Frontier Drum and Bugle Corps
Frontier Drum and Bugle Corps was an all age Drum Corps Associates A Class summer drum and bugle corps based in Denton, Texas (USA). Frontier operated under the umbrella of the Frontier Performing Arts Association (FPAA), which, in addition to Frontier, operated Texas Independent Winterguard, Open Range brass ensemble, the Sky Ryders Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps, and Outlaw mini-corps. Frontier left the field in 2008. Several attempts were made to reform the group, but none succeeded. About. Uniform. In its first two years, the corps uniform consisted of khaki pants and tops with  a black belt and cross-belt, a uniform reminiscent of the 27th Lancers. Since 2007, Frontier wears a chocolate and crimson uniform with brass buttons and white gauntlets and gloves. For 2008, the uniform was supposed to be changed to incorporate silver buttons, red gauntlets with black gloves, and a red sash with silver sequins. Instrumentation. The corps performed using 2-valved and 3-valved bugles. Repertoires. Frontier has programmed music from a wide variety of musical genres, including jazz, classical, Broadway, folk, and movie tunes. Logo. The corps logo was the word Frontier with a shooting star crossing it  from left to right. The logo was designed to resemble the sunset on the American Frontier. The corps song was Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel. Members. Frontier's membership drew on a large population of displaced drum corps veterans, but welcomed adults with any musical and/or visual experience. Members came from as near as the Dallas metro area and other parts of Texas to as far as Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and California. The corps eventually died because it was spread too thin. Scope. Frontier is an associate member of DCA and a charter member of DCA -Central. Frontier was always trying to create something new and in turn, ran itself into the ground by expanding before it was ready. History. Frontier was formed in the fall of 2004 by executive director Chris Green. In the arts world, Frontier enjoyed a close relationship with the world-famous Turtle Creek Chorale men’s chorus, performing in several concerts and television broadcasts. With the Chorale, corps members participated in recording sessions for the nationally distributed compact disk "Songs of Our Nation", an award-winning documentary entitled ”Power of Harmony”, as well as the 2006 Christmas concert. Frontier also performed  in exhibition at the annual Texas Drum Corps Preview, the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival in Denton, Texas, at a roller derby game of Assassination City, and at home games of the Dallas Diamonds women’s professional football team. Competitions. From 2005 to 2008, Frontier competed at the DCA World Championships, Brass on the Bayou sponsored by Gulf Coast Sound, as well as annual contests sponsored by Minnesota corps Govenaires and Minnesota Brass, Inc. In 2007, Frontier also competed at local DCI contests. Frontier sponsored an annual competition in the Dallas/Fort Worth area called Brass Hysteria. Seasons of note. 2005 . In its inaugural season, the corps received a score of 70.713 and finished 16th, performing its debut show Lasso the Sun. 2006. With their show, entitled Fire, Frontier improves nearly 10 points from its inaugural season, finishing 14th and posting a semifinals score of 80.288 while performing in less-than-ideal conditions in the rains of Hurricane Ernesto. In recent times, the only all-age corps to post a more significant improvement from one year to the next was the Bushwackers Drum and Bugle Corps, who improved 10.3 points from 2000 to 2001. 2007. Frontier takes a step forward with  the introduction of its new (and current) uniform. The corps makes its DCI debut at the Lake Highlands Festival of Drums & Bugles on July 19. The 2007 production, 1968, comprises music released in that year, including The Age of Aquarius from the musical Hair and Bridge Over Troubled Water (song), which has become the corps song. 2008. The 2008 production, entitled There And Back Again, will take viewers on a musical journey, beginning with the modern classical piece "Ride" by Samuel Hazo and continuing with a lush arrangement of "I'll Be Seeing You" based on the version by New  York Voices. Then the corps takes a jazzy turn with the classic "Caravan", and finally returns "Home" to the strains of Michael Bublé's hit single of the same name.