Arizona Musketeers

From DrumCorpsWiki

The Arizona Musketeers are an inactive junior drum corps based in Phoenix, Arizona.

[edit] History

The Arizona Musketeers were founded in 1983. They started out as a 9-member horn ensemble that performed a few exhibition shows in California. By 1984, the corps expanded to a full corps, again performing exhibitions in California. By 1985, the Musketeers were to enter the competitive arena. They performed in California, where they were unfortunately matched against finalist corps such as the Blue Devils and the Santa Clara Vanguard. They headed east to compete in the 1985 DCI World Championships in Madison as a "Class A" (now division III) corps. They would return again in 1986 and 1987.

Several factors led to the corps' demise. Leadership was the one of the earliest sings of trouble. Word was that 180 people showed up to the first full corps rehearsal in 1983, but that they were discouraged by the tempers of some staff members. Another was that the corps had no real means for external funding. Most of the funds had to come from the members themselves, with high tour fees being protested by the parents. It could only accomodate a volunteer only staff, which did not have the time to dedicate to a full rehearsal schedule to make the corps competitive. The corps used borrowed or used equipment, and as late as 1986, were still using the piston-rotor horns instead of the two-valved standard that was used at the time. The corps could not afford to stay on the road and had to rehearse in the harsh Arizona heat. These factors and staff infighting led to the corps being disbanded in 1988, with many members being "farmed out" to DCI member corps.