DCUK have received enquiries from over 20 different corps regarding the 2009 season, most of these enquiries have come from Drum Corps wishing to return to DCUK or are looking to compete on the DCUK circuit for the first time.

In seeking to recapture to the true essence of Spirit, traditionally known for their high energy, unique approach, and fan-friendly programs, the Jacksonville - Alabama based corps has announced the musical source for their 2009 program.

NorthCoast Academy Percussion Ensemble from Saginaw - Michigan (USA) will be travelling to Europe in April of 2009 to represent the US indoor percussion community in both clinics and performances.

Drum Corps United Kingdom are pleased to be able announce their contest dates for their 30th Anniversary season. All three of the contests have received 'bids' from show sponsors to run the events.

The BYBA Performance Portfolio is pleased to announce their 2009 summer season, which includes a number of minor changes to existing contests, plus sanction of two new contests taking our total to ten.

There can be little doubt that billionaire Bill Cook, the wealthiest man in Indiana, according to Forbes Magazine, has an amazing knack for making money, bringing projects to fruition and envisioning a better future. Bob Hammel wrote a book about Bill Cook, founder of Star of Indiana.

Next year sees Distant Thunder's tenth anniversary so it is fitting that some exciting developments are happening. The senior corps will compete as an open age unit in BYBA Associate Class for the first time and looking to the future, Distant Thunder Juniors (a new venture) is forming to bring new young people into the activity, to compete as a junior corps and ultimately help feed the senior corps.

The Star Alumni Association of Indianapolis - Indiana is excited to announce that a Star Alumni Corps will perform at the Drum Corps International World Championships in Lucas Oil Stadium on August 6th, 2010. The Star Alumni Corps will perform a field show that embodies the essence of the Star of Indiana Drum and Bugle Corps that was based in Bloomington, Indiana.

Pride of Bristol are please to announce that they have entered into a Strategic Partnership with local education centre Filton College. The new group will be called the Pegasus Academy of Performing Arts, honouring the Engine produced in Filton by the Bristol Engine Company, then Rolls Royce when it acquired the firm in 1966.

Local youth marching music ensemble Concord have been specially selected to take part in a national pilot scheme that will form the basis of a UK-wide programme.

On October 9th 2008 a new band had its first rehearsal and Liberty Drum Corps, based in Duston - Northampton, finally moved from planning to happening. For the last 6 months the steering group had been working on the 'behind the scenes' operations to make sure the band started with good foundations.

'On the Starting Line' is a narrative movie about girl with passion for drum corps. The movie, written and directed by Wendy Menara, will be released this fall.

In recent months the email delivery of the DCE News Service experienced some technical issues. Drum Corps Europe decided to move to another company in regard to the email service. Some users of the DCE Service may have to sign up again.

A mile-stone for the organisation and members of the Beatrix 2009 winterguard. Beatrix' Corps Association has decided that their winterguard will take part in the Winter Guard International 2009 Championships which will be held in Dayton - Ohio, USA.

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The Open Day 2008, organised by Unik Star/Xpression and with the support of European Indoor Arts Alliance (EIAA) held on October 26, 2008 in Hellemmes (France), was a great success. For this first official EIAA demonstration, approximately 300 visitors and 90 trainees visited this exceptional day filled with indoor percussion and color guard.

Today, the registration period for the DCE European Championships 2009 has begun. Corps will be able to register during the whole of November. The participants list will be published mid-December.

This Saturday, the registration for the DCE European Championships 2009 will begin. Corps will be able to register during the whole of November. The participants list will be published mid-December.

Following on from a very successful 2008 season, Spirit of Coventry are looking for staff/instructors in various key areas to facilitate the new season. The corps are hoping to compete in both DCUK and BYBA in 2009.

At 10am UK (11am mainland Europe) on Saturday 1st November the on-line registration process for the WGUK sponsored 2009 European Championships will open. This event being held in Stoke On Trent in the UK on Saturday 21st February is open to units across Europe to compete and meet together in the continued co-operation under the European Indoor Arts Alliance banner.

Marching Music France and Drum Corps Europe will enter a strategic partnership. Marching Music France is a new French music organisation, and one of their aims is to promote the drum corps style in their country.

Indoor Percussion Europe and Drum Corps Europe are proud to announce that they will enter a partnership. The DCE judging panel will judge at IPE contests, starting next year.

The Pride from Huizen - The Netherlands presents their 2009 program entitled: 'La Vie Boheme'. The Pride of The Netherlands is a 2008 WGI Independent Open World Championships Finalist and will compete in IO again in 2009.

Trinity School Showband will move to the BYBA Division 1 next year. Over the past 3 years, the Trinity School Showband have been working to a plan that would develop their members and staff in order to prepare for pushing themselves further.

Drum Corps United Kingdom are pleased to announce their arrival on Facebook. The official DCUK Facebook group has been set up to bring together the UK drum corps community, to share news of current DCUK events and, as they enter their 30th season, to share cherished memories of days gone by.

Stafford Lancers are pleased to announce the title of the 2009 show: 'Outside the Box'. Stafford Lancers will for the first time in the corps history be bringing a show full of upbeat Jazz, Swing and Blues to the arena for 2009.

"Sunday 5th October 07.30am the rain was pouring down and I had a two hour trip to Coventry for the 2008 British Youth Band Association Championships, where six British Champions would later be crowned." A report by John Green from the Doncaster Scouts.

Plans are well underway that will see The Green Lancers from Warrington - Cheshire return to Drum Corps United Kingdom in 2009; it's 30th Anniversary Year.

From 2009, corps will NOT have had to take part at a DCUK sanctioned event during the season to be eligible to compete at the British Drum Corps Championships.

Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond their control Southern Aurora have parted company with Legion Star. Darren Spill Corps Director of Legion Star withdrew his corps from competition during the summer leaving Southern Aurora no choice but to follow suit.

Indoor Percussion Europe will organise its first Percussion Advisory Board meeting on 23rd October in Dordrecht. Percussion advisors and specialists from Europe will discuss matters for the upcomming European Indoor Percussion season. During this meeting they will discuss topics like education, organisation, contests and judging.

The British Youth Band Association has published the results of the BYBA National Finals on their website. Champions are Poynton Commodores (Associate Division), 37th Kingswood (Division 1), East Coast Elite (Division 2), Spirit of Coventry (Division 3), Cosley Comets (Junior Division) and 37th Kingswood Cadets (Cadet Class).

After a delay of many months, the DVDs and CDs of the DCE Championships 2007 are ready to ship next week.

Butts Park Arena and the top 30 Bands from within the British Youth Band Association had to battle continuous challenges with the weather, but there was nothing that was going to detract from one of the most exciting and close fought National Championships to date!

Over the coming weeks Drum Corps United Kingdom will be announcing details of its plans and initiatives for the 2009 season and the first of these is the return of the original logo which has been modernised very slightly from when first used in 1980 but is still based on the logo still used today by Drum Corps International.

Registration for the IPE Indoor Percussion events 2009 has started. This year, Indoor Percussion Europe organised its very first European Indoor Percussion Championships. Next year the European indoor percussion season will consist of several contests.

The European Indoor Arts Alliance (EIAA) and Unik Star/Xpression will hold a number of clinics during the Unik Star Open House in october. The open house will take place on October 26th at the 'Centre Gustave Engrand', 208 rue Faidherbe in Hellemmes â?? 59260 (the park is located at the right hand behind the supermarket Cora in Villeneuve d'Ascq).

Following January's 'whole activity' conference in Leicester, the Federation has been working on a Youth Music grant application to deliver one of the suggestions made by discussion groups during the day. It has just been announced that The Federation will receive a £29,700 grant to deliver a pilot project to encourage bands and corps to liaise more actively with the wider music community.

Following a unanimous vote of Drum Corps International World Class member corps on Tuesday 30th September, the southern New Jersey-based Jersey Surf has officially been approved as a World Class unit, effective with the 2009 season.

After Jim Casella, Wayne Downey and Jonathan Schwartz, InCorps proudly presents Phantom Regiment's Percussion caption head and arranger Paul Rennick as their new Percussion Expert.

The webcast of the DCE European Championships last Saturday was a big success. More than 2300 drum corps fans watched the Drum Corps Europe webcast.

Open Class Finals (PDF)
Cadet Class Finals (PDF)
Open Class Prelims (PDF)

The Senators from Eastleigh and Jong Jubal from Dordrecht are the 2008 champions of Drum Corps Europe. In the Parkstad Limburg Stadium, the audience was treated on fantastic drum corps shows in both the Open and Cadet Class.

No tickets for the DCE Championships? Don't worry! There are still tickets available at the stadium. And if you are early Saturday, you may even be able to purchase tickets for seats on the 50 yard!

Drum Corps Europe will make a live webcast of the DCE Championships this Saturday in Kerkrade, with audio and video streaming. Drum corps fans who can't travel to Kerkrade will still be able to see what's happening in the Parkstad Limburg Stadium.

"After going into DCUK finals from an undefeated season, the current European champions Senators, from Eastleigh, Hampshire won a record breaking eighth DCUK title with a clean sweep of caption awards." A report by Jayson Brinkler.