Pride sets target of 32 horns

Pride of Bristol Senior Drum & Bugle Corps have appointed a new horn instructor and set themselves a target of marching 32 horns in 2005. The corps is delighted to welcome back Wayne Mundy as the new brass caption head.

Wayne was a marching member of the former Pride Junior Corps between 1989 and 1996. When the corps went inactive in 1996, Wayne moved to 37th Kingswood where he finished his marching career. After ageing out Wayne joined 37ths staff and remained there until last season. But now he has returned to the organisation where he began his drum corps days.

Mundy said: "The set up here is quite different from junior corps, but the potential is tremendous and I am looking forward to this new challenge." He also announced his plans for the forthcoming year. "The horn line is building up nicely, and at the recent winterguard preview show in Bristol we were able to field 22 players for the National Anthem, and that was with 3 people missing. This has given us the taste for bigger and better things, and therefore last week at a horn line meeting we decided to set ourselves a target of getting 32 players in the line."

To British Drum Corps fans this target may sound ambitious as most corps in the UK these days march 20 horns or less, but as Mundy explained: "When we sat down and looked at it we realised that this number was quite feasible. There are many people in the Bristol area that aren't involved with any group at present that would love to play in a line of that size. We just need to let them know what we're doing."

Within a few days of the '32 Campaign' being launched, 3 experienced players joined the corps with many more showing interest. The corps' next project is to put on a concert on Saturday 23rd April in the Bristol area, venue to be confirmed. They hope to be joined by one of the senior ensembles and one or two of the local junior corps, and this should make for a great nights entertainment.

During the summer the corps will be travelling to both Belgium and Holland to compete in DCE competitions, as well as competing in the European Showband Championships in Bath, England. For further information on the corps, please go to the new website at www.prideofbristol.com.