February 24, 2020 - Mark Richardson, the Executive Director of the Arizona Academy Drum & Bugle Corps described this organization in considerable detail.
The full name of the organization is the Arizona Academy for Performing Arts and is 20 years old. The Drum & Bugle Corps is described as an "extreme marching band". The Academy is part of Drum Corps International which has existed for 30 years. The Academy has two corps - (1) Phenom which is for high school kids - the average age is 16.5 and (2) The Drum & Bugle Corps which enrolls college students - the average age is 18.5.  Each year the Academy tours the country for 80 days during the summer. The Corps has 154 participants and the total entourage on tour is 200. The Dues, $45 per day, cover 64% of the cost while the remainder comes from grants, gifts, and corporate support. The Academy stresses the importance of teamwork, perseverance, and continual improvement.  Their motto is "the effort is the prize". Mark showed us a few impressive videos.  The Corps will be participating in "Drums Across the Desert" on Monday June 29th at 7:30 pm at Mesa Community College.