Reminders to Lancer Members

Posted March 31, 2008
Sunday's Rehearsal
From Bob Zarfoss

Lanceros,

First of all, my thanks to all who attended yesterday's rehearsal. I know that we didn't drum as much as usual, but I thought it imperative that you all got to view the video from the York St.
Patty's parade/concert. That you could see yourselves perform is a valuable tool in understanding what we want to accomplish. As I mentioned to those who were present, the performance of the line was quite exemplary, especially that of the quads, where the sticking and execution was superb. We are making progress, getting better, and growing, good things all.

Speaking of growing, we added three new drummers yesterday, and that's very good news. I want to welcome Marcus Hatcher, bass drummer, Jerry Stahle, bass drummer, and Mike Cassatt, snare drummer, to the line. These gentlemen have work to do, but their presence gives more hope and balance to the line. I will be in touch with each of them individually to discuss goals, practice, etc.

Our home remains in disarray, but we're making progress now. I would like to schedule a basement practice for Thursday, April 10, 7:00 p.m. This practice is, for the moment, just for snare drummers. If I get the basement cleared out, I'll extend the invitation to others.
Snares, please let me know if you can make that date. I'll hold the date on my calendar till I hear from you.

Finally, remember that we have but two corps rehearsals remaining before Winchester. We need a good turnout there, so do your best to get that job on your calendar. You may or may not have heard Rick Anderson say yesterday that the horn expectation is for forty horns.
We were about blown away in York with less, so we need to be ready to drum and ready to meet the excellence that the horn line has shown this year.

I'll see you all soon. Till I do, drum.

BOB

Posted March 26, 2008
UPDATE...
From Tom Kittinger

CONGRATULATIONS!!! I have heard numerous accolades regarding the Lancers performance at the York St. Pat's Parade on March 15th, and will share some of them with you a little later on in this email.

I also heard we had one of the largest horn lines in over a year. It is of utmost importance that we continue to make sure that becomes a "regular" thing, instead of a "once-in-awhile" happening. As I mentioned at our last rehearsal, ALL gigs are important from the standpoint of exposure and reputation, but one of the upcoming events needs to be a "step above" in our thinking...............that is the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival Parade. Year after year, they have been willing to give us "big-bucks" to come to Winchester, play a brief pre-parade concert, and then march their parade. Every year, our numbers have seemed to dwindle, and we can't allow that to happen for a number of good reasons:

1. It is the largest audience we perform for every year

2. The spectators are ALWAYS extremely appreciative of our performance, but deserve better

3. It pits the Lancers against some of the largest and best high school bands in the state of Virginia

4. They pay us more money than any other performance we do.................last year it was $2,900.00. (that, in itself, should constitute the Lancers showing up with more than 22 horns, as we did last year)

Please do your best to get your calendars cleared for Saturday, May 3rd! It is a very important gig.

WE HAVE REHEARSAL THIS SUNDAY IN THE LEGION SOCIAL HALL AT 2:00pm. We will continue to work on the parade selections, as well as preparing "Hey Jude" for performance in our "street show" in Winchester. BTW.........I am trying to find a location that the corps, AND their families, could have a picnic following the parade in Winchester. I have a couple of leads, but nothing definite yet. This was one of the things many of you requested on the questionnaires, that we make some of our performances more "family-oriented" events. I'll keep you informed as I find out more.

The following information is a compiling of the meeting some of our leaders had with the Borough, the Mayor, and the Police Department:

The meeting with the borough council went extremely well. Lots of cooperation from the council and Randy Whitman, who will be setting up a meeting among us, himself and the Jaycees. Opening statements included how important we were not only to the parade(s) but to the community and how we all need to work this out. We expressed an understanding of the predicament into which the borough was placed by PENNDOT. They were most appreciative of our willingness to march back to the Legion on borough-maintained streets and offered a police escort to do so. Although Wirt Park was also mentioned as a possible location for the post-parade concert, we will try it on Park Street this year and the corps and legion patrons will be escorted across Carlisle St. To and from the concert. Lots of comments were made regarding the facilitation of our needs for the Halloween Parade, too, but all parties realize it's a Jaycees event, hence the proposed meeting with them.

As far as I know, there has been no date set for the meeting regarding the Halloween Parade.

The following information is in regard to the York St. Pat's Parade:

Maybe you want to forward this to the rest of the corps. It was taken from last Thursday's York Dispatch & was written by Hank Merges, a long-time columnist for the paper:
"Thoughts about the St. Patrick's Day Parade ...
---A real joy ... Well organized ... A growing asset to our town.
---Of special notice: Bands from out of town: Lancaster, Harrisburg, Baltimore, Philadelphia (those colorful mummers, the Irish American String Band).
---Ever popular: The York High Alumni Band which saluted the crowd with the proud anthem, "We're From York."
---The venerable Emigsville and Kiltie Bands ... The Susquehanna Pipes & Drums, the Loch Raven Pipes & Drums ... The brilliantly costumed dancers.
---Always thrilling: The commanding presence of the Hanover Lancers Drum & Bugle Corps."(Pretty Impressive!!)

Again................congratulations to ALL who participated in York, and lets keep the ball rolling with increased numbers for every event in 2008.

Posted March 15, 2008
Today's Performance
From Bob Zarfoss

Lanceros,

My congratulations to every corps member for an excellent turnout and an excellent start to the season. The horn line was superb. I had goose bumps an hour after the performance. The drum line did an excellent job as well, but we needed more drums to balance the large and powerful horn turnout.

I'll see you all the last Sunday of March. Till then, practice. We need to build on this performance, and we will if each of you works on your own, till we meet and play again.

I was proud to march on the street with you today.

BOB

Posted March 9, 2008
Today's Rehearsal
From Bob Zarfoss

Lanceros,

I can't remember when last I drove home from a rehearsal feeling so good about the corps and so proud of their performance and efforts.
The drum line accomplished all that I'd hoped, finally performing the Snow Duck with skill and continuity. When we played with the horns, I was pleased with the drum line, for you used dynamics, played well as an ensemble, and played better than we have as a unit for for some time.

I can commend every section for its performance today. The snares are starting to play at a level we'd achieved in the past, but not recently, and the turnout continues to be such that there are enough snares to "lead" the drum line. The quads continue to amaze me, getting better and better as individual players and as a section. The cymbals, four today, are starting to be an important section, too, with flash and uniformity. The bass drum line today was excellent, both straight basses and Jason on rudi. The balance was good, all parts were heard, and we are beginning to show that we can be a complete drum line when we're all here, or nearly so. Not only was I overjoyed with the rehearsal, but hours later, I'm still laughing, too.

The icing on the cake was going into the auditorium and playing with the horns. Hearing the horns was very uplifting. When the horn section plays as it did today, the drummers are honored to support them. The sound was quite fulfilling, and I must commend Brian and Rick and Tom, and whomever else might have been working with the horns.

We're going to have a very good year. Let's start on Saturday at the St. Patty's parade.

I will hope to see all of you then. Noon in the square. We'll practice starting at eleven a.m.

BOB

Posted March 9, 2008
Update....................
From Tom Kittinger

FABULOUS REHEARSAL TODAY!!!! What a sound 35 horns and a large drum-line can make, especially in an auditorium.

Again...............THANKS TO MIKE BAUER for getting us into the high school for today's rehearsal. It is such a fabulous place to rehearse.

Here's the info for the York St. Patrick's Day Parade:

Saturday, March 15th
Lancer's Report Time - 11:00am (Sovereign Bank Parking Lot - see attached map)
Performance at Continental Square - 12:20 - 12:40pm
Parade steps-off at 1:00pm - we will be early in the parade line-up

Continental Square Concert:

"Georgia On My Mind"
"Hang 'em High"
"Snow Duck" (drum-line only)
"Stars and Stripes"
Street Beat
"You'll Never Walk Alone"

Parade Music:

"Hang 'em High"
"Stars and Stripes"
"You'll Never Walk Alone"

NEXT REHEARSAL: SUNDAY, MARCH 30th - 2:00pm at the Am. Legion Post Social Hall.

As has been the case the past three years, the college Spring Break is once again happening the week of the York St Pat's Parade, so I will be out of town and will miss the festivities. I know you are going to sound AND look fabulous, so I wish you the best. The last time I marched in this parade, it was cold and we actually had snow showers throughout the parade route. I'm hopeful it will be bright, sunny and in the 50's this Saturday. (perfect for a Spring parade)

Hope to see you ALL on the 30th, and hope to hear that there were 35 - 40 of you in York. The FIRST performance of the season is ALWAYS exciting, and the more of you there are, the more exciting it will be!!

Tom