Suncoast Sound Drum and Bugle Corps
Suncoast Sound Drum and Bugle Corps was an Open Class/Division I competitive junior drum and bugle corps. Based in Clearwater and Pinellas Park, Florida, Suncoast Sound was a member corps of Drum Corps International and a seven-time DCI Open Class/Division I Finalist.
History
Sources:Suncoast Sound was founded in 1979 to allow more marching opportunities than afforded by Largo High School's Band of Gold, which had won the 1978 World Marching Band Championships in Europe. At the invitation of Queen Elizabeth, the new corps performed its first show in England for the Royal Court in place of the Band of Gold. Because of its European trip, the corps competed in only one other show before entering the DCI World Championships in Birmingham, Alabama, where it placed 40th of 43 corps.
Over the next few seasons, the corps improved each year, placing 30th in 1980, 21st in 1981, and 13th in 1982. In 1983, Suncoast won the Drum Corps South circuit championship and earned its first DCI Finals appearance, finishing in 6th place in Miami. The corps remained a DCI Finalist for the next six years with shows performed in their style known as "Sunjazz.". In 1985, Suncoast became the first DCI corps to perform an original musical program written for the corps, "Florida Suite" by Robert W. Smith, the first of three shows Smith wrote for the unit. However, the corps' expenses had consistently exceeded the funding raised by its bingo hall, and following the 1989 season, Suncoast Sound left the competition field in order to try to stabilize its finances. For the next two years, the organization was represented by two local parade and exhibition groups, the Suncoast Sound Cadets and the alumni Suncoast Gold.
After a two year hiatus, Suncoast Sound returned to competition in 1992, fielding a Division III corps, placing 5th of 28 corps that season in Whitewater, Wisconsin and 6th of 21 the following year in Jackson, Mississippi. In 1994, the corps moved to Division II, finishing 5th of 18 corps in Lowell, Massachusetts. In 1995, Suncoast again fielded a Division III corps, but by July 6, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, after only three shows, the staff realized that sufficient funds were not available to complete the season, and the corps returned to Florida, with many of the members finding places in other corps.
In 1997 several staff members from the post-1989 years attempted to field a Division III corps named Synergy Sound, but its only scheduled competition was rained out, and Suncoast Sound became a part of drum corps history.
Show Summary (1979–1995)
Source:Gold background indicates DCI Championship; pale blue background indicates DCI Class Finalist; pale green background indicates DCI semifinalist.;
| Year | Theme | Repertoire | Score | Placement |
| 1979 | Mack The Knife by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht / Birdland by Joe Zawinul / Rule, Britannia! by James Thomson and Thomas Arne / 1812 Overture & Symphony No. 4 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | 54.750 | 40th | |
| 1980 | Ramparts Fanfare / Symphony No. 4 by / Hallelujah Chorus by George Frideric Handel | 60.550 | 30th | |
| 1981 | Butterfly by Herbie Hancock and Kimiko Kasai / Lullaby of the Leaves by Bernice Petkere and Joe Young / Music Magic by Chick Corea / Another Star by Stevie Wonder / The Greatest Love of All by Michael Masser and Linda Creed | 69.900 | 21st | |
| 1982 | and Joe Young / Music Magic byChick Corea / The Rainmaker Earl Klugh / The Greatest Love of All by Michael Masser and Linda Creed | 81.100 | 13th | |
| 1983 | Time Out & Spanish Gypsy by Don Menza / Casino by Al Di Meola / Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In by Galt McDermot, James Rado, and Gerome Ragni / The Greatest Love of All by Michael Masser and Linda Creed | 86.050 | 6th | |
| 1984 | Vietnam | Six O.S. by Robert W. Smith / Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In by Galt McDermot, James Rado, and Gerome Ragni / Requiem by Robert W. Smith / Satisfaction by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards / America The Beautiful by Samuel A. Ward and Katharine Lee Bates | 92.000 | 7th |
| 1985 | A Florida Suite | Overture, A Simple Song at Sunrise & Beach Frolic by Robert W. Smith / Cloudburst by Allan Murray / Midnight in Miami by Robert W. Smith | 92.700 | 6th |
| 1986 | Adventures in Time | Commencement & Quintile by Johnny Richards / Orion by Allan Murray and Kenny Brooks / Artemis and Apollo, 3X3X2X2X2=72 & Aspect by Johnny Richards | 94.800 | 5th |
| 1987 | My Fair Lady... Our Way! | I've Grown Accustumed to Your Face, Get Me To the Church on Time & I Could Have Danced All Night All from My Fair Lady by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner | 88.800 | 9th |
| 1988 | Symphonic Dances for the Contemporary Child | Red and Yellow, Black and White, This is the Way We..., Wait 'Till Your Father Gets Home, WAR & For Yesterday's Child All from Symphonic Dances for the Contemporary Child by Robert W. Smith | 89.100 | 10th |
| 1989 | Florida Suite | Overture, Beach Frolic, Native Rites, A Simple Song at Sunrise & Midnight in Miami All from Florida Suite by Robert W. Smith | 88.000 | 9th |
| 1990-91 | Corps inactive'' | |||
| 1992 | Hello Again | Hello Again by Neil Diamond and Alan Lindgren / April in Paris by Vernon Duke and E. Y. Harburg / The Greatest Love of All by Michael Masser and Linda Creed | 80.200 | 5th Division III |
| 1993 | Artistry in Rhythm | Artistry in Rhythm by Stan Kenton / Tribute to Kenton by Lennie Niehaus / Heavenly by Norman Whitfield / A House Is Not a Home by Burt Bacharach and Hal David / Blues in the Night by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer | 79.700 | 6th Division III |
| 1994 | Sing a New Song & Kyrie by Ed Nalle and Bob Kauflin / Amen by Bob Kauflin / The Greatest Love of All by Michael Masser and Linda Creed | 87.900 | 5th Division II | |
| 1995 | Inspirational Music by Sandy Patti | Make His Praise Glorious by Bill and Robin Wolaver / Almighty God by Greg Nelson and Phil McHugh / Shine Down by Bob Farrell, Mark Gersmehl, and Billy Smiley |