September 29, 2003

CrownBEAT

The Official Newsletter of Carolina Crown, Inc.

Crown Alumni Online Forum Started

Calling All Carolina Crown Alumni: You now have a place to relive the memories of your marching years and discuss Crown or anything that might cross your mind.

The Forum was started by Crown Director of Operations Brian Turner (Perc 91-93) and is moderated by Marcus Jones (Brass 91-92) It uses the Invision Power board software (the same software that powers the popular Drum Corps Planet board) and is accessible via the Carolina Crown webpage. (Click Alumni on the homepage menu and follow the link “Alumni Forum Started”) Membership is open to all Carolina Crown Alumni in good standing, provided they follow the guidelines that are posted on the site, and register with the Moderators.

This Forum will be a major tool for uniting Carolina Crown Alumni for things such as the formation of an alumni association, reunions, updates about the current version of the corps, and alumni projects. The first project of this type is under development and involves the creation of an Alumni Scholarship for 1 member for the 2004 season. (stay tuned for more details on this!!)

Any alumni who can suggest any future enhancements for the board or that has any suggestions can email or

2004 Registrations Begin Coming In

With information on the website for only just a few days, we have already begun receiving registrations from students interested in auditioning for the 2004 Carolina Crown. "There is definately a significant amount of excitement in the air for only September, which undoubtedly is a result of the corps' tremendous 2003 season!", remarked Excecutive Director Kevin Smith. "We anticipate a record turnout for our South Carolina audition, and we also feel very good about the prospects for good attendance at our new one-day audition events for brass students in Indiana and Texas that we recently announced." Direct mailings and/or emails announcing the audition dates will also be sent to band directors in the Southeast, Texas and Indiana over the next week.

The first students to register for 2004 were:

Percussion - Nate Collins, a 17 year old North Forsyth HS snare from Winston-Salem, NC
Brass - Paul Blichmann, a 15 year old Sun Valley HS tuba player from Monroe, NC
Guard - Jenny Measmer, a soon-to-be 18 year old South Rowan HS guard member from China Grove, NC (Happy Birthday on 10/24/03, Jenny!)

All three of our first registrants will be attending the South Carolina audition camps on November 21-13 (brass and guard only) and December 12-14 (percussion and brass only). The first registrant to attend our Indiana audition event on December 6th is Chad Brinkman, a 17 year old mellophone student at Avon HS in Avon, Indiana. As of the time of this writing there have been no registrations received for the Texas event... so come on all you Texas students!!!

To obtain information on auditions for the 2004 Carolina Crown please visit the Membership section of our website!

6th Annual Carolina Crown Golf Tournament A Big Success

The 6th Annual Carolina Crown Golf Tournament, scheduled for August 25, 2003, was a huge success. Carol Srdar, one of DCI’s 2001 Volunteers of the Year, has organized a tremendously successful one-day fundraising event, raising over $81,000.00 in 2003, far surpassing the goal of $75,000.00. We would like to thank Carol and all the volunteers who helped make this event a success. A great big “THANK YOU” goes to the players and their generosity to whom we are most grateful! Carol is already planning for the 7th annual Golf Tournament, but no official date has been announced.

We thank all those who gave their time and talents to the tournament:

Thanks to all our Sponsors:

Event Founder and Chairperson - Carol Srdar

Event Staff - Carol Srdar, Larry & Shirley Gibson, DeAnn Ellisor, Jamey Ellisor, Mike Walker, Patty Walker, Kevin & Moe Smith, Brian Turner, Bridget Dahl, Mike Rowe, Mike Bradshaw, Alan, Estrin, Steve Barry , Tracy Markham, Dan, Carl & Jan Smith, Kelly, Jeff & Candice Coble

Marching Band Season Begins

The sounds and sights of marching band are back again on Saturday evenings in the Carolinas, and of course, Carolina Crown is involved once again. Crown is the regional representative for Music T's (souvenirs), and therefore will be setting up at about a dozen shows throughout the Carolinas this fall. In addition, as part of Crown's Partnership in Education with Ft. Mill HS, the corps sponsored the Carolinas Cup trophy at Ft. Mill's annual Carolinas Cup competition on Saturday, September 27th. Carolina Crown Executive Director Kevin Smith was on hand to assist Ft. Mill HS Band Director Martin Dickey with the presentation of the awards at the end of the show. Another Partnership in Education band, Rock Hill HS (SC), under the direction of Crown-alum Joe Gulledge was awarded the Carolinas Cup for best band of the evening.

The remaining shows that the Carolina Crown booth will be set up at are listed below. Please stop by to obtain directions on how to access 2004 Carolina Crown membership information and to purchase a souvenir in support of the host band and Carolina Crown. See you at the shows!

October 4th Mid-Atlantic Tournmet of Bands, Myrtle Beach, SC Travelrs Rest "Golden Invatational", Greenville, SC

October 11th
Western Carolina University, Western, NC

October 18th
Shelby Classic, Shelby, NC
SCBDA Upper State 1A-3AChampionship, Clinton, SC
SCBDA Upper State 2A-4A Championship, Boiling Springs, SC

October 25th
Trojan Classic, Charlotte, NC
Foothill, Forest City, NC

November 1st
SCBDA 5A Championships, Rock Hill, SC

Eye Spy

John Palmer (B ’90) charter member, is now the Director of Bands at Dickerson Middle School in Cobb County Georgia!

Michael Sowers (P ’97) is currently doing a year of pre- dental at USF and will be applying to the Dental school upon completion. Best of luck Michael.

Allen Joanis (P faculty ’00,’01,’03) has recently accepted the Percussion Director position at Ronald Reagan High School in San Antonio, TX . Congrats!!

Megan Paul (B ’02) was one of 7 named Senior of the Year for 2003 by the Charlotte Observer and graduated from Weddington HS. She is a political science major and business major at UNC Chapel Hill. Congrats Megan!!

Kurry Seymour (P faculty ’01) is a recent graduate of West Virginia University with an MM in Percussion Performance. Kurry is now on the faculty at Coastal Carolina University as the Assistant Director of Bands and Percussion Instructor. He is also an endorser with Manette Steel Drums. Best of Luck Kurry!!

Jake Wade (B/DM ’96,’98-’99 & faculty ’01-’03) has moved back to Fort Mill, SC from Greenville, SC and has taken a position teaching history at Phillip O’Berry Academy in the Charlotte Mecklenburg School system. Jake married Jen Bailey on Saturday, August 30, 2003. Carolina Crown alumni Brent Bernier and Russ Frazier were in the wedding party. It was a beautiful day and we wish the best to Jake and Jen.