POWER & CLASS FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS OF THE MINUTEMAN BAND HOMECOMING 2005 AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST VOL. III, ISSUE 2 rom marching halftime shows secutive years (1983-85) as a member foundation for the Minuteman to writing Broadway hits, of the percussion staff of the Garfi eld Band’s future renown. F Thom Hannum’s career has Cadets; again with the Cadets in 1987, Since, Thom’s infl uence has been a great crescendo of success. when they received the only perfect reached far and wide, through Thom, associate director of the drum score in DCI championship his- Thom himself and through scores Minuteman Band, will be honored tory; and once as a consultant to the of students, now leaders in their this Homecoming by the band, by its percussion staff of Star of Indiana in own right in the percussion world. devoted fans and alumni, and by the 1991. Twice his corps have received Sounding off on everything campus for which he has served for from tubas to didgerydoos, seven 25 distinguished years. students and an alumnus of the Thom has been a part of the Minuteman Band were among the drum corps world since he was 68-member cast in Blast! Thom 10 years old, when he joined the led the UMass Amherst delega- Brookhaven Crusaders, a neigh- tion—the largest from any one borhood corps in the suburbs of school—in the “awe-inspiring” Philadelphia. At 13, he upgraded to show created by the Star of Indi- another Pennsylvania corps, which ana and Brass Theater. eventually merged with two others Star of Indiana curiously to become the Crossmen, the highly ended its competitive career in successful corps today. Thom was 1993 when it teamed up with the with the group when it burst onto Canadian Brass to create a new the national scene, making the fi nals Brass Theater concept that played his last two years and fi nishing ninth to packed houses in places like his fi nal year. Wolftrap and Tanglewood. After he “aged out” of the Cross- Says Thom of the experience: men, the organization hired him to the highest score for the drums portion “We took this new “Brass The- teach the next generation as a per- of a DCI Finals competition. ater” to London hoping to appeal cussion instructor while he was still Thom was lured to UMass Amherst to the theater market–there was a in college. He graduated from West in 1980 by fellow West Chester alum- lot for us to learn. By the end, we Chester University in 1980 with a nus George Parks to build a percus- were playing to sold-out houses degree in music education, and con- sion program in a band with just two and standing ovations. We con- tinued to work with the Crossmen. seasons under Parks’ leadership. Thom tinued touring the major markets Five times he helped corps win went on to earn a master’s degree throughout the US and are booked coveted fi rst place honors: three con- in music education while setting the well into 2006.” HOMECOMING WEEKEND IS OCT. 14-15; EVENT INFORMATION ON PAGES 6 & 7 In addition to working drum corps It is often said Who’s Thommy? and the Minuteman Band, Hannum has Those privileged enough to per- offered clinics and workshops across the that some people form in one of his ensembles have globe at events like the Percussive Arts So- seen a side of Thom that many others have not. Thom has this ability to ciety International Convention and Bands march to the beat make you want to work harder than of America in the U.S. and at other clinics you’ve ever worked before. Granted in Japan and Korea. He has his own Mo- of a different sometimes you’d do anything to stop bile Percussion Seminar and has co-writ- doing pushups, in all honesty Thom has a way of bringing out your desire ten a book, with Crossmen alumnus Bob drummer. In to be the best you can be. I had the Morrison, called Championship Concepts privilege of playing in the UMass for Marching Percussion. He also wrote a Amherst drumline from 1991-94, and student workbook to accompany the text. Thom’s case, again in 1996. My years at UMass Amherst were amazing, largely due Thom’s influence can be found in the to experiences I had performing. fuller integration of the percussion sec- a lot of people Thom provided us with many tion into the visual ensemble, increased other opportunities. Whether it was attention to marching cymbals (both have marched performing before hundreds of fel- visually and musically), the use of tim- low percussionists at the Percussive bres in the battery, and the use of colors to his beat. Arts Society or at the Berklee Jazz Festival with Gregg Bissonette, Casey through auxiliary instruments in the front Scheuerell and Dennis Chambers, ensemble and the battery. His roles with companies such as Pearl, Vic Thom exposed us to the endless pos- Firth and Zildjian have helped the evolution and growth of the percus- sibilities we had as performers. sion industry and products. Thom also helped develop free-floating In 1993, with many other snare drums, lighter instruments, sonically designed marching toms and UMassers, I made the pilgrimage to join Thom with the Star of Indiana bass drums. Thom Hannum’s presence and legacy loom large in the Drum and Bugle Corps. That summer drum corps activity and his wide and generous shoulders have allowed with Star was one of the hardest, so many to see more clearly the musical purpose and possibilities of the most physically and mentally chal- marching percussion ensemble. lenging experiences I ever had. Each of us who marched that year knew In 1996, the Minuteman Band Alumni Association honored Thom what we were putting on the field with enshrinement in the Minuteman Band Hall of Fame for his contri- was unlike anything that had been butions to the program. done before. We trusted Thom and Thom was inducted to the Drum Corps International Hall of Fame in we knew as long as we watched, lis- tened and learned, at the end of the 2001 for his contributions to the drum corps activity. “Thom Hannum day we would be unstoppable. was chosen because of his influence in percussion arranging,” said Lea Thom taught me that you have Ann Stockton of DCI. to put everything into something to “It made me reflect on various people who’ve been instrumental in make it great. And why would you my career,” said Thom of the recognition. “As I see it, I had the good want to do anything less than great? fortune of working with students and teachers and percussion manufac- It may sound cliché, but I use those lessons everyday. Thom taught me to turers, and I think my being honored is the result of all that.” give 110% all of the time, that there are no excuses, and that you have to dig deep to achieve what you want. POWER & CLASS I don’t think I would be the person I Vol. 3 No. 2 – Fall 2005 am today without having met Thom. I am honored to call him not only a teacher, but also my friend. POWER & CLASS is published twice each year by the UMass Amherst Minuteman March- ing Band. Send address changes to POWER & CLASS, 273 Fine Arts Center, University of – Jen Welty ’96 Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003. ummbalumni.org — Band Notes Jon Korhonen ‘05 also has it “fi gured out” The recent UMass Amherst grad and former Minute- man Band drum major has excelled in every aspect of his UMass career. Some highlights: • 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Team • 2005 Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference Team • 2005 Atlantic 10 Indoor Track & Field Student- Athlete of the Year • 2005 UMass Amherst Male Scholar- Athlete of the Year Jon also served as an energetic Tour A crew from Guide with UMass Amherst’s New Stu- Musco Lighting installed new lights this June at dents Program. the South Athletic Fields. The project includes replacement of all existing lights, with new lights installed on the band’s main practice fi elds. Pops Goes the Band! Last May, the Minuteman Band enjoyed another excit- ing fi rst: performing on-stage with the Boston Pops at Boston’s Symphony Hall. The event inaugurated Jack Wilson as president of UMass. Seen in this photo with the Boston Pops and the Minute- man Band are Pops conductor Keith Lockhart and Massachu- setts Senator Ted Kennedy. Members of UMass Amherst’s Class of 2005 at the Minuteman Band Senior Toast, which followed Commencement exercises May 23rd. We welcome our newest alumni to the family! ummbalumni.org — 3 Saluting the Power & Class Since its 19th century beginnings, scores of amazing individuals have contributed greatly to the growth 2002 and success of the Minuteman Band. David Hautanen. Jr. ’87, ’90G Over one hundred years of history Colorguard instructor from 1988 to 1990 and as advisor until 2002. passed before we sought to recognize these avatars of power and class. 1999 Michael J. Klesch ’90G In 1993, alumni of the Minuteman Band instituted Dr. John Jenkins, c. 1964 Joined the Minuteman Band as a gradu- ate assitant in 1986 and continues today a Hall of Fame to permanently honor those who have as arranger. Named assistant director of been enshrined. The Minuteman Band Alumni Association hopes the the Minuteman Band in 1995. contributions of these few honorably capture the spirit and dedication of the many they represent.