Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps

Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps

Type	Parade Corps and Winter Ensembles
Location	Milwaukee, WI
Founded	1961
Director	Bobby Bonslater
Championship titles	Class A60: 1991 Division II: 1994 & '95
Uniform	White jacket w/Orange & Dark Green baldric, Dark green pants, White gauntlets w/orange trim, White combination hat w/orange trim-ribbon & a large shamrock badge
Website	pioneer-corps.org

The Pioneer Drum & Bugle Corps was a World Class competitive junior drum and bugle corps from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.^[1] Pioneer is a former member corps of Drum Corps International (DCI).^[2] The unit current operates as three different winter ensembles.

Pioneer traces its roots to the St. Patrick's (Catholic) parish of Milwaukee and its drum and bugle (D&B) corps, the Imperials of St. Patrick, founded in 1961. Both corps had been active in the Milwaukee area and the Midwest region, and both attended the inaugural DCI World Championship prelims in Whitewater, Wisconsin in 1972, with the Imperials of St. Patrick finishing in 19th place and the Thunderbolts in 28th.^[3][4]

By 1973, the Imperials were facing financial difficulties and the Thunderbolts were having difficulty maintaining support staff, so the two corps merged. This resulted in a 150 member corps—much larger than most drum corps of that time—with financial and staff stability. Unable to decide on a better name and wearing the vastly different uniforms of both corps, the new corps was called "The Thing" during its first season. In 1974 the corps received the sponsorship of the Pioneer Container Corporation and found a name. The Thunderbolts' cadet corps continued, joined by a second "feeder" corps known as Pioneer II. After only a few years, the Thunderbolts' part of the merger departed in favor of the Thunderbolts Cadets, leaving only the Imperials' part in place, bringing about the unit's dropping the Thunderbolts' 1953 founding as its beginning.^[5]

While not initially a strong contender, Pioneer became a regular competitor in the Midwest region during the remainder of the 1970s, and in 1978, the corps was one of the founding members of Drum Corps Midwest (DCM) which was to become the premier regional circuit in North America over the next quarter century. In 1985 the primary corps went inactive, and Pioneer II began a transition into becoming Pioneer in 1986. By 1989, Pioneer had started to become a power in Class A60. In 1991, the corps won both the DCM Division III (DIII) title and the DCI Class A60 World Championship; in 1992, they won their 3rd DCM DIII championship but finished second in DCI DIII to the Mandarins.

In 1993 Pioneer moved into Division II (DII), where the corps was an immediate challenger for the championship. The corps was DCM DII champion for four consecutive years, from 1993 to 1996. In 1994, the corps went undefeated and won the DCI DII crown. They defended their DCI title in 1995, but in 1996 fell in finals to Quebec's Les Etoiles by two-tenths of a point. Pioneer moved to Division I (DI) in 1997, and have continued to compete in that division (now known as World Class), where the corps' best finish at the DCI World Championships was 16th place in 2000. Although Pioneer won the DCM DI title in 2004 and 2005, making them the only corps to win DCM titles in 3 divisions, the most prominent corps had abandoned DCM by then and there were no other competitors for the DI titles.

In 1994, the organization was administratively dissolved by the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. But in 1998, the organization was restored to good standing.^[6]

Pioneer celebrated the corps' 50th anniversary during the 2011 season.^[7]

Since the banning of smoking in public places, such as during Pioneer's bingo operation, fundraising declined for the corps. In response, Pioneer "tightened its belt" by eliminating many expenses. The end result was a smaller corps, often the smallest in World Class, and diminished scores and lower finishes at the DCI Championships. Regardless, the corps has kept going and striving to be "Better Every Day".

On May 17, 2019, Pioneer announced that it will be hosting a weekend-only performance corps. The performance corps was started to be a foundation for Pioneer's plans to compete in WGI.^[8]

On November 17, 2019, Pioneer announced a new executive director, Bobby Bonslater. Bobby previously joined the organization as the director for Pioneer's 2019 drumline.^[9]

Sponsorship[]

Pioneer Drum & Bugle Corps & Color Guard, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) musical organization. As such, it has a Board of Advisors, director, and staff assigned to carry out the organization's mission. The organization is under the direction of Executive Director, Bobby Bonslater and an interim Board of Advisors. However, the interim board of directors does not have the legal authority to remove current Board members, or make legal decisions on behalf of the corps without permission of the existing Board of Directors.^[10]

Winter Ensembles[]

On October 28, 2019, Pioneer announced that they will be hosting three different winter ensembles, which will all compete in the Winter Guard International circuit. These ensembles consist of a percussion ensemble, winds ensemble, and color guard ensemble. These winter ensembles will have show themes that stray away from being Irish, as a way for the organization to rebrand itself. The percussion ensemble will continue to field a cymbal line, as long as there are still interest and membership.^[11]

DCI Membership Revoked[]

During the 2018 season, Pioneer members and staff had sent reports to DCI and made threads on drum corps forums for compliance and administrative issues. These issues included little to no treatment for health issues and injuries sustained during the season, the organization's executive director making racist/culturally insensitive comments to the corps international members and jokes about the holocaust, and the organization having unreliable buses with no or little air conditioning for the long southern tour.^[12]

On August 16, 2018, DCI had suspended Pioneer from all DCI activities, while DCI investigated the organization. The investigation focused on many issues reported by members and staff, possible retaliation for those who spoke out against Pioneer, as well as discouraging members from reporting questionable incidents and areas of concern.^[13][14]

On August 24, 2018, DCI had decided that Pioneer will not be allowed to participate in the 2019 season as a condition of the corps' suspension. Following the decision, Pioneer informed DCI that they are moving immediately to replace the executive director and all board members of the organization.^[15]

On January 10, 2019, DCI voting membership voted to revoke Pioneer's DCI membership. DCI stated that if Pioneer makes operational and administrative improvements, they will be eligible to re-apply for open class participation as early as 2020.^[16]

Show Summary (1973-2019)[]

Sources:^[17]

Gold background indicates DCI Championship; pale blue background indicates DCI Class Finalist; pale green background indicates DCI semifinalist.

Traditions[]

Pioneer has a tradition of Irish and Celtic influence in its uniforms and musical programs. This and the corps' shamrock logo are a heritage of the Imperials of St. Patrick.

Since the corps' days in Division III, Pioneer's motto has been "Better Every Day". This motto had been used by the Marion (OH) Cadets D&B corps, who in 1990 allowed Pioneer to also use it.

Whether it was a part of the year's musical program or not, from at least the mid-1990s Pioneer concluded each performance by marching off the field and/or "trooping the stands" (marching across the front of the grandstand in parade formation) while playing the traditional Irish air Garryowen (better known as the Garry Owen march). This tradition has occurred less frequently since 2010 but is still performed at parades.

Pioneerland[]

A picture of "The Blenski Stone" at the entrance of the main field at Pioneerland in Cudahy, Wisconsin.

Purchased on St. Patrick's Day in 1993, the "Pioneer Musical Youth Center", better known as "Pioneerland", is a 7 acres (2.8 ha) property in the Milwaukee suburb of Cudahy, Wisconsin, which is the corps' own rehearsal and storage facility. The property contains a full drill field, half sized sectional field, work space for corps staff, a garage for the corps' trucks and buses, and a parking lot. The corps plans to add a facility with practice rooms, a gym, additional office space, and a bingo hall.^[18]

References[]

External links[]

• Pioneer Drum & Bugle Corps & Color Guard website
• Drum Corps International website