Drum and Bugle Corps

(dci.org)

Drum Corps International is set to retire its online Marching Music Downloads store, effective January 1, 2026. This decision means DCI will conclude its direct retail role in the sale of individual performance audio and digital media products.

“For decades, the sounds of Drum Corps International have been cherished by our community, and we recognize and deeply value the loyalty fans have shown to these products,” said DCI CEO Nate Boudreaux. “After considerable review, this difficult decision was made to ensure the long-term sustainability and growth of the drum corps activity itself.”

This change impacts the sale of individual audio downloads (MP3 and high-quality AIFF files) of recent seasons. The core reason for retiring these downloads centers on the rising costs and complexity associated with production and appropriate compliance in managing these products.

“Simply put, the costs to produce and manage the download model now outweighs the revenue it generates,” Boudreaux said. “Our fiduciary responsibility is to ensure that every dollar DCI receives is maximized to support the participating corps and the health of the activity’s future.”

While DCI will no longer offer individual audio performance downloads or digital media products for purchase, high-quality recordings will continue to be captured and archived annually, making them available to participating organizations, who will be empowered to manage and sell their own unique audio products should they choose to do so.

Audio downloads currently available from the 2022-2024 DCI World Championships will continue to be sold via MarchingMusicDownloads.com through December 31, 2025. Bundled downloads for each of those three years will be discounted 20%. Discount will show once added to shopping cart.

Highlights: 2026 Drum Corps International Tour Schedule

June
26 DCI Tour Preview - Muncie, IN
27 Barnum Festival: Champions on Parade - Shelton, CT
   Drums Along the Rockies - Fort Collins, CO
28 Corps Encore - Ogden, UT
29 Drums Along the Columbia -  Kennewick, WA
30 Northwest Youth Music Games Seattle - Seattle, WA

July
 1 Drums Across Nebraska - Omaha, NE
   Northwest Youth Music Games Portland - Portland, OR
 2 Rotary Music Festival - Cedarburg, WI
   MidCal Championships - Oxnard, CA
 3 DCI Capital Classic - Sacramento, CA
   Show of Shows - Rockford, IL
   CrownBEAT - Lexington, SC
 5 DCI West - Stanford, CA
   River City Rhapsody - Rockford, IL
 7 Drums Across the Smokies - Sevierville, TN
   The Kiwanis Thunder of Drums - Mankato, MN
 8 Drums Across America - Newnan, GA
 9 DCI Northern Alabama - TBD, AL
   Gold Showcase - Santa Clarita, CA
10 Cavalcade of Brass - Lisle, IL
   Western Corps Connection - Walnut, CA 
   Music on the March - Dubuque, IA
11 DCI Little Rock - Little Rock, AR
   Drum Corps Grand Prix - Clifton, NJ
   Drum Corps at the Rose Bowl - Pasadena, CA 
   The Whitewater Classic - Whitewater, WI 
12 So Cal Classic: Open Class Pacific Championship Finals - Buena Park, CA
13 Drums Across the Desert - Tempe, AZ
   Brass Impact - Olathe, KS
14 DCI Broken Arrow - Broken Arrow, OK
   DCI New Mexico - Albuquerque, NM
   DCI Hutchinson - Hutchinson, KS
16 DCI Central Texas - Central, TX
   DCI Denton - Denton, TX
17 DCI Houston - Houston, TX
18 DCI Southwestern Championship - San Antonio, TX
   The Buccaneer Classic - Landisville, PA
   March On! - Champlin, MN
19 DCI Dallas - Bedford, TX
20 DCI McKinney - McKinney, TX
21 DCI St. Louis - Belleville, IL
22 DCI Southern Mississippi - Hattiesburg, MS
   White Rose Classic - TBD, PA
   Drums on the Ohio - Evansville, IN
24 DCI New York - Central New York, NY
   DCI Nashville - Nashville, TN
   DCI Birmingham - Birmingham, AL
   Drums on Parade - Madison, WI
25 TBD Upper Midwest - TBD, Midwest
   DCI Southeastern Championship - Atlanta, GA
   Bushwackers Invitational - Mt. Olive, NJ
   Music on the Mountain - Sheffield, PA
26 DCI in Motion - Norton, OH
   NightBEAT - Winston-Salem, NC
   Midwest Classic - DeKalb, IL
28 DCI Annapolis - Annapolis, MD
   Brass at the Beach - Salem, VA
   Summer Music Games in Cincinnati - Mason, OH
29 DCI Huntington - Huntington, WV
   DCI Delaware - Newark, DE
   Summer Music Games of Southwest Virginia - Salem, VA
30 DCI East Coast Showcase - Lawrence, MA
   The Marion Open - Marion, OH
31 DCI Eastern Classic - Allentown, PA
   DCI Michigan - Allendale, MI

August
 1 DCI Eastern Classic - Allentown, PA
   TBD Central Pennsylvania - TBD, PA
 2 Big Sounds in Motion - Downingtown, PA
 3 TBD Lower Midwest - TBD, Midwest
   DCI Open Class World Championship Prelims - TBD, Midwest
   Innovations In Brass - Canton, OH
 4 TBD All-Age Central Ohio - TBD, OH
   DCI Open Class World Championship Finals - TBD, Midwest
 6 DCI World Championship Prelims - Indianapolis, IN
 7 DCI All-Age World Prelims - Indianapolis, IN
   DCI World Championship Semifinals - Indianapolis, IN
 8 SoundSport International Music & Food Festival - Indianapolis, IN
   DCI World Championship Finals - Indianapolis, IN

(mandarins.org)

Sacramento, California – October 30, 2026 – Mandarins Performing Arts has announced that the Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps will take a hiatus from the 2026 Drum Corps International season as part of a comprehensive strategy to strengthen organizational infrastructure, enhance member experience, and ensure long-term sustainability amid evolving economic conditions affecting the performing arts nationwide.

“This decision reflects our commitment to thoughtful growth and the continued pursuit of excellence,” said Dr. Daniel Fong, President/CEO of Mandarins Performing Arts. “The Mandarins organization has a proud history of innovation and resilience. Taking a single season to retool our systems, evaluate touring logistics, and invest in creative and instructional development will position us for even greater success moving forward.”

During the 2026 hiatus, the Mandarins will continue their extensive year-round music education and community outreach programs – including Immortal Winds, Mandarins Music Academy, Mandarins Pathways, Mandarins Summer Camps, and school partnerships that support music education throughout the Sacramento region, as well as the DCI Capital Classic. The organization will also focus on program design, staff development, equipment upgrades, and strategic financial planning in preparation for a highly anticipated return to the DCI tour in 2027. “Every major organization benefits from moments of reflection and recalibration,” said Kathleen Davies, Chair of the Board of Directors. “This strategic pause ensures that the Mandarins remain an enduring force within Drum Corps International and a leader in providing transformative performance experiences for youth.”

The Mandarins extend deep appreciation to their members, alumni, fans, and the entire DCI community for their continued encouragement and look forward to rejoining the tour in 2027 with renewed creativity, energy, and vision.

To our Mandarins family – your dedication, pride, and spirit have built a legacy that continues to inspire. This pause in our competitive schedule is a deliberate step to ensure that our future is even stronger than our past. We are investing in the systems, people, and creativity that will shape the next era of Mandarins excellence.

We thank you for your unwavering support and belief in what the Mandarins stand for – excellence, family, and transformation through performance. Together, we look forward to 2027 and beyond with excitement and confidence.

With gratitude and respect,

Kathleen Davies, Chair, Board of Directors
Dr. Daniel Fong, President/CEO
Mandarins Performing Arts

(dci.org)

LAS VEGAS — During the fall business meetings of Drum Corps International’s participating ensembles, Nashua, New Hampshire’s Spartans were approved as a World Class member organization.

The change comes on the heels of a transition year for the Open Class World Champion corps, in which the group successfully completed a “hybrid” touring model. As part of the 2025 DCI summer season, Spartans competed in around half of their events as a World Class corps before finishing off the season under the Open Class heading.

“We are honored to join Drum Corps International as a World Class voting member,” Spartans president Paul LaFlamme said. “This milestone is a testament to decades of dedication from our members, staff, alumni, and community who have carried the Spartans forward with passion and pride.”

In recent years the Spartans have gone from a “weekend only” corps, following a 10- or 20-day tour to a full 45-day season as part of the experience they deliver to their performers.

Marking their milestone 70th anniversary in 2025, the Spartans transition to DCI’s World Class as one of the most decorated Open Class corps in history. The corps has laid claim to a plethora of DCI World Championship titles including back-to-back-to-back wins in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

With the next step in the organization’s evolution now complete, in the coming weeks the Spartans are set to march in the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Their 2026 summer tour stops will be released as part of the reveal of the DCI Tour schedule in mid-November.

“We look forward to working alongside our fellow World Class organizations to help shape the future of this unique and incredible activity that we all love,” LaFlamme said.