2011 Madison Scouts – New York Morning

10 years after the tragedy of 9-11, the Madison Scouts announced they were performing a show memorializing the events of that day and those who lost their lives. The show title, New York Morning, focused both on the events of the morning of September 11, 2001 as well as the mourning of the many lives lost that day. Without the use of props, the Scouts turned the field of Lucas Oil Stadium into the busy streets of New York City, with the guard clad in gray suits, reading the morning edition of the New York Times as they made their way to work.

Photo: Anthony Baker

Musically, the show opened with an excellent tuba soloist, leading into a reprise of the power chords which started last season’s show. A full volume opening fanfare of New York, New York from On The Town completed the introduction of the show. The corps then swung into the opener, a medley of Oh, What a Beautiful Morning from Oklahoma and New York, New York. It’s just another day in New York City…until it wasn’t.

Photo: Anthony Baker

A baritone soloist opened the next movement of the show with a mournful rendition of Oh, What a Beautiful Morning, leading into the anxious Beautiful Mourning, an original composition by Robert W. Smith. As the tension mounts, the corps forms a mushroom cloud, representing the dust of the Twin Towers as they collapsed, enveloping the city.

Photo: Anthony Baker

As the corps removes their hats and looks up into the sky with disbelieving faces, a lone bass drum heartbeat takes us into the next movement, Robert W. Smith’s Requiem. First used in 1984 as part of Suncoast Sound’s Vietnam show, Requiem’s haunting melody, first played by echoing soloists before resolving into the full horn line, pays appropriate tribute and respect to all who were affected by this day.

Photo: Anthony Baker

The closer, Alicia Keys’ Empire State of Mind, returns us to a hopeful look to the future, as the corps builds to a climactic finish with full Madison Scouts flair, including a screaming trumpet quartet and the color guard picking up cymbals to add visual and audio impact to the end of the show. The fans in the stands were up on their feet well before the end of the show, one of the most amazing endings to a drum corps show which drum corps aficionados talk about to this day.

Photo: Anthony Baker

23 years after 9-11 and 13 years after New York Morning, this show is still memorable and still appreciated in the activity. While drum corps continues to change and evolve, the Scouts also continue to be loud, proud, and pleasing the crowd. 2011 is just one of many examples of Madison fulfilling their creed.