By Christopher Rutt

On Sunday, March 25th, 2007, the Velvet Knights Drum and Bugle Corps took a giant step forward as it prepares for its debut back into the competitive arena. It was felt by the instructional staff of the corps that an unscheduled rehearsal should be made in order for the corps to become more comfortable with the show music. The staff knew that acquiring the entire hornline would be an impossibility, but by the efforts of the staff and the membership, a great number of the membership arrived at the Arroyo High School parking lot at 9am on a Sunday with excitement and an unbridled enthusiasm to improve their show that will be stunning crowds across football fields this coming Summer.

During the week leading up to the now infamous "Random Sunday Rehearsal", the attendance was looking meek, at best. Many of the membership of the charter hornline has to travel a great distance to make the scheduled rehearsals, sacrificing many other activities they could be doing, including work to help pay the fees to march in world class drum and bugle corps. As the staff waited in the parking lot of the high school sipping their coffee, more of the membership started to arrive that wasn't on the list of members who had confirmed they would be there. And, the membership helped their own by bringing extra instruments, gloves, music and extremely positive attitudes. They would jump out of their cars and tackle their brothers and sisters as if they hadn't seen each other in years.

Once the rehearsal started, Christopher Rutt, a brass instructor for the re-emerging corps, started to take the hornline through their technique program working on the essential basics of brass playing. Adding on the building blocks as the rehearsal went forward, you could tell the membership was applying these skills very quickly as it was almost second nature. Even new concepts and new exercises were learned and the hornline responded with an attitude of striving for perfection on the first try.

The hornline worked in earnest on the first production of the show, "Blister" for the majority of the time. The goal was to play through the entire first production by memory and it was apparent that the membership wanted to achieve that goal. By the end of the rehearsal, the hornline was jammin' on the "opener" and achieving a very strong sound, even though their endurance wasn't up to the expectation of the staff. Sean McDermott, Visual Caption Head of the corps commented that he was pleased and encouraged to hear the hornline achieving the music at such a high level.

All of this extra rehearsing is leading up to a corps full rehearsal next weekend as marching and playing will be put to the ultimate test as the Velvet Knights start to stage the 2007 show, "X" on the football field for the first time. This is a milestone event for the corps for this will be the first time the Velvet Knights Drum and Bugle Corps will be playing and marching since it ceased operations over 10 years ago.

Christopher Rutt wants to take this opportunity to thank the hornline membership for sacrificing so much in preparation for their corps in a revolutionary and historic upcoming season.

"I am so excited for this corps, and I absolutely love you all and I promise everything in my power to help you be as successful as humanly possible. You are all incredible young people and I simply cannot wait to watch you all grow into monsters! You inspire me to work hard and to be relentless, because I know you would want nothing less."

As one member said, "This is going to be EPIC!" I couldn't agree more.

The Velvet Knights Drum and Bugle Corps have a rehearsal next weekend, March 30 through April 1. We invite all to come and be a part of this magical and historic season. 2007 will forever be known as the year the Velvet Knights came back to reek havoc once again!

This season will be EPIC!

Log onto vkyao.org to stay up to date with everything going on with the corps!

-- Best,

Christopher

wildhornbrass@gmail.com