The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps

thumb|right|The Cavaliers' 70th Anniversary logo, 2018

The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps (also known as "The Green Machine") is a World Class competitive junior drum and bugle corps based in Rosemont, Illinois. The Cavaliers were one of the thirteen founding member corps of Drum Corps International and is a seven-time DCI World Champion. The Cavaliers are the only active all-male corps remaining in the activity.

History

thumb|239px|left|The Cavaliers, 2004.

The early days

The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps was started in 1948 by Don Warren, Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 111 in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood after being impressed by the Racine Scouts. In 1949, the corps found an additional sponsor in the American Legion Thaddeus Kosciuszko Post 712 of Chicago's Little Warsaw neighborhood. This sponsorship allowed the corps to purchase new uniforms.

The corps entered the world of field competition for the first time in 1950, adopting the name of Chicago Cavaliers and green as their main color. Following a promotional campaign by Cavalier Cigarettes, the corps adopted the Cavalier name and the logo of the cigarette brand as the corps' logo (the "Standing Man").

After being an also-ran for their first two seasons of field competition, the Cavaliers won their first contest in 1952 Class B competition at the Spectacle of Music in South Milwaukee. The same year, they competed in their first American Legion Junior National Championship in New York City, finishing in seventh place. In 1956, the Cavaliers had risen to the number one ranking in the Midwest, and in 1957, the Cavaliers won the VFW National title in Miami, as well as both the Illinois State American Legion and VFW titles. The Cavaliers won the VFW championship again in 1959.

1960s

By 1960, the financial needs of the corps was struggling to be supported by the American Legion Kosciusko Post and the Chicago's Own VFW Post, but the temporary banning of bingo and other similar fundraisers by the State of Illinois was an almost crippling blow. As part of the solution to the ongoing problems of money and recruiting, in 1961, the Chicago's Own VFW was replaced by the Park Ridge VFW Post 3579, marking the beginning of the Cavaliers' move from being a city corps to suburban. The Cavaliers won VFW national three years in a row, 1961–63. In 1963, the corps traveled to Canada for the Toronto Optimist's "International" competition.

In 1964, The Cavaliers added mellophones and contrabasses to their horn line. 1967 saw Cavalier Hall go up in flames, taking the corps' trophies with it. They won the VFW Nationals, then repeated as American Legion Champions. The corps rebounded in 1969, winning the American Legion title. The highlight of 1970 was the Cavaliers' rise from eleventh place at VFW National prelims to third place in finals.

The Combine

In 1971, at the urging of Don Warren and Troopers founder Jim Jones, the Blue Stars, Cavaliers, Madison Scouts, Santa Clara Vanguard, the Argonne Rebels and the Troopers formed the Combine. This action was taken in reaction to the rigid, inflexible rules of the American Legion and VFW (the primary rule makers and sponsors of both corps and shows) and the low or nonexistent performance fees paid for appearing in the various competitions. The Combine members stated that the corps should be making their own rules, operating their own competitions and championships, and keeping the bulk of the monies those shows earned. For the 1971 season, the corps stuck together, offering show promoters the five corps as a package. Despite pressure on show sponsors, judges, and other drum corps, the Combine corps were not only booked into a number of shows together, but they found a host for a show of their own, which was a spectacular success despite fears of failure. But in 1971 was not as much of a success for the Cavaliers: the corps fell to eighth at CYO Nationals and, with most of the top corps opting for VFW Nationals, they finished in second, two points behind the Argonne Rebels at the Legion Nationals.

The beginning of DCI

In 1972, The Cavaliers, along with the nine other corps from the Combine and the Alliance, as well as the Anaheim Kingsmen, Argonne Rebels, and De La Salle Oaklands, were founding members of Drum Corps International, which remains as the sanctioning body for junior corps in North America. At the first DCI World Championships in Whitewater, Wisconsin, The Cavaliers finished in ninth place. The 1972 Cavaliers also won another VFW National Championship in Minneapolis, their seventh. In 1973, the Cavaliers finished in fifteenth place at DCI in Whitewater during a season of financial difficulties and struggles with recruitment.

Over the next four years, 1974–77, The Cavaliers seemed to have rebounded somewhat from the down year of '73. Two years in eighth place were followed by two years in seventh place at DCI. They also won two more VFW National Championships in 1974 and '76. There was an unacknowledged drug problem that came to a head in 1977 when several members almost died while returning from a show, and due to disagreement within the corps, it managed only a sixteenth place finish at DCI. Also in 1977, Adolph DeGrauwe was named as corps director.

1980-1992

The Cavaliers' winter guard, under the leadership of Steve Brubaker, won the Winter Guard International championship in 1981–83. In 1982, Brubaker, who had also been working with the Cavalier Cadets corps since '78, was named head drill designer for The Cavaliers. That change brought about a change in the corps' attitude and this, along with the music selections becoming more and more classically oriented, helped The Cavaliers rise to the top half of DCI Finalists. 1982 saw The Cavaliers forge a solid association with the Village of Rosemont and its mayor, Donald E. Stephens, a relationship that would relieve the corps of many financial worries. The corps improved for the next several years, finishing second place at DCI Finals in 1990 behind the Cadets of Bergen County.

1990 saw The Cavaliers start the transition to three valve horns, and it was the year of The Cavaliers' very first DCI Regional championship, when they upset the previously undefeated Blue Devils and Phantom Regiment to win DCI Midwest at Whitewater.

Before the start of the 1991 season, Adolph DeGrauwe stepped down as Corps director, and was replaced by Jeff Fiedler. In 1991, they won both DCI East and DCI South, again finishing second place. At Dallas, the percussion ensemble won the Individual and Ensemble contest with a perfect 100.00 score. In 1992, The Cavaliers won their first DCI championship with their show titled "Revolution and Triumph".

1993 - Present

The 1993 season was difficult before it ever began; drill designer Steve Brubaker died during the off-season. Once the season got underway, everything was overshadowed by the previous year's success. Star once more left The Cavaliers in second at DCM, they trailed both Star and the Cadets at DCI North and the Preview of Champions, but they won DCI East over the Blue Devils. The DCI World Championships were held in hot and humid Jackson, Mississippi. It got even more humid, when the rains came during Finals; several Cavaliers slipped and fell, and the corps fell to fifth place. In 1994, The Cavaliers' program showcased the corps' guard. It won the DCM crown, but it was only good enough for second-place finishes in Regionals and fourth at DCI Finals in Boston. Gustav Holst's "The Planets" had been a crowd-pleaser and had earned The Cavaliers their first finish in the upper half of DCI's Top Twelve as the largest part of the show in 1985. In 1995, The Cavaliers brought back "The Planets" as their entire show. The Cavaliers traded wins with the Madison Scouts through the DCM season, with the Scouts taking the DCM title. They continued to trail only Madison at DCI Southwest in Houston and until the Preview of Champions in Ypsilanti, when they found themselves ahead of Madison but behind BD and the Cadets. DCI Mid-America at Champaign, Illinois also went to the Blue Devils. At the DCI World Championships in Buffalo, The Cavaliers took command in Quarterfinals, expanded their lead in Semi-finals and Finals, and won their second DCI Championship in four years.

In addition to the drum and bugle corps, The Cavaliers Arts, Performance & Education, Inc. also sponsors Chromium Winds, an indoor winds group that competes in WGI.

Show summary (1972–2025)

Source:

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

|+Key

|style="background-color:#add8e6"|Pale blue background indicates DCI World Class Finalist

|style="background-color:#d4af37"|Dark gold background indicates DCI World Class Champion

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size:95%;"

! scope="col" rowspan="2" |Year

! scope="col" rowspan="2" |Repertoire

! scope="col" colspan="2" |

! scope="col" | Score

! scope="col" | Placement

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" |1972

|March of the Toreadors (from Carmen) by Georges Bizet / One Hand One Heart (from West Side Story) by Leonard Bernstein / The Ballad of Casey Jones by Eddie Newton, Wallace Saunders & T. Lawrence Seibert / "Eleanor Rigby" by Lennon–McCartney / Salute to the Green (Unknown) / Over the Rainbow (from The Wizard of Oz) by Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg / Americans We by Henry Fillmore / I'm Always Chasing Rainbows by Frédéric Chopin, adapted by Harry Carroll & Joseph McCarthy / Look for the Rainbow by Burton Lane & E.Y. Harburg || 79.450 || 9th place Open Class Finalist

! scope="row" |1973

| Tradition & Sabbath Prayer (from Fiddler on the Roof) by Jerry Bock & Sheldon Harnick / Pinball Wizard (from Tommy) by Pete Townshend / All for the Best & We Beseech Thee (from Godspell) by Stephen Schwartz

|74.650 76.300

|15th place Open Class (official) 13th place (actual)

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1974

| March of the Toreadors (from Carmen) by Georges Bizet / Victory at Sea by Richard Rodgers / Tommy Can You Hear Me (from Tommy) by Pete Townshend / All for the Best (from Godspell) by Stephen Schwartz / Once Upon A Time (from All American) by Charles Strouse & Lee Adams / Somewhere (from West Side Story) by Leonard Bernstein / Over the Rainbow (from The Wizard of Oz) by Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg || 79.550 || 8th place Open Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1975

| Russian Christmas Music by Alfred Reed / Time Odyssey 7534 by Dan Spaulding / Love in Them There Hills by Roland Chambers / Entrance to Reality (from The Picasso Summer) by Michel Legrand / Once Upon A Time (from All American) by Charles Strouse & Lee Adams / Somewhere (from West Side Story) by Leonard Bernstein / Over the Rainbow (from The Wizard of Oz) by Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg || 82.950 || 8th place Open Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1976

| Russian Sailor's Dance (from The Red Poppy) by Reinhold Glière / Green Soul by Dan Spaulding / Chump Change by Bill Cosby & Quincy Jones / Give It One by Alan Downey & Maynard Ferguson / Summertime & Bess, You Is My Woman Now (from Porgy and Bess) by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin / Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky || 84.300 || 7th place Open Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1977

| Selections from Man of La Mancha by Mitch Leigh & Joe Darion / Selections from Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin || 83.000 || 7th place Open Class Finalist

! scope="row" | 1978

| Do Ya Wanna Get Funky With Me? by Peter Brown & Robert Rans / Russian Sailor's Dance (from The Red Poppy) by Reinhold Glière / Pineapple Rag by Scott Joplin / Symphony No. 5 by Dmitri Shostakovich || 78.300 || 16th place Open Class

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1979

| Esmeralda Suite by Jimmy Goings & Nicolas Skorsky (Santa Esmeralda) / Fantasy by Maurice White, Verdine White & Eddie del Barrio (Earth, Wind & Fire) / Cuban Fire Suite by Johnny Richards / Over the Rainbow (from The Wizard of Oz) by Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg / Children of Sanchez by Chuck Mangione || 78.500 || 11th place Open Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1980

| Esmeralda Suite by Jimmy Goings & Nicolas Skorsky (Santa Esmeralda) / Suncatchers by Butch Nordahl / Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing) by Louis Prima / Sambandrea Swing by Don Menza / "Softly As I Leave You" by Giorgio Calabrese & Antonio De Vita, adapted by Hal Shaper || 77.400 || 9th place Open Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1981

| Picasso Suite (from The Picasso Summer) by Michel Legrand / Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing) by Louis Prima / Sambandrea Swing by Don Menza / Softly As I Leave You by Giorgio Calabrese & Antonio De Vita, adapted by Hal Shaper|| 82.800 || 10th place Open Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1982

| The Pines of Rome by Ottorino Respighi / Heliopolis by Jay Beckenstein / City (Unknown) / I've Had Enough by Philip Bailey, Greg Phillinganes & Brenda Russell / Ai No Corrida by Kenny Young / Softly As I Leave You by Giorgio Calabrese & Antonio De Vita, adapted by Hal Shaper|| 81.950 || 11th place Open Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1983

| Jade by Michael Boo / Celebration Suite by Chick Corea / Rendezvous by Al Dimeola / The Pines of Rome by Ottorino Respighi || 80.550 || 9th place Open Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1984

| Don Juan by Richard Strauss / Summer Sketches by Hugh M. Stuart / Ozark by John Prescott / The Pines of Rome by Ottorino Respighi || 89.700 || 8th place Open Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1985

| Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss / Mars, Mercury, Uranus & Jupiter (from The Planets) by Gustav Holst || 94.100 || 5th place Open Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1986

| Canzona by Peter Mennin / Variations on a Korean Folk Song by John Barnes Chance / Gamelon (Drum Feature) / Mars (from The Planets) by Gustav Holst || 95.700 || 3rd place Open Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1987

| Festival Variations by Claude T. Smith / Variations on a Korean Folk Song by John Barnes Chance / Liturgical Dances by David Holsinger || 94.700 || 3rd place Open Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1988

| The Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky || 95.100 || 5th place Open Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1989

|Gloria Gloria – Andante and Allegro Vivace by John Rutter / Images Diabolique by Tom Grant / Gloria – Vivace E Ritmico by John Rutter || 97.200 || 3rd place Open Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1990

|Cavalier Anthems Homage to Machaut (from Medieval Suite) by Ron Nelson / Variations on a Hymn by Louis Bourgeois by Claude T. Smith / All Things Bright and Beautiful; O, Clap Your Hands & Gloria (Mvt. 3) by John Rutter || 96.900 || 2nd place Open Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1991

|Cavalier Anthems: An Advent Collection Variants on an Advent Hymn by Fisher Tull / Te Deum by Ron Nelson / Die Natale by Samuel Barber / Men of Goodwill by Benjamin Britten / The Bridegroom by John Rutter / O Be Joyful in the Lord by John Rutter || 96.300 || 2nd place Open Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#D4AF37"

! scope="row" | 1992

|Revolution and Triumph Gavorkna Fanfare by Jack Stamp / Cornish Dances, Mvt. 4; English Dances, Mvt. 4 & Peterloo Overture by Sir Malcolm Arnold || 97.500 || 1st place Division I Champion

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1993

|Heroes, A Symphonic Trilogy (Journey... Conflict... Triumph) The Symphonic Cantata by David Holsinger / Heroes, Lost and Fallen by David Gillingham / Morning Alleluias (for the Winter Solstice) by Ron Nelson|| 94.000 || 5th place Division I Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1994

|Rituals Sensemaya by Silvestre Revueltas / Humming Chorus (from Ivan the Terrible) by Sergei Prokofiev / War Dance (from Belkis, Regina di Saba) & Church Windows, Mvt. 2 by Ottorino Respighi / March (from Symphonic Metamorphosis) by Paul Hindemith || 95.700 || 4th place Division I Finalist

|- bgcolor="#D4AF37"

! scope="row" | 1995

|The Planets Mars, Venus, Mercury & Jupiter All from The Planets by Gustav Holst

| 98.300 || 1st place Division I Champion

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1996

|Pan American Sketches Pavana (from Tres versiones sinfónicas) by Julián Orbón / Mexican Landscape (from Latin American Sketches) by Aaron Copland / Xylophone (from Tres versiones sinfónicas) by Julián Orbón / Piano Sonata No. 1, Mvt. 4 by Alberto Ginastera / Symphony No. 3, Mvt. 4 by Aaron Copland || 93.800 || 4th place Division I Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1997

|The Firebird Introduction to Rite of Spring and Berceuse, Carrilon, Retinue, Infernal Dance & Finale All from The Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky || 92.800 || 7th place Division I Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1998

|Traditions for a New Era The Path Between the Mountains by Jay Kennedy / Molto Vivo & Lento (from Dance Movements) by Philip Sparke / Machine by William Bolcom || 96.200 || 4th place Division I Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 1999

|Classical Innovations Fantasia for Band in G Major by Timothy Mahr / Fantasies on a Theme by Haydn by Norman Dello Joio || 97.000 || 3rd place Division I Finalist

|- bgcolor="#D4AF37"

! scope="row" | 2000

|Niagara Falls Niagara Falls by Michael Daugherty / Original music by Richard Saucedo || 97.650 || 1st place Division I Champion

|- bgcolor="#D4AF37"

! scope="row" | 2001

|Four Corners Four Corners by Richard Saucedo, Bret Kuhn & Erik Johnson || 98.350 || 1st place Division I Champion

|- bgcolor="#D4AF37"

! scope="row" | 2002

|Frameworks Melody, Harmony & Rhythm All by Richard Saucedo, Bret Kuhn & Erik Johnson || 99.150 || 1st place Division I Champion

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 2003

|Spin Cycle Propulsion, Resonance, Terminal Velocity & Centrifugal Force All by Richard Saucedo || 97.250 || 2nd place Division I Finalist

|- bgcolor="#D4AF37"

! scope="row" | 2004

|007 James Bond Theme by Monty Norman / Goldeneye by Bono & The Edge / For Your Eyes Only by Bill Conti / Live and Let Die by Paul McCartney & Linda McCartney / Hovercraft Chase & Welcome to Cuba (from Die Another Day) & Paris and Bond (from Tomorrow Never Dies) by David Arnold || 98.700 || 1st place Division I Champion

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 2005

|My Kind of Town Chicago by Sammy Cahn / The Magnificent Mile (Unknown) / Jig by Jean-Luc Ponty / The Great Fire of 1871 by Richard Saucedo, Bret Kuhn & Erik Johnson / Chicago Blues by Richard Saucedo, Bret Kuhn & Erik Johnson / Sweet Home Chicago by Robert Johnson || 97.625 || 2nd place Division I Finalist

|- bgcolor="#D4AF37"

! scope="row" | 2006

|Machine Genesis, Wired, Premonition & The Machine Age by Richard Saucedo & James Casella / Church: Renewing Vows by Wynton Marsalis || 97.200 || 1st place Division I Champion

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 2007

|And So It Goes The Stranger, Angry Young Man, And So It Goes, Invention in C Minor, Pressure, I've Loved These Days & Scenes From An Italian Restaurant All by Billy Joel || 96.350|| 3rd place Division I Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 2008

|Samurai Bushido: The Way of the Warrior; Ronin: Masterless Samurai; Ken-Jutsu: The Art of the Sword & Fumeiyo Yori Shi Wo: Death Before Dishonor All by Richard Saucedo, Erik Johnson & James Casella || 97.325 || 3rd place World Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 2009

|The Great Divide Extreme Make-over by Johan de Meij / Pampeana No. 3 – Impetuosamente by Alberto Ginastera / Engulfed Cathedral by Claude Debussy / On the Great Divide by John Adams || 96.150 || 4th place World Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 2010

|Mad World Mad World by Roland Orzabal / Harrison's Dream by Peter Graham / Dismantling Utopia by Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby & Paul Wertico / Smile by Charlie Chaplin, John Turner & Geoffrey Parsons || 97.750 || 2nd place World Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 2011

|XtraordinarY Footprints by Wayne Shorter / Jungle Tango by Jamie Masefield, Danton Boller & Ari Hoenig (The Jazz Mandolin Project) / Nature Boy by George Alexander Aberle (eden ahbez) / Fugue in G Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach || 96.850 || 3rd place World Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 2012

|15 Minutes of Fame Don Juan by Richard Strauss / Dead Elvis by Michael Daugherty / Paparazzi by Stefani Germanotta (Lady Gaga) & Rob Fusari / Don Giovanni by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart / Vesti la Giubba by Ruggero Leoncavallo / Out Here on My Own by Michael Gore / In the Hall of the Mountain King (from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1) by Edvard Grieg || 88.850 || 8th place World Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 2013

|Secret Society Rose of Arimathea (from The Da Vinci Code) by Hans Zimmer / Air (from Angels & Demons) by Hans Zimmer / Drum Music (Mvt. 3: Incinerate) by John Mackey / Secret Society by Drew Shanefield / Enterprising Young Men (from Star Trek) by Michael Giacchino || 90.500 || 7th place World Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 2014

|Immortal Chamber Symphony Opus 110 by Dmitri Shostakovich / Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns / When I am Laid in Earth by Henry Purcell / A Walk on the Water by Stephen Melillo || 93.675 || 6th place World Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 2015

|Game On Symphony No. 8 by Anton Bruckner / Fêtes (from Nocturnes) by Claude Debussy / Run Boy Run by Yoann Lemoine (Woodkid) / In the Musicals by Bjork / Macrotus (from Batman Begins) by Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard / Fantasie Brillante (from On the Shoulders of Giants) by Peter Graham || 88.325 || 9th place World Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 2016

|Propaganda Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary by Henry Purcell / Symphony for West Point Band by Morton Gould / Elegy for Dunkirk by Dario Marianelli / Lollapalooza by John Adams || 94.025 || 5th place World Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 2017

|Men Are From Mars Kangaru by Jóhann Jóhannsson / Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss / Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland / Wine Dark Sea by John Mackey / Little Green Men by Steve Vai / Theme from Close Encounters of the Third Kind by John Williams / On the Nature of Daylight by Max Richter / O Superman by Laurie Anderson / Sun's Gone Dim by Jóhann Jóhannsson / Mars (from The Planets) by Gustav Holst / My Way by Claude François & Jacques Revaux, adapted by Paul Anka || 95.200 || 4th place World Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 2018

|On Madness and Creativity Black Angels by George Crumb / The Triumph of Time by Peter Graham / Bolero by Maurice Ravel / Rose of Arimathea (from The Da Vinci Code) by Hans Zimmer / Orawa By Wojciech Kilar / Vanishing Act by Lou Reed / Alicia Discovers Nash's Dark World (from A Beautiful Mind) by James Horner / Unraveled by Michael Martin, Mike McIntosh, & Alan Miller / Over the Rainbow (from The Wizard of Oz) by Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg / Oh What a World by Rufus Wainwright|| 93.2125 || 6th place World Class Finalist

|- bgcolor="#ADD8E6"

! scope="row" | 2019

|The Wrong Side of the Tracks Gorgon by Christopher Rouse / Bum's Rush by Donald Grantham / Rock Island, 1931 by Thomas Newman / Party in Steerage by Mike McIntosh & Clif Walker / Cathedral by Thomas Newman || 95.400 || 5th place World Class Finalist

! scope="row" | 2020

| colspan="3" bgcolor="e5e4e2" | Season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic

! scope="row" | 2021

| LIVE! From The Rose Lida Rose (from The Music Man) by Meredith Willson / La Vie En Rose by Edith Piaf / Themata by Drew Goddard (Karnivool) / Arose (from American Beauty) by Thomas Newman / Kiss From A Rose by Seal / Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing) by Louis Prima

| colspan="2" bgcolor="e5e4e2" |No scored competitions

! scope="row" | 2022

| Signs of the Times Fugue in G Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach / Fly Like an Eagle by Steve Miller Band / Way Too Long by Bent Knee / Original music by Michael Martin / The Floor is Lava by Bent Knee / Concerto No. 10 for Brass Band by Ludovic Neurohr / Queer Gods & Being Human by Bent Knee / Sign of the Times by Harry Styles

| 90.600

| bgcolor="add8e6" | 9th place World Class Finalist

! scope="row" | 2023

| ...Where You’ll Find Me Gloria – Allegro Vivace by John Rutter / Groove 75 by Richard Saucedo, Michael McIntosh, Clif Walker & Matt Black / Over the Rainbow (from The Wizard of Oz) by Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg / Softly As I Leave You by Matt Monroe

| 92.125

| bgcolor="add8e6" | 8th place World Class Finalist

! scope="row" | 2024

| Beneath the Armor I Want You to Want Me by Rick Nielsen / Music for Prague 1968 by Karel Husa / You've Changed by Bill Carey and Carl Fischer / Man in the Mirror by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett / Bring Me to Life by Amy Lee, Ben Moody, and David Hodges / Original music by Richard Saucedo, Michael McIntosh, Clif Walker & Matt Black

| 87.500

| bgcolor="add8e6" | 11th place World Class Finalist

! scope="row" | 2025

| ShapeShift Original music by Kevin Shah, Jay Bocook, Josh Brickey & Lee Allman / Baby Shower by Benjamin Wallfisch / A Fateful Meeting by James Newton Howard / Leviathan by John Psathas / Hatching by Kris Bowers / Empire of Angels by Thomas Bergersen

| 90.800

| bgcolor="add8e6" | 9th place World Class Finalist

Caption awards

At the annual World Championship Finals, Drum Corps International (DCI) presents awards to the corps with the high average scores from prelims, semi-finals, and finals in five captions. The Cavaliers have won these caption awards:

Don Angelica Best General Effect Award/Formerly Known: High General Effect

1990 (tie), 1995, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006

John Brazale Best Visual Performance Award/Formerly Known: High Visual

1991, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006

George Zingali Best Color Guard Performance Award

2000, 2002, 2004, 2007

Jim Ott Best Brass Performance Award

2002, 2006

Fred Sanford Best Percussion Performance Award/Formerly Known: High Percussion

1991 (tie), 1992, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2011, 2023

The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps

History

The early days

1960s

The Combine

The beginning of DCI

1980-1992

1993 - Present

Show summary (1972–2025)

Caption awards

References

Bibliography

External links