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Cadet History, 1962
Reprinted from an article written by Dave Shaw and printed in Drum Corps News
GARFIELD WELCOMES NEW INSTRUCTORS
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| | The Cadets of Garfield 1962 Photographer Ron DaSilva
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In the winter of 1962 The Cadets of Garfield (a name designed to lead into a weakening of identification with a single town), were preparing to welcome some new instructors to their staff…all renowned individuals with accomplishments and reputations already firmly established
PERCUSSION: Mr. Les Parks. Mr. Parks was arguably the foremost percussion instructor and educator in the drum and bugle corps activity of that era. Prior to accepting a position with The Cadets he had been percussion caption head for such nationally famous organizations as The Sons of Liberty Ancient Corps (which he founded) , and St. Vincent’s Cadets of Bayonne. At the time he was approached by The Cadets he was percussion caption head for the world famous senior corps, The Hawthorne Caballeros. During his tenure with The Caballeros he was credited with ground breaking innovations such as the introduction of latin drums, (bongos & timbales), which in addition to being innovative were also very controversial due to strict American Legion rules on permitted instrumentation. His dedication to advancing the art of percussion in drum corps was probably the primary reason The Cadets sought him out to write for and instruct The Cadets. Mr. Parks attended The Julliard School of Music and played professionally with Meyer Davis and Fred Waring.
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| | The Cadets of Garfield 1962 Photographer Ron DaSilva
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BUGLE INSTRUCTOR: Mr. James D’Amico. Anyone who had ever thrilled to a performance by The Hawthorne Caballeros during that period was well acquainted with their masterful soloist, Jim D’Amico. His fantastic talent and prowess on the soprano horn as The Caballero’s featured soloist astounded audiences wherever the perennial champion Caballeros appeared. Mr. D’Amico was asked to lend his talents to The Cadets’ music staff with primary focus on tone, technique, and tonguing. He was also asked to instruct the Cadets’ feeder corps, The Plebes, which in a short period of time he built into a large, formidable adjunct corps to The Cadets. Jim D’Amico was a Cadet Alumnus who had marched as soloist with the 1953 American Legion National Championship Cadets.
COLOR GUARD: Mr. Frank Arthur. Mr. Arthur was also a Cadet Alumnus and former color guard captain. Frank acquired his experience and expertise as a combination instructor and color guard captain for The Cadets’ national championship guard during the 1959-1960 seasons. He was particularly adept at designing drills that complimented, dramatized, and spotlighted the musical and visual aspects of the Cadets’ field programs.
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| | The Cadets of Garfield 1962
Photographer Ron DaSilva | |
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These three new additions to The Cadets’ staff in 1962 joined an already distinguished lineup of Cadet instructors. Returning to the corps for a fourteenth season was Mr. Jim Costello, renowned Director and drill instructor of The Hawthorne Caballeros. Mr. Costello whose brilliant work with The Cadets and The Caballeros had helped to bring both corps multiple national championships, was particularly celebrated for drills that seemed to blend seamlessly as well as to highlight the musical selections played on the field. He was also an execution perfectionist, which served his corps well during the “tic” adjudication era. Jim Costello, by the 1962 season, could already claim the honor of having instructed more national championship winning corps than any other man in drum corps history. He had earned a total of twelve American Legion national championship titles.
MUSIC CAPTION HEAD: Mr. Don Angelica. In 1962 Don Angelica was returning to The Cadets for his third consecutive season. He had already become an activity legend in that short period of time. As primary music arranger, instructor, and caption head for both The Cadets and The Caballeros, he had quickly become, perhaps arguably, the most respected and sought-after instructor in the activity. A former Cadet himself who marched in both the 1953 and 1957 national championship Cadets, he was the Cadets’ primary soloist around whom the 1957 program was constructed. His “Angels Sing” solo, in particular, is still celebrated by drum corps aficionados to this day. His musical and educational resume, even at that early point in his career, was extremely impressive.
With this staff in place the 1962 Cadets were optimistic that they were geared for a very strong season. Their optimism proved to be warranted. They won the American Legion National Championship in 1962, as they had done in 1960 and 1961; for their second three-peat…a feat never previously accomplished by any other American Legion sponsored junior drum and bugle corps. It was a year to remember!
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