History

A Historical Overview of the Brigadiers Drum & Bugle Corps

Tradition of Excellence 

The Brigadiers Drum & Bugle Corps, based in Syracuse, New York, is a precision musical and marching organization with longstanding historical significance in Central New York. The corps was originally founded in 1938 as a junior drum and bugle corps by the Polish Legion of American Veterans (P.L.A.V.) Post #14 in Syracuse. After a period of inactivity during World War II, the group was reorganized in 1947 as an all-age corps and entered the competitive field. During its early years, the corps consistently won the P.L.A.V. National Championship whenever the competition was held.

In 1954, the organization expanded through the merger of several local corps: "The Boys From Syracuse," "The Cortland Moose," and "The Sons of American Legion Post #41." The combined unit adopted the name “Syracuse Brigadiers.” The Brigadiers went on to win the New York State American Legion Championship from 1955 to 1960, again in 1964, and once more in 1967. Sponsored by both P.L.A.V. Post #14 and American Legion Post #1677, the corps was a consistent finalist at the American Legion National Championships and finished as runner-up on three occasions. They were named International Champions in 1957 and 1958.

In 1968, the corps narrowly missed winning the Drum Corps Associates (DCA) World Championship. That season was also marked by the loss of two corps members in a car accident, which had a significant impact on the group. In the years that followed, performance quality declined, and the corps ceased operations in 1972. A brief comeback attempt occurred in 1973, with the corps reentering competition after only five weeks of preparation. Despite a strong effort, a penalty for flag size during preliminaries caused them to miss finals by 0.05 points, after which the corps became inactive again.

Rebirth and Evolution

Seventeen years later, in August 1990, a revival began when the Rochester Crusaders hosted the “Pageant of Drums” in Syracuse. At this event, a group of approximately 50 Brigadiers alumni formed an impromptu parade unit during the awards ceremony. This public display led to renewed interest in reviving the corps. A meeting of former members and supporters in October 1990 initiated plans to reestablish the organization. Despite significant financial challenges, including the cost of acquiring equipment and uniforms, the group assembled a parade corps in 1991 and returned to field competition in 1992.

In its return season, the corps earned an eleventh-place finish at the DCA World Championships and was granted Associate DCA membership. In 1993, they improved to ninth place and achieved full DCA membership. Subsequent seasons showed steady progress: seventh place in 1995 and fifth in 1996. In 1997, the Brigadiers shared the DCA World Championship with the Empire Statesmen. They went on to place second in 1998 and claimed the DCA Championship outright in 1999 by one of the largest margins in DCA history. They repeated as champions in 2000, 2001, and 2002, each year going undefeated. The 2002 season also included a record-setting DCA score.

Along with the drum and bugle corps, the Brigadiers organization expanded into the indoor marching arts with the introduction of the Brigadiers Winter Guard in 1999, performing in Winter Guard International for the 1999, 2000, 2005 and 2006 seasons. 

The Brigadiers finished second in both 2003 and 2004, and fourth in 2005. In 2006, the corps faced declining membership and financial difficulties. Nevertheless, they fielded a competitive unit and placed sixth at the DCA Finals. In April 2007, the organization restructured under the Brigadiers Music Association (BMA), a nonprofit entity established to promote the performing arts. The 2007 season was marked by renewed enthusiasm and a full performance schedule.

During the late 90s/early 00's the Syracuse Brigadiers Alumni Association was organized, including an Alumni Drum Corps and indoor performance ensemble. The Alumni Corps performed in DCA Alumni events, parades and standstill performances throughout the Central New York community during the 2000s and early 2010's. 

Transition and Continued Activity

Following the 2009 season, the Brigadiers Drum & Bugle Corps became inactive due to challenges in recruiting sufficient membership. The organization shifted focus to indoor performance through the reformation of the Brigadiers Winter Guard. Beginning in 2011, the Winter Guard has competed in regional circuits and at Winter Guard International (WGI), earning multiple finalist placements over the years. The unit moved from Independent Open to Independent World Class in 2019 before having their 2020 season cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Future 

In the years since, the organization has continued through the efforts of the Brigadiers Alumni Association. Perpetuated financially through Bingo and other fundraising activities, the Alumni Association supports the marching arts in Central New York through donations to marching band and indoor winter programs (winter guard and indoor drumline primarily) as well as scholarships to local high school and college age students who are marching Drum Corps International in World, Open and All-Age (formerly Drum Corps Associates) classes. The Alumni have also been actively seeking hosting competitive events, most recently a DCI Show in 2023, and regularly donates to local charities and first responder organizations. With the return of the Brigadiers Winter Guard, the Alumni Association is primed and ready to support them as they return to competition in local and WGI competitions in 2026.