpsVets feilded a production titled, "The Heart of Jazz."

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  During the 2005 Season the Atlanta CorpsVets went from being a Senior corps only, to an all age category corps. During the 2005 Season the CorpsVets put on a show called M.O.D.E. (The Music of Don Ellis) Featuring the songs; Open Wide and Strawberry Soup.

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  The 2006 CorpsVets Program was called "A Trip to Vegas" Featuring "Luck Be a Lady Tonight" by Frank Sinatra, "Feeling Good" by Michael Bublé, "Copacabana" by Barry Manilow, Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime, A Little Less Conversation, Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend, and a quick two-measure part of the wedding song to symbolize a vegas "quickie wedding."
  The story of "A Trip to Vegas" is that a guy is feeling lucky and wants to go gamble in Vegas (Luck Be A Lady). Then he loses all his money and is feeling down in the dumps (Feeling Good). After that he decides to go to the club, Copacabana, and he meets a girl and falls in love (Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime). He then begins to say, hey girl, a little less talk, a little more action (A Little Less Conversation), and then she gets mad and begins to ignore him. But when he presents her with a beautiful diamond (Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend) they get married via a quickie vegas wedding.
  The corps placed 9th place at finals that year.

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## Philosophy

The CorpsVets philosophy is to provide entertaining and pleasing performances for our members to perform and our audiences to enjoy. We will achieve this by the development of a closely-knit, highly trained membership and staff to whom we offer dynamic, diverse, and rewarding opportunities. Excitement, friendship and performance are the defining characteristics of the CorpsVets. We aim for excellence and leadership in the drum corps community.

## Trivia

### Other Performances

In addition to competitive performances, the corps has also hosted educational clinics for local high school music students, performed at the 4th of July stage show in Centennial Olympic Park, opened the Southeastern Emmy Awards show, performed the National Anthem for the Georgia Force and the Rome Braves, marched in the Old Soldier's Day Parade in Alpharetta, Georgia, the 4th of July Parade in Decatur, Georgia and the Georgia Mountain Fair Parade in Hiawassee.