Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps


Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps is a World Class competitive junior drum and bugle corps based in Rockford, Illinois, USA. The corps is a long-standing member of Drum Corps International, having been a DCI World Championship Top Twelve Finalist every year since 1974 and DCI World Champions in 1996 and 2008.

History

Sources:
The corps was founded in 1956 by Alex Haddad, a member of the Col. Thomas G. Lawler VFW Post 342. Under his direction, the corps was named the Rockford Rangers, with all-male drum and bugle sections and an all-female color guard to named the Rangerettes. However, when many of the charter members were impressed by the recording of the Syracuse Brigadiers performing the Leroy Anderson composition The Phantom Regiment, the corps' name was changed before the unit made its debut, with the color guard renamed the Phantomettes.
In the corps' early years, the Phantomettes and a corps-sponsored all-boy color guard called the Raiders were competitively successful. The drum and bugle corps, however, struggled. In 1962, the corps bought a set of high quality bugles that had belonged to the Commonwealth Edison Knights of Light Drum and Bugle Corps which had folded two years earlier. With the new instruments and a new brass arranger, the corps began to improve. The old set of bugles went to the newly formed Phantom Regiment Cadets.
Despite the Phantomettes having placed second at the 1962 color guard national championships, in 1963, Phantom Regiment fielded an all-male corps, including the color guard. When scores fell behind those of the previous season, the Phantomettes returned to the corps for 1964. With the girls back in the corps, successful recruitment, and new uniforms, the corps had its best season until that time, including a finish of 15th among 45 corps at the VFW National Championship preliminaries in Cleveland. The Phantomettes were honored in the graphic on the City of Rockford's 1964 vehicle registration stickers. But on August 21, 1964 Regimental Hall, the corps' home base, was badly damaged by a fire. The organization was forced to sell its instruments and uniforms to pay off its debts.
Financially unable to field a corps in 1965 through 1967, alumni and former staff members reorganized and officially incorporated on September 11, 1967. At the first meeting of the newly restructured corps in January, there were 28 members. The Regiment's 1968 drum and horn lines dressed in black pants and a red windbreaker with a black and white vertical stripe on the left side; the guard wore the same windbreaker, black Bermuda shorts and an "Aussie" style hat. The season consisted mostly of parades, with few field contests. The corps owned one vehicle; a red step van to carry the equipment. In that first year of the corps' return, perhaps the corps' greatest asset was its new musical arranger, Phantom Regiment alumnus and future DCI Hall of Fame member, Jim Wren, who would go on to arrange the unit's brass music for the next 32 years.
By 1970, Phantom was able to outfit the corps in new uniforms; a cadet-style jacket with a red diagonal sash dividing the black white side from the white left side, black pants with a white stripe, white buck shoes, and a shako with a 12-inch plume. The corps had grown to 89 members with 40 horns, 14 drums, 24 flags, 12 rifles, and a drum major.
In 1971, Wren started adding the classical music pieces that would become Phantom's trademark along with the usual pop music that most corps were playing. On a Friday the 13th in that year, so the legend goes, all of the corps' buses ran out of fuel; the equipment truck caught fire, not just once, but twice; yet the corps went out and won that night's contest.
Prior to the founding of DCI in 1972, the Phantom Regiment, like most corps of the time, was strictly a local organization. The members and the staff came from Rockford and its surrounding suburbs. Travel to contests was limited to perhaps a few hours of driving. The only "National" competition the corps had ever entered had been the 1964 VFW championships in Cleveland. The corps attended the first DCI competition, in Whitewater, Wisconsin, placing 23rd of 39 corps in prelims. In 1973, The corps returned to Whitewater and moved up to 14th place among 48 corps.
In 1974, Phantom presented its first full program of all-classical musical selections. The corps had grown to DCI's maximum of 128 members, and it took its first extended tour, travelling to Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts en route to the DCI Championships in Ithaca, New York. The corps was beating many of the activity's traditional powers and earning a reputation as a power in its own right. At DCI, the Regiment earned its first Top Twelve Finalist placement, beginning a string that has held through 2019. In prelims, the corps shocked many by placing 8th, although they fell back to 11th at Finals.
A new uniform was conceived for the 1975 corps; long white jackets with a black sash, a two-colored cape with red on the inside and black on the outside, black pants, and the one element that remains today: the pith helmet. Once the corps moved up to become a DCI Finalist, it also became become a consistent contender, placing 10th in 1975, 4th in 1976, and having a frustrating run of second-place finishes in 1977, 1978 and 1979 with the corps scoring within tenths of a point from the title.
A fall to a 10th-place finish in 1986 led the corps to take a new approach. Among other moves, the corps made a dramatic uniform change, inspired by designer Michael Cesario, adopting new, all-white uniforms more closely resembling costumes than traditional uniforms. Three years of improvement, culminated in 1989 with another second-place finish, with Phantom's score of 98.400 tying the previous DCI highest score ever. That 1989 corps joined the Kansas City Symphony on stage in a performance of "Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral" that led a newspaper reviewer to write that it was so powerful that he might never recover.
From 1975, Phantom Regiment's field shows had been designed by future DCI Hall of Fame member John Brazale to maximize the musical impact while often amazing the audience. Returning home after the 1992 DCI Championships, Brazale had complained of having severe headaches during the last few weeks, and was soon diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, and died within months.
Phantom continued to turn out programs that pleased both audiences and fans, and the corps continued to be a DCI Finalist. In 1995, the corps changed from all-white uniforms to all-black with the same style.
In 1996, playing a program entitled "A Defiant Heart," consisting entirely of music by Dmitri Shostakovich, the Phantom Regiment finally reached the top, tying the Blue Devils of Concord, California for its first DCI World Championship. Jim Wren arranged for the corps from 1967 through the 1999 season, and then retired as the corps' musical arranger. Michael Klesch took over arranging duties in 2000 and 2001, and was then followed by alumnus J.D. Shaw, who arranged the corps' music from the 2002 season through the 2011 season. After spending the 2012-2019 seasons with the Santa Clara Vanguard, J.D. Shaw is set to return with the Phantom Regiment in 2020.
Since winning its first DCI World Championship in 1996, Phantom Regiment has made additional uniform changes, but has mostly held to its classical music programming.
In 2008, with its performance of "Spartacus", Phantom Regiment narrowly defeated the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps by a margin of 98.125 to 98.100 to win its second DCI World Championship.
Through 2018, Phantom Regiment has continued to be a DCI Finalist, with the streak extending through 45 consecutive Top Twelve finishes. However, their 11th place finish in 2018 was their first time placing out of the Top-10 since 1974 and the 6th consecutive season their score went down from the previous year.

Sponsorship

Phantom Regiment is a 501 musical organization incorporated in the State of Illinois. As such, it has a board of directors, directors, and staff assigned to carry out the organization's mission. Tim Farrell is president of the board of directors, and Stan Mauldin is the executive director.
Throughout the summer, the organization holds several educational camps for brass, percussion, and color guard students in Rockford and for drum majors in Illinois, Ohio, Arkansas, and Maryland.
In conjunction with the Northern Illinois University School of Music, the organization also sponsors the Red & Black Fall Classic Marching Band Festival and the NIU Concert Band Festival.

Show summary (1972–2020)

Source:
Gold background indicates DCI Championship; pale blue background indicates DCI Class Finalist; pale green background indicates DCI semifinalist.
YearThemeRepertoireScorePlacement
1972March by Hector Berlioz / The Phantom Regiment by Leroy Anderson /
America the Beautiful by Katherine Lee Bates and Samuel A. Ward /
Funeral March of a Marionette by Charles Gounod / Poet & Peasant Overture by Franz von Suppé /
Shot in the Dark by Henry Mancini / Spellbound Concerto by Miklós Rózsa		64.40023rd
1973Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky / The Lord's Prayer by Miklós Rózsa /
Mac Arthur Park by Jimmy Webb / Poet and Peasant Overture & Light Cavalry Overture by Franz von Suppé /
Jubilance by James Swearingen		74.70014th
1974Festive Overture & Fifth Symphony by Dmitri Shostakovich / Poet and Peasant Overture by Franz von Suppé /
Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky / Romeo and Juliet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky /
Les Preludes by Franz Liszt		76.25011th
1975American Overture by Joseph Willcox Jenkins / Hungarian Dance No. 5 by Johannes Brahms /
Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini / An American in Paris by George Gershwin /
Pilgrim's Chorus by Richard Wagner		81.3010th
1976Finale from Seventh Symphony by Gustav Mahler / Sixth Symphony by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky /
Tocatta and Fugue in D minor by Johann Sebastian Bach / An American in Paris by George Gershwin /
Pilgrim's Chorus by Richard Wagner		87.754th
1977New World Symphony by Antonín Dvořák / Piano Concerto No. 1 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky /
Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo / Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov /
Ode to Joy by Ludwig van Beethoven		90.3002nd
1978Firebird, Rite Of Spring, Petrouchka, Dance Infernale & Sherzo A La Russe by Igor Stravinsky /
Piano Concerto in A minor by Edvard Grieg / Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov /
Ode to Joy by Ludwig van Beethoven		91.4502nd
1979Third Symphony by Camille Saint-Saëns / Malambo by Alberto Ginastera /
Morning Mood, Piano Concerto in A minor,
Hall of the Mountain King & March of the Dwarfs by Edvard Grieg /
Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral by Richard Wagner		92.7502nd
1980Russian Easter Overture by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov / Romany Life by Victor Herbert /
Polovetsian Dances by Alexander Borodin / Masquerade Suite by Carl Nielsen /
Carmen Suite by Georges Bizet, adapted by Ernest Guiraud		88.4505th
1981SpartacusTriumph of Rome, Gladiator Fight, Dance of the Rebels, Prelude to Battle,
Battle, Sunrise and Apotheosis
All from Spartacus by Aram Khachaturian '		90.8505th
1982SpartacusTriumph of Rome, Slave Dance, Gladiator Fight, Mourning and Uprising, Prelude to Battle, Battle, Sunrise and Apotheosis
All from Spartacus by Aram Khachaturian '		92.1504th
1983Serenade for Strings, Cossack Dance, Dance Neapolitan & 1812 Overture
All by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky		91.4504th
1984Scythian Suite by Sergei Prokofiev / Armenian Dances by Alfred Reed / Trypitch by Anthony Cirone /
1812 Overture by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky		95.6004th
1985Symphony FantastiqueSymphony Fantastique by Hector Berlioz90.1008th
1986Carnival Overture by Antonín Dvořák / Alborada Del Gracioso by Maurice Ravel /
Sir Lancelot and the Black Knight & Merlin The Magician by Rick Wakeman / Resurrection Symphony by Gustav Mahler		85.00010th
1987Songs from
the Winter Palace		Selections from Swan Lake & The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky94.3005th
1988Romeo And JulietRomeo and Juliet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky93.5006th
1989From The New World...
Into A New Age		1st Movement & 2nd Movement / Slavonic Dances No. 1 /
4th Movement
All by Antonín Dvořák		98.4002nd
1990Dreams of Desire4th Movement / The Elephant & Finale /
Bacchanale
All by Camille Saint-Saëns		95.3004th
1991Phantom VoicesNessun Dorma by Giacomo Puccini / Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo /
Bacchanale by Camille Saint-Saëns		95.4003rd
1992War and PeaceMarche Slav by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky / La Marseillaise by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle /
1812 Overture by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky		91.5008th
1993The Modern ImaginationThe Landworkers, The Wheat Dance & Danza Final by Alberto Ginastera /
The Fire of Eternal Glory by Dmitri Shostakovich /
Death Hunt by Bernard Herrmann		96.2003rd
1994Songs for a
Summer Night		Ritual Fire Dance by Manuel de Falla /
Claire De Lune by Claude Debussy /
Talking Drums, Theme from North by Northwest & Death Hunt
by Bernard Herrman		96.2003rd
1995Adventures Under a
Darkened Sky		Symphonic Dances / Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini / Piano Concerto No. 2 / Capriccio Bohemian
All by Sergei Rachmaninoff		94.1005th
1996A Defiant Heart:
The Music of
Dmitri Shostakovich		Fourth Ballet Suite / First Symphony, Second Movement / Fifth Symphony, Fourth Movement
All by Dmitri Shostakovich		97.401st
1997The RingHagen's Call to the Clan / Magic Fire Music /
Hammering of the Ring / Die Götterdämmerung
All from Der Ring des Nibelungen by Richard Wagner		94.2004th
1998Songs from
the Eternal City -
The Music of Rome		Roman Carnival Overture by Hector Berlioz / Un Bel Di by Giacomo Puccini /
Pines of the Villa Borghese & Pines of the Appian Way
by Ottorino Respighi		90.4008th
1999Tragedy and TriumphFourth Symphony / Fifth Symphony / Sixth Symphony
All by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky		91.2008th
2000The Masters of Mystique-
The Dawn of
Modern Music		Jeux by Claude Debussy / Petrouchka by Igor Stravinsky /
Transfigured Night by Arnold Schoenberg / Rite Of Spring by Igor Stravinsky		90.6507th
2001VirtuosoFinale & Game of Pairs by Béla Bartók /
Festive Overture by Dmitri Shostakovich		91.9006th
2002Heroic Sketches:
The Passion of
Shostakovich		Tenth Symphony, Second Movement / Piano Concerto No. 2, Second Movement /
Piano Concerto No. 2, First Movement / Seventh Symphony, Fourth Movement
All by Dmitri Shostakovich		92.4005th
2003Harmonic JourneySanctus by Johann Pachelbel / Wild Nights by John Adams /
The Lord's Prayer by Miklós Rózsa / Ostinato by Béla Bartók		94.7504th
2004Apasionada 874Buenos Aires Hora Cero / La Muerte del Angel / Oblivion / Imagines 676 /
Adios Nonino / Tres Minutos con la Realidad
All by Ástor Piazzolla		93.5755th
2005RhapsodyAn American in Paris & Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin96.8253rd
2006FaustScythian Suite by Sergei Prokofiev / Ave Maria by Franz Biebl /
Piano Concerto by John Corigliano / Resurrection Symphony by Gustav Mahler		96.8502nd
2007On AirVespertine Formations by Christopher Deane / 1000 Airplanes on the Roof by Philip Glass /
Flower Duet by Léo Delibes / Suggestion Diabolique by Sergei Prokofiev /
Finale by Igor Stravinsky		94.8504th
2008SpartacusSpartacus by Aram Khachaturian / Ein Heldenleben by Richard Strauss /
Battlefield by René Dupéré / Dance of Ecstasy from by Loris Tjeknavorian /
Toccata by Alberto Ginastera		98.1251st
2009The Red ViolinTheme from The Red Violin by John Corigliano / Fantasy Variations on a Theme by Nicolo Paganini by James Barnes /
Paganini Variations by Witold Lutoslawski / Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini by Sergei Rachmaninoff /
Caprice XXIV by Niccolò Paganini / Paganini Variations by Philip Wilby		89.9009th
2010Into the LightThe New Moon in the Old Moon's Arms by Michael Kamen93.1506th
2011JulietEast of Eden by Lee Holdridge / Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi /
Lacrimosa dies illa & Confutatis maledictis by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart /
Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet by Nino Rota / Romeo & Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev /
Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral by Richard Wagner		95.0505th
2012TurandotPopolo Di Pekino!…Indietro, Cani / Gira La Cote!...Perche Tarda La Luna? / O Mondo, O Mondo…O Tigre, O Tigre! /
Gravi, Enormi Ed Imponenti / Gloria, Gloria / Tre Enigmi M'Hai / Nessun Dorma!
All from Turandot by Giacomo Puccini		96.5503rd
2013Triumphant JourneyMusic from Elizabeth: The Golden Age by A. R. Rahman and Craig Armstrong /
Cape Fear by Bernard Herrmann / Four Sea Interludes by Benjamin Britten /
Enigma Variations: Nimrod by Edward Elgar / Symphony No. 11 by Dmitri Shostakovich		93.2506th
2014Swan LakeSwan Lake by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky / La Péri by Paul Dukas / Dracula by Philip Feeny /
King Kong by James Newton Howard / Mother and Child by James Horner		91.4257th
2015City of LightI Love Paris by Cole Porter / Horoscope by Constant Lambert / Claire de Lune by Claude Debussy /
Piano Concerto in C# Minor by Francis Poulenc / An American in Paris by George Gershwin /
Symphony #3 by Camille Saint-Saens		90.3257th
2016Voice of PromisePreludes for Piano Op. 34, No, 14 by Dmitri Shostakovich / The Chairman Dances by John Adams /
Ave Verum Corpus by Colin Mawby / The Darkest Moment by Rob Ferguson and Bret Kuhn /
Hymne Des Fraternises: I'm Dreaming of Home by Phillipe Rombi /
Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra by Benjamin Britten		89.9638th
2017PhantasmFinlandia by Jean Sibelius / Symphony No. 12 by Dmitri Shostakovich /
Entering the Nightmare by Maurice Jarre /
Piano Concerto No. 2 by Sergei Rachmaninoff / Symphony No. 3 by Aram Khachaturian		88.1259th
2018This New WorldFinale by Aaron Zigman and Alexandre Desplat /
Piano Concerto No. 3 by Sergei Prokofiev / A Child's Garden of Dreams by David Maslanka /
Picture Studies by Adam Schoenberg / New World Symphony by Antonin Dvorak		86.95011th
2019I Am JoanCarmina Burana by Carl Orff / Audivi Media Nocte by Oliver Waespi / Zohar by Jonathan Leshnoff /
Fire of Eternal Glory & Lady McBeth of Mtsensk by Dmitri Shostakovich /
Vox Populi by Jared Leto / Unleashed by Thomas Bergersen 		87.23812th
2020Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Caption Awards

At the annual World Championship Finals, Drum Corps International presents awards to the corps with the high average scores from prelims, semifinals, and finals in five captions. Phantom Regiment has won these caption award

Don Angelica Best General Effect Award

Prior to 2000 and the adoption of the current scoring format, Phantom Regiment won these captions:

High Visual Award