Genesis Member News
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The Rio Grande Valley's OWN!
2010 DCI OPEN CLASS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINALIST!
Genesis Article published in Drum Corps World!
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Genesis - A start for a community and its kids -
by Michael Carlson
One of a handful of new drum corps is chopping at the bit to join DCI’s Open Class line up this summer. Upstart Genesis Drum & Bugle Corps will bring with it a new beginning for the community and youth of the Rio Grande Valley in Southern Texas.
For decades the Lone State has been host to many of the nation’s strongest marching band programs.
More importantly, over the past several years this wealth of talent has been in the spotlight of DCI and a few of its member organizations. As a result, Texas now hosts nine nights of DCI’s hottest summer competition with DCI Premier Events in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, as well as providing the home base for three major drums corps.
Despite this flurry of activity, the Genesis team feels the talent base here is strong enough to grow another successful organization.
“Being at least four hours travel from any other group makes it feel like we are, at times, from another state other than Texas,” notes Executive Director Chris Magonigal. “And that goes to show how large this state is and its ability to be home to several organizations.”
Magonigal, along with Aaron Sandoval and Robert Flores, not only saw the opportunity right for a drum corps in South Texas, but for something much more.
“After spending many years working for other drum corps, and seeing how many other groups pull from this community, my partners and I felt it was time for the Rio Grande Valley of Texas to have a group to call their own.”
Magonigal is quick to point out their current and future success is tied back to the original fundamental tenet of drum corps – a community-based organization.
“We knew that given time and support this group was going to be the start to something bigger than all of us.
“We truly believe that this community will prosper with the organization being part of it and it could one day be a stop along the DCI summer path, and we felt it all starts with successfully providing this outlet for it to grow from. A Genesis.”
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