NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

8/31/2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES -Three members of Northwestern State University's "Spirit of Northwestern Marching Band were part of The Cavaliers, which won the DCI (Drum Corps International) World Championship recently in Madison, Wis.

Highlights from the DCI World Championships will be telecast on ESPN2 Tuesday at 7 p.m.

"Spirit of Northwestern" members Kyle Harvison of New Iberia, Nathan Sundberg of The Colony, Texas, and Tom Schurr of Plano, Texas, were members of The Cavaliers, who are based in Rosemont, Ill., and have won seven DCI championships Steven McCardle of Houma was a member of the Madison Scouts from Madison, Wisc.

Drum corps are similar to a marching band, consisting of a percussion section, brass line and color guard. Each corp may have to 135 members. The group spends the summer rehearsing and performing an 11-minute show.

Members began rehearsing in late May, practicing up to 12 hours a day for three to four weeks. The drum corps then began touring for two months around the country. The performances draw large crowds with more than 20,000 attending the finals.

Sundberg said the experience has helped him in ways he never expected.

"Being part of DCI helped me become more disciplined. It helped me get through my first year of college because I have a better work ethic," said Sundberg, a sophomore music education major.

Schurr agreed that the academic year at college is better for him after being part of DCI.

"In the summer, you are told what to do and when to do it," said Schurr. "You become accustomed to doing everything on a certain schedule. Sometimes when I have too much free time, I don't know what to do."

Being in DCI also helped Schurr deal with people more effectively.

"I started last year when I was 17 and had to interact with people who were four or five years older than me," he said. "I had to become more mature and that will help me as I am in situations dealing with professional people."

Sundberg said the Cavaliers usually performed every other day and those regular chances to play in front of a crowd helped the corp deal with the grueling schedule

"We were in a different city every day," said Sundberg. "You get the opportunity to perform in front of thousands of people every night and feed off the energy of the crowd. That keeps you motivated."

Drum Corps in the top division have up to 135 members who have to go through an audition process to become a member.

"I am grateful to have had the chance to get to do something most people don't get to do," said Sundberg. "I got to work with some of the best instrumentalists and educators in the world. Being around those people made you want to do your best."

"It's an intense activity, almost like a job," said Schurr. "You get to go out and create music. The experience pushes you to your limits.

For more information on Drum Corps International, go to www.dci.org.

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