At Mt. Lebanon High School, Will King and Brandon Tambellini spent a lot of time together as members of the school’s marching band.
After graduation in 2015, they took separate but similar paths. Both will be juniors in college this fall and both are majoring in music education.
Mr. King, 20, attends Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Mr. Tambellini, also 20, attends Duquesne University.
This Wednesday, both will be performing on the field once again, but this time as competitors.
Mr. Tambellini is a member of the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps of Rosemont, Ill., and Mr. King performs with the Blue Stars of La Crosse, Wis.
The Cavaliers and the Blue Stars are two of eight corps competing at “DCI Pittsburgh Presented by Three Rivers Summer Music Games” 7 p.m. Wednesday at Baldwin High School Stadium. Hosted by the Baldwin Highlander Music Patrons, the event is part of Drum Corps International’s summer tour.
Also performing will be the Crossmen of San Antonio, Texas, Mandarins of Sacramento, Calif., Troopers of Casper, Wyo., Colts of Dubuque, Iowa, Oregon Crusaders of Portland, Ore., and Pacific Crest of Diamond Bar, Calif.
Mr. Tambellini, who plays baritone and trombone, is in his second season with the Cavaliers.
“It’s interesting to meet people from places like California, Texas and around the world. We currently have three members from Japan,” Mr. Tambellini said. “We perform in big stadiums and play pretty cool music, but the best thing is the people you do it all with.”
The Cavaliers are unique because they are one of only two all-male corps in the activity, a fact Mr. Tambellini likes.
“I was really hooked on their style,” he said. “Fast shows, super cool music, and the way they looked. I thought that being in all-male drum corps gave them a cool image. They even walk with a certain swagger. The experience is life changing and is the most rewarding experience I have been involved in.”
Mr. King, who is in his second season with the Blue Stars, plays vibraphone in the front ensemble, which often is called the pit. Last year, he played synthesizer.
“My favorite thing about drum corps is the opportunity to grow in ways that I couldn’t anywhere else. As a person and musician, I am in an environment that allows me to learn and grow immensely,” said Mr. King. His least favorite thing? “It would probably be the lack of sleep. It can be hard to find time to rest, especially on long bus rides.”
Mr. King said he is eager to reunite with Mr. Tambellini.
“Brandon and I marched together at Lebo and he was actually my drum major our senior year. We had always talked about eventually auditioning somewhere. I’m so happy to see him on the field with the Cavaliers. I know he’s happy there, and it’s great to see an old friend participating in such a great activity.”
The Cavaliers production, “Men Are From Mars,” includes an array of music from Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” to “O Superman” by Laurie Anderson. The show’s finale intertwines Gustav Holst’s “Mars” and Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.”
The Blue Stars will present “Star Crossed,” a portrayal of famous love stories that includes Sergei Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet” and “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” by Jule Styne and Leo Robin.
Tickets ($37) will be available at the gate, but parking at the stadium is restricted to disabled only. Shuttle buses will be in operation from off-site parking lots at Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church and Whitehall Elementary School.
World Championship preliminaries at local theaters
“Big, Loud & Live 14,” which features the top 15 corps in the DCI World Championship preliminaries Aug. 10 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, will be shown at Cinemark theaters at Monroeville Mall, Pittsburgh Mills Mall in Frazer and Center Township Marketplace. The live broadcast begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available at participating theater box offices and through FathomEvents.com.
Ken Mrazik: kmrazik@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1725.
First Published: July 30, 2017, 4:00 a.m.
