About Us

Brief History

The first or original Yalesville Corps was organized in 1883. The corps began as a modern corps and around 1903 became an ancient style corps. This original corps continued to be active until the beginning of WWII. In 1951, a second version of the Yalesville Corps was formed, also as an ancient corps. It included some of the pre-WWII members and it lasted until 1961. This corps greatly assisted in starting the Yalesville Junior Ancient Fife and Drum Corps in 1955, a group ranging in age from 8 years to 18 years old. The third and current Yalesville Corps was organized in 1975 by a nucleus of Yalesville Junior Alumni and currently accepts members from both ancient and modern drum corps backgrounds and also individuals with no prior drum corps musical experience.

Today’s Yalesville Corps

The Yalesville Corps participates annually in approximately twenty parades and events each year in the New England area.  Some notable experiences include Drummer’s Call at Colonial Williamsburg VA in 2014 and 2011, Drummer’s Call at Sturbridge Village MA in 2013 and 2012, featured performers for the New Britain Rock Cats in 2012, 2007 and 2006 New York City Flag Day Parade, 350th Celebration Parade in York, Maine in 2002 and the 2001 New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The corps also appears annually in Groton’s 4th of July Parade, the Deep River Ancient Fife and Drum Muster, the Westbrook Fife and Drum Muster and Southington’s Apple Festival Parade. Take a look at our calendar to see our complete list of parade appearances and events.

The corps is a member of The Company of Fifers and Drummers located in Ivoryton, Connecticut – the only organization in the country dedicated to preservation of fife and drum music.

Thank you for visiting our site and we look forward to seeing you at the next event.

Reprint of Newspaper Article Circa 1950’s or 1960’s

The following is a newspaper article, author unknown, written in the late 50’s or early 60’s.
How many of you Yalesville people have heard the muffled roll of drums or the faint sounds of fifes playing in the distance and thought to yourself, “the Drum Corps is at it again”? Without bothering to acquaint ourselves as to who makes up the Corps or what they do besides march in the Memorial Day parade, we take it for granted that there always has been a Yalesville Drum Corps.

To most of us living in Yalesville, this has been true for none of us remember the start of the Corps and we all forget the few periods of inactivity over the years. However, I talked with two men this week who remember the Yalesville Drum Corps as a modern one, rather than an ancient one as most of us know it.

One man, Moise L’Ecuyer of Hill Avenue, can remember trudging behind a modern type drum corps in their blue uniforms through the dusty streets of Yalesville as a barefoot lad of four. This would be about 1891 or 1892. When he became old enough, he joined the Corps and served many years.

Another man, Leslie Saunders of South Meriden, can remember the change from a modern type corps to an ancient one with the change to the ancient type uniform known today. Saunders joined the Corps approximately 65 years ago, at the time of the changeover. This would be the beginning of the Senior Ancient Drum Corps about 1903. Joe LaCroix was the first battalion major.

To list some of the members, we would find Ray Burke, Howard Jeralds, Ray Brinley, Jack Smith, Fred and Robert Greenwood, Art Stevens, Sam White, Peter LaCroix, Herb Winchell, Walt Winchell, Fred Bamberg, George Bedford, Alex Bundock and of course Moise L’Ecuyer and Les Saunders. A little later on we would find such names as J. Edward LaCroix, John DuBois, Ernest Hamelin, Edward Hamelin and John Calamari.

One member whose name was not mentioned was that of Fred Burghoff. Both Les Saunders and Moise L’Ecuyer stressed the fact that this man did more to hold the Corps together over the years than any other resident of the town. Besides playing in the group, he worked hard keeping the membership up and housing the Corps. For years, the group met in a tent and marched the streets of Yalesville for practice. Later, through the efforts of Burghoff, the Drum Corps Building on Hanover Street was built and housed the group until a few years ago when it was made into a dwelling.

The Yalesville Senior Ancient Fife and Drum Corps made a fine record for itself over the years and won trophies galore in competition. When finally the Corps became inactive a few years ago, the Yalesville Junior Ancient Fife and Drum Corps took over and is making a name for itself.