Drum Corps Associates Open Class World Champions

During Labor Day Weekend, Drum Corps Associates Open Class corps compete to earn the title of DCA Open Class World Champion. The championships consist of 2 rounds held on 2 consecutive nights. All corps compete at Prelims, with the top 10 Open Class and top 4 Class A corps competing at Finals. The champion is determined by the overall high score in the Finals competition. There are also a number of caption awards, though the process of determination for those awards has changed from year to year.
Only eleven corps have won at least one DCA title :

Reading Buccaneers – 17 titles
Hawthorne Caballeros – 10 titles
Bushwackers – 6 titles
Long Island Sunrisers – 6 titles
Empire Statesmen – 5 titles
Syracuse Brigadiers – 5 titles
Connecticut Hurricanes – 3 titles
Skyliners – 3 titles
Minnesota Brass – 1 title
Westshoremen – 1 title
Cadets2 – 1 title

As of the conclusion of the 2019 competitive season, the Buccaneers, Bushwackers, Caballeros, Hurricanes, Skyliners, and Sunrisers remain in active Open Class competition. The Cadets2, Minnesota Brass, Brigadiers, Empire Statesmen, and Westshoremen are inactive.

1965

Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
Repertoire:
*Burke's Law
*From This Moment On
*Portrait of My Love
*Maria
*This Had Better Be The Night
*El Cid
*After You've Gone
*Beyond the Sea
Score: 84.50
Location: Milford, Connecticut
Venue: Jonathan Law Field
Date: September 11

1966

Champion: New York Skyliners of New York, NY
Repertoire:
*Charlie Welch
*Columbia the Gem of the Ocean
*That Old Black Magic
*Flight of the Bumblebee
*Once in Love with Amy
*Hava Nagila
*Oklahoma
Score: 84.53
Location: Bridgeport, Connecticut
Venue: JFK Stadium
Date: September 4

1967

Champion: Connecticut Hurricanes of Derby, Connecticut
Repertoire:
*You Gotta Start Off Each Day With A Song
*Just One Of Those Songs
*Under the Double Eagle
*National Emblem March
*America I Love You
*Rhapsody in Blue
*Fiddler On the Roof
*Return Of The Magnificent Seven
Score: 85.583
Location: Bridgeport, Connecticut
Venue: JFK Stadium
Date: September 3

1968

Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
Repertoire: Unavailable
Score: 82.15
Location: Rochester, New York
Venue: Aquinas Stadium
Date: September 1

1969

Champion: Connecticut Hurricanes of Derby, Connecticut
Repertoire:
*Queen of Sheba March
*Hallelujah Chorus
*Rhapsody in Blue
*Walk on the Wild Side
*Hang 'Em High
*Magnificent Seven
*Also Sprach Zarathustra
Score: 79.745
Location: Rochester, New York
Venue: Aquinas Stadium
Date: August 31

1970

Champion: Hawthorne Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey
Repertoire:
*Captain From Castile
*Ted Meets Johnny
*Sabre Dance
*1812 Overture
*Samba de Orpheo
Score: 82.775
Location: Rochester, New York
Venue: Aquinas Stadium
Date: September 6

1971

Champion: New York Skyliners of New York, NY
Repertoire:
*NY Montage
*Little Old New York
*Longest Day
*Alabama Jubilee
*Lucretia McEvil
*Comes Love
*Slaughter on 10th Avenue
*Little Old New York
*East Side-West Side Fanfare
Score: 91.5
Location: Rochester, New York
Venue: Aquinas Stadium
Date: September 5

1972

Champion: Hawthorne Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey
Repertoire:
*El Gato Montes
*Captain From Castile
*Theme from Patton
*Everybody's Everything
*Sabre Dance
*Flamenco Cha-Cha
*Samba de Orpheo
Score: 90.6
Location: Jersey City, New Jersey
Venue: Roosevelt Stadium
Date: September 3

1973

Champion: Hawthorne Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey
Repertoire:
*Man of La Mancha
*South Rampart Street Parade
*Everybody's Everything
*Sabre Dance
*Flamenco Cha-Cha
*Harmonica Man
Score: 89.85
Location: Rochester, New York
Venue: Aquinas Stadium
Date: September 2

1974

Champion: Hawthorne Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey
Repertoire:
*Man of La Mancha
*Sweet Gypsy Rose
*Soul Train
*Mac Arthur Park
*Flamenco Cha-Cha
*Harmonica Man
Score: 83.5
Location: Rochester, New York
Venue: Aquinas Stadium
Date: September 1

1975

Champion: New York Skyliners of New York, NY
Repertoire:
*How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Loved You
*Hymn to Victory
*West Side Story Medley
*The Elks' Parade
*Give My Regards to Broadway
*East Side-West Side Fanfare
Score: 91.28
Location: Rochester, New York
Venue: Holleder Memorial Stadium
Date: August 31

1976

Champion: Hawthorne Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey
Repertoire:
*Bully
*Brazil
*Echano
*Flamenco Cha-Cha
*Hill Where the Lord Hides
Score: 92.5
Location: Rochester, New York
Venue: Holleder Memorial Stadium
Date: September 5

1977

Champion: Long Island Sunrisers of Long Island, New York
Repertoire:
*English Folk Song Suite by Ralph Vaughan Williams
*Spain
*Ol' Man River by Jerome Kern
*Eli's Coming by Hoyt Axton
*Dance Of The Wind-Up Toys by Chuck Mangione
*Evergreen by Paul Williams
Score: 94.15
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
Date: September 3

1978

Champion: Long Island Sunrisers of Rockland County, New York
Repertoire:
*English Folk Song Suite by Ralph Vaughan Williams
*Malaga by Bill Holman (musician)
*Farandole by Bizet, Georges
*Evergreen by Williams, Paul
Score: 90.85
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
Date: September 3

1979

Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
Repertoire:
*Russian Sailor's Dance by Gliere, Reinhold
*Fantasy by Earth, Wind and Fire
*El Gato Triste by Mangione, Chuck
*Feels So Good by Mangione, Chuck
*Sylvia by Dilibes
Score: 90.5
Location: Hershey, Pennsylvania
Venue: Hershey Park Stadium
Date: September 2

1980

Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
Repertoire:
*The Sea Hawk by Korngold, Erik Wolfgang
*Russian Sailor's Dance by Gliere, Reinhold
*Spanish Dreams by Severinsen, Doc
*Sambandrea Swing by Menza, Don
*One Voice by Manilow, Barry
*Sylvia by Dilibes
Score: 91.3
Location: Hershey, Pennsylvania
Venue: Hershey Park Stadium
Date: August 31

1981

Champion: Connecticut Hurricanes of Derby, Connecticut
Repertoire:
*Queen of Sheba March by Respighi, Ottorino
*Swing, Swing, Swing by Williams, John
*Salute to Freedom by Statham, Frank
*Devil Went Down to Georgia by Daniels, Charlie
*It's My Turn by Sondheim, Stephen
*Magnificent Seven by Bernstein, Elmer
Score: 89.65
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Venue: Franklin Field
Date: September 6

1982

Champion: Long Island Sunrisers of Rockland County, New York
Repertoire:
*God Save the Queen by Ives, Charles
*English Suite for Military Band by Vaughan Williams, Ralph
*Barnum's Revenge by Coleman, Cy
*Tiger of San Pedro by La Barbera, John
*Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor by Mangione, Chuck
*Send in the Clowns by Sondheim, Stephen
*Come Follow the Band by Coleman, Cy
Score: 89.85
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
Date: September 5

1983

Champion: Long Island Sunrisers of Rockland County, New York
Repertoire:
*Russian Meadowlands by Knipper, Lev
*Alexander's Ragtime Band by Berlin, Irving
*Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor by Mangione, Chuck
*Peasant Dance by Hirschberg, David
*Send in the Clowns by Sondheim, Stephen
*Come Follow the Band by Coleman, Cy
Score: 91.45
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
Date: September 4

1984

Champion: Hawthorne Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey
Repertoire:
*Concierto de Aranjuez by Rodrigo, Joaquin
*Nothing But D. Best by Best, Denzel de Costa
*Malaguena by Lecuona, Ernesto
*Don't Cry for Me Argentina
Score: 92.4
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
Date: September 3

1985

Champion: Hawthorne Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey
Repertoire:
*Corre Nina by Purim, Flora
*Upstart by Ellis, Don
*Malaguena by Lecuona, Ernesto
*L.A. Is My Lady by Jones, Quincy
*Espana Cani by Marquina, Narro Pascual
Score: 92.5
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
Date: September 1

1986

Champion: Bushwackers of Harrison, New Jersey
Repertoire:
*Santos by Bellson, Louis
*Quensabe Los Suertas de Los Tontos by Richards, Johnny
*La Suerte de Los Tontos by Richards, Johnny
*Egyptian Danza by Di Meola, Al
*Ayres Eyes
Score: 92.45
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
Date: August 31

1987

This championships were noted by rain so severe during Prelims that Final were cancelled and the standing Prelims stood as the Finals results

Champion: Long Island Sunrisers of Rockland County, New York
Repertoire:
*Adventures on Earth by Williams, John
*Jupiter by Holst, Gustav
Score: 94.84
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
Date: September 6

1988

Champion: Bushwackers of Harrison, New Jersey / Long Island Sunrisers of Rockland County, New York
Bushwackers Repertoire:
*Pellet Suite by McDougal, Ian
*Inner Crisis by Willis, Larry
*Mira, Mira by Ferguson, Maynard
*Out of Africa by Bergman, Marilyn
Sunrisers Repertoire:
*Savannah River Holiday by Nelson, Ron
*Concerto in F by Gershwin, George
*An American in Paris by Gershwin, George
Score: 96.36
Location: Hershey, Pennsylvania
Venue: Unavailable
Date: September 5

1989

Champion: Bushwackers of Harrison, New Jersey
Repertoire:
*Time Check by Menza, Donald
*In Her Family by Metheny, Pat
*No Pasaran by Schanzer, Jeffrey
*Mira, Mira by Ferguson, Maynard
Score: 95.1
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
Date: September 3

There was actually a tie with the Sunrisers both had a score of 95.00 and Bush was given an extra.1 due to caption placements.

1990

Champion: Bushwackers of Harrison, New Jersey
Repertoire:
*Prototype by Stephen Melilo
Score: 96.9
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
Date: September 2

1991

Champion: Empire Statesmen of Rochester, New York
Repertoire:
*Begin the Beguine by Porter, Cole
*Sophisticated Lady by Ellington, Duke
*American Patrol by Miller, Glenn
*Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree by Miller, Glenn
*In the Mood by Miller, Glenn
*America the Beautiful by Ward, Samuel A.
*Battle Hymn of the Republic by Steffe, William
Score: 96.7
Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
Venue: Lackawanna County Stadium
Date: September 1

1992

Champion: Bushwackers of Harrison, New Jersey
Repertoire:
*The Ballad of Sweeney Todd) by Sondheim, Stephen
*My Friends by Sondheim, Stephen
*Worst Pies in London by Sondheim, Stephen
*History of the World
*Epiphany by Sondheim, Stephen
*Nothin's Gonna Harm You by Sondheim, Stephen
Score: 96.7
Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
Venue: Lackawanna County Stadium
Date: September 6

1993

Champion: Bushwackers of Harrison, New Jersey
Repertoire:
*Sunday in the Park with George
**Putting It Together by Sondheim, Stephen
**Color and Light by Sondheim, Stephen
**Sunday in the Park by Sondheim, Stephen
**Sunday by Sondheim, Stephen
Score: 96.6
Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
Venue: Lackawanna County Stadium
Date: September 6

1994

Champion: Empire Statesmen of Rochester, New York
Repertoire:
*The Music of Frank Sinatra
**Ol' Man River by Kern, Jerome
**I've Got the World on a String by Arlen, Harold
**April in Paris by Duke, Vernon
**My Way by Anka, Paul
Score: 96.0
Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
Venue: Lackawanna County Stadium
Date: September 3

1995

Champion: Hawthorne Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey
Repertoire:
*Spanish Fantasies
**Malaguena by Lecuona, Ernesto
**Conquistador by Chattaway, Jay
**Spanish Fantasy by Corea, Chick
**Concierto de Aranjuez by Rodrigo, Joaquin
**Espana Cani by Marquina, Narro Pascual
Score: 97.7
Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
Venue: Lackawanna County Stadium
Date: September 3

1996

Champion: Westshoremen of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Repertoire:
*Suite for Westshore
**Granada Smoothie
**All the Things You Are
**Explosion!
**Marching Season
**Carnival
**Suite for Jazz Orchestra
**Blues in the Night
Score: 96.9
Location: Rochester, New York
Venue: Frontier Field
Date: September 1

1997

Champion: Empire Statesmen of Rochester, New York / Syracuse Brigadiers of Syracuse, New York
Empire Repertoire:
*Miss Saigon
**Overture
**Heat is On in Saigon
**Sun and Moon
**Dragon
**Fall of Saigon
Brigadiers Repertoire:
*Night and Day: A Tribute to Cole Porter
**In the Still of the Night
**Love for Sale
**Night and Day
**It's Alright With Me
Score: 96.3
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
Date: August 31

1998

Champion: Empire Statesmen of Rochester, New York
Repertoire:
*West Side Story
**Fanfare
**The Jets
**Maria
**America
**Cool
**The Rumble
**Somewhere
Score: 97.9
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
Date: September 6

1999

Champion: Syracuse Brigadiers of Syracuse, New York
Repertoire:
*On the Town with Buddy and Mel
**Channel One Suite by Reddie, Bill
**Harlem Nocturne by Hagen, Earl
**Mercy Mercy Mercy by Ochs, Michael
Score: 97.5
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Venue: J. Birney Crum Stadium
Date: September 5

2000

Champion: Syracuse Brigadiers of Syracuse, New York
Repertoire:
*City Rhythms
**Slaughter on 10th Avenue by Rodgers, Richard
**Ballet in Brass by Brown, Les; Schoen, Victor
**Artistry in Rhythm by Kenton, Stan
**Harlem Nocturne by Hagen, Earle
Score: 98.0
Location: Syracuse, New York
Venue: P & C Stadium
Date: September 3

2001

Champion: Syracuse Brigadiers of Syracuse, New York
Repertoire:
*Jazz Street, After Hours
**Seven Year Itch by Newman, Alfred
**Come Back to Me by Lane, Burton
**God Bless the Child by Herzog, Jr., Arthur; Holiday, Billy
**Mac Arthur Park by Webb, Jimmy
Score: 97.95
Location: Syracuse, New York
Venue: P & C Stadium
Date: September 2

2002

Champion: Syracuse Brigadiers of Syracuse, New York
Repertoire:
*Picasso Sketchbook
**Spanish Fantasy by Corea, Chick
**Day Danse by Corea, Chick
**Guaganco by Sandoval, Arturo
**All Or Nothing At All by Porter, Cole
Score: 98.6
Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
Venue: Lackawanna County Stadium
Date: September 1

2003

Champion: Hawthorne Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey
Repertoire:
*El Toro Nuevo
**El Toro Rojo by Poulan, Key
**The Prayer by Bayer, Carol; Foster, David
**El Toro Furioso by Poulan, Key
Score: 97.375
Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
Venue: Lackawanna County Stadium
Date: August 31

2004

Champion: Empire Statesmen of Rochester, New York
Repertoire:
*Go Hollywood!
**Prologue and Theme by Coleman, Cy
**With Every Breath I Take
**Funny
Score: 96.513
Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
Venue: Lackawanna County Stadium
Date: September 5

2005

Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
Repertoire:
*Variations in "B" – Music by Barber, Bartók, Bizet, and Britten
**Farandole
**Adagio for Strings
**String Quartet #5 – Movement 4
**A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
Score: 98.45
Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
Venue: Lackawanna County Stadium
Date: September 4

2006

Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
Repertoire:
*Exotic Impressions
**Bolero
**Capriccio Espagnol
**Claire de Lune
**Scheherazade
Score: 97.238
Location: Rochester, New York
Venue: PAETEC Park
Date: September 3

2007

Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
Repertoire:
*Blue Era
**New Era Dance
**The Promise of Living
**Malambo
**Rhapsody in Blue
Score: 98.313
Location: Rochester, New York
Venue: PAETEC Park
Date: September 2

2008

Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
Repertoire:
*The Pursuit of Joy
**Canon in D
**Abram's Pursuit
**Nessun Dorma
**Ode to Joy
Score: 97.913
Location: Rochester, New York
Venue: PAETEC Park
Date: August 31

2009

Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
Repertoire:
*Demons & Angels
**Dies Irae
**A Simple Song
**Ritual Fire Dance
**Symphonia Resurrectus
Score: 99.025
Location: Rochester, New York
Venue: PAETEC Park
Date: September 6

2010

Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
Repertoire:
*Rome MMX
**Pines of the Appian Way
**Games at the Circus Maximus
**Adagio from Spartacus
**The Epiphany
Score: 98.263
Location: Rochester, New York
Venue: PAETEC Park
Date: September 6

2011

Champion: Minnesota Brass of St. Paul, Minnesota
Repertoire:
*Valhalla
**Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin
**Children's Hour of Dream by Charles Mingus
**Imagine by John Lennon
**Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner
Score: 98.35
Location: Rochester, New York
Venue: Sahlen's Stadium
Date: September 4

2012

Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
Repertoire:
*The Black Symphony
**Warm Colors by Mark Lortz
**The Four Sections for Orchestra, Mvt. IV by Steve Reich
**New World (from Dancer in the Dark) by Björk
**1812 Overture by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Score: 99.03
Location: Annapolis, Maryland
Venue: Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Date: September 2

2013

Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
Repertoire:
*Higher, Faster, Stronger
**Symphony No. 11, Mvt IV by Dmitri Shostakovich
**Original Composition by Mark Lortz
**Chevaliers de Sangreal (from the film The Da Vinci Code) by Hans Zimmer
**Danse Bacchanale (from the opera Samson and Delilah) by Camille Saint-Saëns
Score: 98.43
Location: Annapolis, Maryland
Venue: Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Date: September 1

2014

Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
Repertoire:
*Break On Through
**Break On Through (To the Other Side) by The Doors
**Fourth Ballet Suite by Dmitri Shostakovich
**Orawa for String Orchestra by Wojciech Kilar
**Heat of the Day by Pat Metheny
**Original Composition by Mark Lortz, Johnny Trujillo, and Greg Tsalikis
Score: 97.55
Location: Rochester, New York
Venue: Sahlen's Stadium
Date: August 31

2015

Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
Repertoire:
*Twist It
**Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo
**Palladio by Karl Jenkins
**Moonlight Sonata by Ludwig van Beethoven
**Going the Distance (from Rocky) by Bill Conti
**William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini
Score: 97.58
Location: Rochester, New York
Venue: Sahlen's Stadium
Date: Sep 7

2016

Champion: Cadets2 of Allentown, Pennsylvania
Repertoire:
*Full Circle
**The Heat of the Day by Pat Matheny
**First Circle by Pat Matheny
**Third Wind by Pat Matheny
**Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell
Score: 97.95
Location: Rochester, NY
Venue: Capelli Sport Stadium
Date: Sep 4

2017

Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
Repertoire:
*Behind the Suit
Score: 98.93
Location: Rochester, NY
Venue: Capelli Sport Stadium
Date: Sep 3

2018

Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
Repertoire:
*Here to There
Score: 98.00
Location: Williamsport, PA
Venue: STA Stadium
Date: Sep 2

2019

Champion: Reading Buccaneers of Reading, Pennsylvania
Repertoire:
*Dans Ma Chambre
**"Benedictus" by Karl Jenkins
**"Ruslan and Lyudmila Overture" by Mikhail Glinka
**"Flashdance What a Feeling" by Irene Crane
**"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen
Score: 98.225
Location: Williamsport, PA
Venue: STA Stadium
Date: Aug 31