Golden Empire Drum and Bugle Corps
The Golden Empire Drum and Bugle Corps is an Open Class competitive junior drum and bugle corps. Based in Bakersfield, California, Golden Empire performs in Drum Corps International competitions.
History
Sources:The corps was founded in the Fall of 2013 at Bakersfield College as an extension of the existing Bakersfield College Drumline.
Recruiting was done at local marching band shows, staff was added, and a musical program developed. Auditions were held, and members of the new corps rehearsed through the Winter and Spring, then went to corps camp in the mountains at Lebec, California.
On May 21, DCI announced that Golden Empire was one of seven new or renewed corps approved to join the 2014 summer competitions,
On June 20, the corps made its debut at Clovis, marching 93 members– 43 brass, 21 battery percussion, 10 front ensemble, 16 auxiliary/color guard, and 3 drum majors. In that first show, the corps placed 3rd in Open Class, behind Vanguard Cadets and Blue Devils B, both three-time world champions in the class.
For its first season, Golden Empire scheduled eight contests on four weekends in June and July, with the corps making appearances in Southern, Central, and Northern California.
In 2018, the corps traveled to the Drum Corps International World Championships for the first time.
Sponsorship
Golden Empire Drum and Bugle Corps is sponsored by Golden Empire Performing Arts, an account of the Bakersfield College Foundation, a non-profit 501 organization which exists to support the activities of the Bakersfield College Drumline and the Golden Empire Drum and Bugle Corps from Bakersfield College. The corps director is Tim Heasley.Show Summary (2014–2020)
Source=Gold background indicates DCI Championship; pale blue background indicates DCI Class Finalist; pale green background indicates DCI semifinalist.
| Year | Theme | Repertoire | Score | DCI Placement |
| 2014 | A Journey Begins | Mvt. I - A Journey Begins / Mvt. II - The Balloon Ride / Mvt. III - Thinking of Home / Mvt. IV - Uncharted Waters All music is derived from Symphony No. 9 in E minor, "From the New World", Op. 95, B. 178 by Antonín Dvořák | Did not attend | |
| 2015 | The Color of Crime | The Area is Secure & Pinch of a Finger by Christophe Beck / Perfect Day for a Murder by Henry Mancini / Feeling Good by Anthony Newley / Dreamsville by Henry Mancini / The Damburger Incident, Dragalong Dreyfus & Chasing Yuri by Christophe Beck / Pink Panther by Henry Mancini | Did not attend | |
| 2016 | Music Matters | Paradisa Gloria by Karl Jenkins / Retribution by Edward Shearmur / NO one To kNOW one by Andy Akiho / Original music by Nicholas Rodriguez, Joey Hubbard, and David Ellis | Did not attend | |
| 2017 | Discovering Gems Within | Emerald – Church Windows Mvt. 2 by Ottorino Respighi Ruby – Red by Lewis J. Buckley Sapphire – One Day I'll Fly Away by Joe Sample and Will Jennings Diamond – Palladio by Karl Jenkins | Did not attend | |
| 2018 | Hear Our Voice | Intro : The inside Out by Tom Newman / Movement 1 : Foundry by John Mackey / Movement 2 : We’re Not Gonna Take It by Dee Snider / Movement 3 : Revolt by Ezekiel Lanser / Movement 4 : Cinderella Man by Tom Newman | 67.075 65.10 | 11th Open Class 35th World Class |
| 2019 | Icarus | Movement 1 : Icarus and Daedalus Fantasy by Keith Gates / Movement 2 : The Firebird by Igor Stravinsky / Movement 3 : Fly To Paradise by Eric Whitacre / Movement 4 : The Fall by Ezekiel Lancer / Movement 5 : Lux Aeterna by Giuseppe Verdi / Movement 6 : Dies Irae by Giuseppe Verdi | 70.650 68.475 | 9th Open Class 31st World Class |
| 2020 | Season cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic |