Drum Corps Associates Open Class World Champions
During Labor Day Weekend, Drum Corps Associates Open Class corps compete to earn the title of DCA Open Class World Champion. The championships consist of 2 rounds held on 2 consecutive nights. All corps compete at Prelims, with the top 10 Open Class and top 4 Class A corps competing at Finals. The champion is determined by the overall high score in the Finals competition. There are also a number of caption awards, though the process of determination for those awards has changed from year to year.
Only eleven corps have won at least one DCA title :
- Reading Buccaneers – 17 titles
- Hawthorne Caballeros – 9 titles
- Bushwackers – 6 titles
- Long Island Sunrisers – 6 titles
- Empire Statesmen – 5 titles
- Syracuse Brigadiers – 5 titles
- Connecticut Hurricanes – 3 titles
- Skyliners – 3 titles
- Minnesota Brass – 1 title
- Westshoremen – 1 title
- Cadets2 – 1 title
1965
- Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire:
- *Burke's Law
- *From This Moment On
- *Portrait of My Love
- *Maria
- *This Had Better Be The Night
- *El Cid
- *After You've Gone
- *Beyond the Sea
- Score: 84.50
- Location: Milford, Connecticut
- Venue: Jonathan Law Field
- Date: September 11
1966
- Champion: New York Skyliners of New York, NY
- Repertoire:
- *Charlie Welch
- *Columbia the Gem of the Ocean
- *That Old Black Magic
- *Flight of the Bumblebee
- *Once in Love with Amy
- *Hava Nagila
- *Oklahoma
- Score: 84.53
- Location: Bridgeport, Connecticut
- Venue: JFK Stadium
- Date: September 4
1967
- Champion: Connecticut Hurricanes of Derby, Connecticut
- Repertoire:
- *You Gotta Start Off Each Day With A Song
- *Just One Of Those Songs
- *Under the Double Eagle
- *National Emblem March
- *America I Love You
- *Rhapsody in Blue
- *Fiddler On the Roof
- *Return Of The Magnificent Seven
- Score: 85.583
- Location: Bridgeport, Connecticut
- Venue: JFK Stadium
- Date: September 3
1968
- Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire: Unavailable
- Score: 82.15
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Venue: Aquinas Stadium
- Date: September 1
1969
- Champion: Connecticut Hurricanes of Derby, Connecticut
- Repertoire:
- *Queen of Sheba March
- *Hallelujah Chorus
- *Rhapsody in Blue
- *Walk on the Wild Side
- *Hang 'Em High
- *Magnificent Seven
- *Also Sprach Zarathustra
- Score: 79.745
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Venue: Aquinas Stadium
- Date: August 31
1970
- Champion: Hawthorne Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey
- Repertoire:
- *Captain From Castile
- *Ted Meets Johnny
- *Sabre Dance
- *1812 Overture
- *Samba de Orpheo
- Score: 82.775
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Venue: Aquinas Stadium
- Date: September 6
1971
- Champion: New York Skyliners of New York, NY
- Repertoire:
- *NY Montage
- *Little Old New York
- *Longest Day
- *Alabama Jubilee
- *Lucretia McEvil
- *Comes Love
- *Slaughter on 10th Avenue
- *Little Old New York
- *East Side-West Side Fanfare
- Score: 91.5
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Venue: Aquinas Stadium
- Date: September 5
1972
- Champion: Hawthorne Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey
- Repertoire:
- *El Gato Montes
- *Captain From Castile
- *Theme from Patton
- *Everybody's Everything
- *Sabre Dance
- *Flamenco Cha-Cha
- *Samba de Orpheo
- Score: 90.6
- Location: Jersey City, New Jersey
- Venue: Roosevelt Stadium
- Date: September 3
1973
- Champion: Hawthorne Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey
- Repertoire:
- *Man of La Mancha
- *South Rampart Street Parade
- *Everybody's Everything
- *Sabre Dance
- *Flamenco Cha-Cha
- *Harmonica Man
- Score: 89.85
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Venue: Aquinas Stadium
- Date: September 2
1974
- Champion: Hawthorne Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey
- Repertoire:
- *Man of La Mancha
- *Sweet Gypsy Rose
- *Soul Train
- *Mac Arthur Park
- *Flamenco Cha-Cha
- *Harmonica Man
- Score: 83.5
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Venue: Aquinas Stadium
- Date: September 1
1975
- Champion: New York Skyliners of New York, NY
- Repertoire:
- *How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Loved You
- *Hymn to Victory
- *West Side Story Medley
- *The Elks' Parade
- *Give My Regards to Broadway
- *East Side-West Side Fanfare
- Score: 91.28
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Venue: Holleder Memorial Stadium
- Date: August 31
1976
- Champion: Hawthorne Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey
- Repertoire:
- *Bully
- *Brazil
- *Echano
- *Flamenco Cha-Cha
- *Hill Where the Lord Hides
- Score: 92.5
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Venue: Holleder Memorial Stadium
- Date: September 5
1977
- Champion: Long Island Sunrisers of Long Island, New York
- Repertoire:
- *English Folk Song Suite by Ralph Vaughan Williams
- *Spain
- *Ol' Man River by Jerome Kern
- *Eli's Coming by Hoyt Axton
- *Dance Of The Wind-Up Toys by Chuck Mangione
- *Evergreen by Paul Williams
- Score: 94.15
- Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
- Date: September 3
1978
- Champion: Long Island Sunrisers of Rockland County, New York
- Repertoire:
- *English Folk Song Suite by Ralph Vaughan Williams
- *Malaga by Bill Holman
- *Farandole by Bizet, Georges
- *Evergreen by Williams, Paul
- Score: 90.85
- Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
- Date: September 3
1979
- Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire:
- *Russian Sailor's Dance by Gliere, Reinhold
- *Fantasy by Earth, Wind and Fire
- *El Gato Triste by Mangione, Chuck
- *Feels So Good by Mangione, Chuck
- *Sylvia by Dilibes
- Score: 90.5
- Location: Hershey, Pennsylvania
- Venue: Hershey Park Stadium
- Date: September 2
1980
- Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire:
- *The Sea Hawk by Korngold, Erik Wolfgang
- *Russian Sailor's Dance by Gliere, Reinhold
- *Spanish Dreams by Severinsen, Doc
- *Sambandrea Swing by Menza, Don
- *One Voice by Manilow, Barry
- *Sylvia by Dilibes
- Score: 91.3
- Location: Hershey, Pennsylvania
- Venue: Hershey Park Stadium
- Date: August 31
1981
- Champion: Connecticut Hurricanes of Derby, Connecticut
- Repertoire:
- *Queen of Sheba March by Respighi, Ottorino
- *Swing, Swing, Swing by Williams, John
- *Salute to Freedom by Statham, Frank
- *Devil Went Down to Georgia by Daniels, Charlie
- *It's My Turn by Sondheim, Stephen
- *Magnificent Seven by Bernstein, Elmer
- Score: 89.65
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Venue: Franklin Field
- Date: September 6
1982
- Champion: Long Island Sunrisers of Rockland County, New York
- Repertoire:
- *God Save the Queen by Ives, Charles
- *English Suite for Military Band by Vaughan Williams, Ralph
- *Barnum's Revenge by Coleman, Cy
- *Tiger of San Pedro by La Barbera, John
- *Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor by Mangione, Chuck
- *Send in the Clowns by Sondheim, Stephen
- *Come Follow the Band by Coleman, Cy
- Score: 89.85
- Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
- Date: September 5
1983
- Champion: Long Island Sunrisers of Rockland County, New York
- Repertoire:
- *Russian Meadowlands by Knipper, Lev
- *Alexander's Ragtime Band by Berlin, Irving
- *Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor by Mangione, Chuck
- *Peasant Dance by Hirschberg, David
- *Send in the Clowns by Sondheim, Stephen
- *Come Follow the Band by Coleman, Cy
- Score: 91.45
- Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
- Date: September 4
1984
- Champion: Hawthorne Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey
- Repertoire:
- *Concierto de Aranjuez by Rodrigo, Joaquin
- *Nothing But D. Best by Best, Denzel de Costa
- *Malaguena by Lecuona, Ernesto
- *Don't Cry for Me Argentina
- Score: 92.4
- Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
- Date: September 3
1985
- Champion: Hawthorne Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey
- Repertoire:
- *Corre Nina by Purim, Flora
- *Upstart by Ellis, Don
- *Malaguena by Lecuona, Ernesto
- *L.A. Is My Lady by Jones, Quincy
- *Espana Cani by Marquina, Narro Pascual
- Score: 92.5
- Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
- Date: September 1
1986
- Champion: Bushwackers of Harrison, New Jersey
- Repertoire:
- *Santos by Bellson, Louis
- *Quensabe Los Suertas de Los Tontos by Richards, Johnny
- *La Suerte de Los Tontos by Richards, Johnny
- *Egyptian Danza by Di Meola, Al
- *Ayres Eyes
- Score: 92.45
- Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
- Date: August 31
1987
- Champion: Long Island Sunrisers of Rockland County, New York
- Repertoire:
- *Adventures on Earth by Williams, John
- *Jupiter by Holst, Gustav
- Score: 94.84
- Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
- Date: September 6
1988
- Champion: Bushwackers of Harrison, New Jersey / Long Island Sunrisers of Rockland County, New York
- Bushwackers Repertoire:
- *Pellet Suite by McDougal, Ian
- *Inner Crisis by Willis, Larry
- *Mira, Mira by Ferguson, Maynard
- *Out of Africa by Bergman, Marilyn
- Sunrisers Repertoire:
- *Savannah River Holiday by Nelson, Ron
- *Concerto in F by Gershwin, George
- *An American in Paris by Gershwin, George
- Score: 96.36
- Location: Hershey, Pennsylvania
- Venue: Unavailable
- Date: September 5
1989
- Champion: Bushwackers of Harrison, New Jersey
- Repertoire:
- *Time Check by Menza, Donald
- *In Her Family by Metheny, Pat
- *No Pasaran by Schanzer, Jeffrey
- *Mira, Mira by Ferguson, Maynard
- Score: 95.1
- Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
- Date: September 3
1990
- Champion: Bushwackers of Harrison, New Jersey
- Repertoire:
- *Prototype by Stephen Melilo
- Score: 96.9
- Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
- Date: September 2
1991
- Champion: Empire Statesmen of Rochester, New York
- Repertoire:
- *Begin the Beguine by Porter, Cole
- *Sophisticated Lady by Ellington, Duke
- *American Patrol by Miller, Glenn
- *Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree by Miller, Glenn
- *In the Mood by Miller, Glenn
- *America the Beautiful by Ward, Samuel A.
- *Battle Hymn of the Republic by Steffe, William
- Score: 96.7
- Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
- Venue: Lackawanna County Stadium
- Date: September 1
1992
- Champion: Bushwackers of Harrison, New Jersey
- Repertoire:
- *The Ballad of Sweeney Todd) by Sondheim, Stephen
- *My Friends by Sondheim, Stephen
- *Worst Pies in London by Sondheim, Stephen
- *History of the World
- *Epiphany by Sondheim, Stephen
- *Nothin's Gonna Harm You by Sondheim, Stephen
- Score: 96.7
- Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
- Venue: Lackawanna County Stadium
- Date: September 6
1993
- Champion: Bushwackers of Harrison, New Jersey
- Repertoire:
- *Sunday in the Park with George
- **Putting It Together by Sondheim, Stephen
- **Color and Light by Sondheim, Stephen
- **Sunday in the Park by Sondheim, Stephen
- **Sunday by Sondheim, Stephen
- Score: 96.6
- Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
- Venue: Lackawanna County Stadium
- Date: September 6
1994
- Champion: Empire Statesmen of Rochester, New York
- Repertoire:
- *The Music of Frank Sinatra
- **Ol' Man River by Kern, Jerome
- **I've Got the World on a String by Arlen, Harold
- **April in Paris by Duke, Vernon
- **My Way by Anka, Paul
- Score: 96.0
- Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
- Venue: Lackawanna County Stadium
- Date: September 3
1995
- Champion: Hawthorne Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey
- Repertoire:
- *Spanish Fantasies
- **Malaguena by Lecuona, Ernesto
- **Conquistador by Chattaway, Jay
- **Spanish Fantasy by Corea, Chick
- **Concierto de Aranjuez by Rodrigo, Joaquin
- **Espana Cani by Marquina, Narro Pascual
- Score: 97.7
- Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
- Venue: Lackawanna County Stadium
- Date: September 3
1996
- Champion: Westshoremen of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire:
- *Suite for Westshore
- **Granada Smoothie
- **All the Things You Are
- **Explosion!
- **Marching Season
- **Carnival
- **Suite for Jazz Orchestra
- **Blues in the Night
- Score: 96.9
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Venue: Frontier Field
- Date: September 1
1997
- Champion: Empire Statesmen of Rochester, New York / Syracuse Brigadiers of Syracuse, New York
- Empire Repertoire:
- *Miss Saigon
- **Overture
- **Heat is On in Saigon
- **Sun and Moon
- **Dragon
- **Fall of Saigon
- Brigadiers Repertoire:
- *Night and Day: A Tribute to Cole Porter
- **In the Still of the Night
- **Love for Sale
- **Night and Day
- **It's Alright With Me
- Score: 96.3
- Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
- Date: August 31
1998
- Champion: Empire Statesmen of Rochester, New York
- Repertoire:
- *West Side Story
- **Fanfare
- **The Jets
- **Maria
- **America
- **Cool
- **The Rumble
- **Somewhere
- Score: 97.9
- Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
- Date: September 6
1999
- Champion: Syracuse Brigadiers of Syracuse, New York
- Repertoire:
- *On the Town with Buddy and Mel
- **Channel One Suite by Reddie, Bill
- **Harlem Nocturne by Hagen, Earl
- **Mercy Mercy Mercy by Ochs, Michael
- Score: 97.5
- Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
- Date: September 5
2000
- Champion: Syracuse Brigadiers of Syracuse, New York
- Repertoire:
- *City Rhythms
- **Slaughter on 10th Avenue by Rodgers, Richard
- **Ballet in Brass by Brown, Les; Schoen, Victor
- **Artistry in Rhythm by Kenton, Stan
- **Harlem Nocturne by Hagen, Earle
- Score: 98.0
- Location: Syracuse, New York
- Venue: P & C Stadium
- Date: September 3
2001
- Champion: Syracuse Brigadiers of Syracuse, New York
- Repertoire:
- *Jazz Street, After Hours
- **Seven Year Itch by Newman, Alfred
- **Come Back to Me by Lane, Burton
- **God Bless the Child by Herzog, Jr., Arthur; Holiday, Billy
- **Mac Arthur Park by Webb, Jimmy
- Score: 97.95
- Location: Syracuse, New York
- Venue: P & C Stadium
- Date: September 2
2002
- Champion: Syracuse Brigadiers of Syracuse, New York
- Repertoire:
- *Picasso Sketchbook
- **Spanish Fantasy by Corea, Chick
- **Day Danse by Corea, Chick
- **Guaganco by Sandoval, Arturo
- **All Or Nothing At All by Porter, Cole
- Score: 98.6
- Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
- Venue: Lackawanna County Stadium
- Date: September 1
2003
- Champion: Hawthorne Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey
- Repertoire:
- *El Toro Nuevo
- **El Toro Rojo by Poulan, Key
- **The Prayer by Bayer, Carol; Foster, David
- **El Toro Furioso by Poulan, Key
- Score: 97.375
- Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
- Venue: Lackawanna County Stadium
- Date: August 31
2004
- Champion: Empire Statesmen of Rochester, New York
- Repertoire:
- *Go Hollywood!
- **Prologue and Theme by Coleman, Cy
- **With Every Breath I Take
- **Funny
- Score: 96.513
- Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
- Venue: Lackawanna County Stadium
- Date: September 5
2005
- Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire:
- *'Variations in "B" – Music by Barber, Bartók, Bizet, and Britten
- **Farandole
- **Adagio for Strings
- **String Quartet #5 – Movement 4
- **A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
- Score: 98.45
- Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
- Venue: Lackawanna County Stadium
- Date: September 4
2006
- Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire:
- *Exotic Impressions
- **Bolero
- **Capriccio Espagnol
- **Claire de Lune
- **Scheherazade
- Score: 97.238
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Venue: PAETEC Park
- Date: September 3
2007
- Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire:
- *Blue Era
- **New Era Dance
- **The Promise of Living
- **Malambo
- **Rhapsody in Blue
- Score: 98.313
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Venue: PAETEC Park
- Date: September 2
2008
- Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire:
- *The Pursuit of Joy
- **Canon in D
- **Abram's Pursuit
- **Nessun Dorma
- **Ode to Joy
- Score: 97.913
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Venue: PAETEC Park
- Date: August 31
2009
- Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire:
- *Demons & Angels
- **Dies Irae
- **A Simple Song
- **Ritual Fire Dance
- **Symphonia Resurrectus
- Score: 99.025
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Venue: PAETEC Park
- Date: September 6
2010
- Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire:
- *Rome MMX
- **Pines of the Appian Way
- **Games at the Circus Maximus
- **Adagio from Spartacus
- **The Epiphany
- Score: 98.263
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Venue: PAETEC Park
- Date: September 6
2011
- Champion: Minnesota Brass of St. Paul, Minnesota
- Repertoire:
- *Valhalla
- **Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin
- **Children's Hour of Dream by Charles Mingus
- **Imagine by John Lennon
- **Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner
- Score: 98.35
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Venue: Sahlen's Stadium
- Date: September 4
2012
- Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire:
- *The Black Symphony
- **Warm Colors by Mark Lortz
- **The Four Sections for Orchestra, Mvt. IV by Steve Reich
- ** by Björk
- **1812 Overture by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- Score: 99.03
- Location: Annapolis, Maryland
- Venue: Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
- Date: September 2
2013
- Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire:
- *Higher, Faster, Stronger
- **Symphony No. 11, Mvt IV by Dmitri Shostakovich
- **Original Composition by Mark Lortz
- **Chevaliers de Sangreal by Hans Zimmer
- **Danse Bacchanale by Camille Saint-Saëns
- Score: 98.43
- Location: Annapolis, Maryland
- Venue: Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
- Date: September 1
2014
- Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire:
- *Break On Through
- **Break On Through by The Doors
- **Fourth Ballet Suite by Dmitri Shostakovich
- **Orawa for String Orchestra by Wojciech Kilar
- **Heat of the Day by Pat Metheny
- **Original Composition by Mark Lortz, Johnny Trujillo, and Greg Tsalikis
- Score: 97.55
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Venue: Sahlen's Stadium
- Date: August 31
2015
- Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire:
- *Twist It
- **Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo
- **Palladio by Karl Jenkins
- **Moonlight Sonata by Ludwig van Beethoven
- **Going the Distance by Bill Conti
- **William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini
- Score: 97.58
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Venue: Sahlen's Stadium
- Date: Sep 7
2016
- Champion: Cadets2 of Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire:
- *Full Circle
- **The Heat of the Day by Pat Matheny
- **First Circle by Pat Matheny
- **Third Wind by Pat Matheny
- **Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell
- Score: 97.95
- Location: Rochester, NY
- Venue: Capelli Sport Stadium
- Date: Sep 4
2017
- Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire:
- *Behind the Suit
- Score: 98.93
- Location: Rochester, NY
- Venue: Capelli Sport Stadium
- Date: Sep 3
2018
- Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire:
- *Here to There
- Score: 98.00
- Location: Williamsport, PA
- Venue: STA Stadium
- Date: Sep 2
2019
- Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
- Repertoire:
- *Dans Ma Chambre
- **"Benedictus" by Karl Jenkins
- **"Ruslan and Lyudmila Overture" by Mikhail Glinka
- **"Flashdance What a Feeling" by Irene Crane
- **"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen
- Score: 98.225
- Location: Williamsport, PA
- Venue: STA Stadium
- Date: Aug 31