1997 SCORES and REVIEWS

"This inspirational group has one of the toughest hornlines and percussion sections in the activity. They are on track to maintain their DCI member corps status with a challenging repertoire consisting of selections from Ghost Train Triptych, (including The Ride, At The Station, The Motive Revolution) and Bullet, an original Taiko work. Once again, the corps will be smaller than most of its competitors. Once again, the corps will perform unfamiliar music. Once again, it will not matter. The Mandarins' staff has developed a formula that pleases both judges and fans that needs to be adopted by many other show designers. Quality means a lot more than quantity." -- Judd Williams, DCWorld Staff

"Mandarins, dressed in their traditional Pavilion uniform of black pants, white shirt (and ties for guys), did their show, "Passport." Selections by this Eric Whitacre composition included "The Ghost Train Triptych", "The Ride" "At the Station" and "The Motive Revolution." The pieces are connected by a repeating opening segment first on soprano, then alto, and finally baritone. Sounds seem to recreate a train motif. Missed seeing the Mandarins' Winterguard." -- Christina Mavroudis, DCWorld Staff

AUGUST 16 - DCI OPEN CLASS FINALS - ORLANDO, FL
Division I Finals
98.4 - Blue Devils
97.6 - Cadets of Bergen County
96.9 - Santa Clara Vanguard
94.2 - Phantom Regiment
93.9 - Madison Scouts
93.0 - Crossmen
92.8 - Cavaliers
90.9 - Glassmen
88.2 - Blue Knights
85.7 - Magic of Orlando
85.6 - Bluecoats
85.0 - Carolina Crown

AUGUST 15 - DCI DIVISION I SEMIFINALS - ORLANDO, FL
Top 12 to Finals
98.2 - Blue Devils
97.2 - Cadets of Bergen County
96.6 - Santa Clara Vanguard
94.3 - Phantom Regiment
94.3 - Madison Scouts
92.7 - Cavaliers
91.9 - Crossmen
88.9 - Glassmen
88.8 - Blue Knights
87.8 - Magic of Orlando
87.5 - Bluecoats
85.9 - Carolina Crown
84.1 - Colts
82.7 - Kiwanis Kavaliers
80.5 - Boston Crusaders
79.4 - Academie Musicale
76.5 - Spirit of Atlanta

AUGUST 14 - DCI DIVISION I QUARTERFINALS - ORLANDO, FL
Top 17 to Semifinals
96.4 - Blue Devils
96.4 - Santa Clara Vanguard
95.9 - Cadets of Bergen County
93.5 - Phantom Regiment
92.5 - Crossmen
91.6 - Cavaliers
89.3 - Blue Knights
88.6 - Bluecoats
88.3 - Glassmen
87.5 - Magic of Orlando
85.4 - Carolina Crown
83.1 - Colts
82.5 - Kiwanis Kavaliers
82.3 - Boston Crusaders
81.4 - Acadamie Musicale
78.1 - Spirit of Atlanta
77.4 - Les Etoiles
76.8 - Pioneer
73.1 - Mandarins
71.7 - Southwind
71.3 - East Coast Jazz
69.8 - Spartans
69.5 - Patriots
68.0 - Troopers
67.2 - Blue Stars

"What an amazing show Mandarins have. Ghost Train Triptych is quite cutting-edge, the kind of show that would kill most small corps. I don't know how they do it every year, but they manage to stimulate, captivate, and somehow still entertain. This is a corps that makes me always want to run out on the field and hug everyone. Even the minimalist sections of repetitive horn stabs is an attention-getter. The train and crossing sounds are superb. They do more with 14 horns than some horn lines do with three times that number." -- Michael Boo, DCWorld Staff

AUGUST 12 - ORLANDO, FL
Division III Prelims, Part 2 / Division II/III Finals
DIVISION III PRELIMS, Part 2 - Top 7 from Parts 1 and 2 to Finals
90.8 - 3rd Regiment
87.6 - Les Senateurs
83.6 - Yamato
81.5 - Cinncinati Glory
79.6 - Bay Max
69.3 - Phoenix
68.6 - Coachmen
67.3 - The Volunteers
65.6 - Mirage
63.9 - Emerald Knights
62.2 - Edmonton Strutters
58.6 - Wabash Crusaders
54.6 - Decorah Kilties
54.3 - Racine Scouts
52.2 - Westshoremen Cadets
45.0 - Cadets of 1st Baptist

DIVISION III FINALS - Top 5 of Division II/III to Division I Quarterfinals
94.8 - Mandarins, (High Brass, Percussion, Visual, Color Guard) 94.4 - East Coast Jazz
93.8 - Patriots, (High General Effect)
87.1 - 3rd Regiment
82.4 - Phantom Regiment Cadets
82.1 - St. Johns
81.1 - Les Senateurs
81.1 - Les Senateurs

DIVISION II FINALS
94.2 - Spartans, (High General Effect, Visual)
93.4 - Blue Stars, (High Brass)
91.9 - Tarheel Sun, (High Percussion, Drum Major)
86.0 - Blue Devils B
81.1 - Americanos

AUGUST 11 - ORLANDO, FL
Division III Prelims Part 1 / Division II Prelims
DIVISION III PRELIMS, Part 1 - Top 7 from Parts 1 and 2 to Finals
94.2 - Patriots
93.8 - Mandarins
93.5 - East Coast Jazz
87.5 - Phantom Regiment Cadets
85.9 - St. Johns
85.7 - Golden Lancers
84.9 - Knight Storm
82.3 - Kips Bay
79.5 - Bayonne Raiders
73.4 - General Butler Vagabonds
72.1 - Spectrum
71.7 - Citations
63.9 - Emerald Knights
55.7 - Phoenix
53.7 - Illusions
52.1 - Bandettes
50.7 - Ridge Raiders
44.8 - Royal Cadets

DIVISION II PRELIMS - Top 5 to Finals
93.5 - Spartans
92.6 - Blue Stars
91.9 - Tarheel Sun
87.5 - Blue Devils B
83.8 - Americanos
81.3 - Pride of Soka
81.3 - Jersey Surf
77.9 - Allegiance Elite
76.6 - Capitol Sound

AUGUST 8 - NORTH AMERICAN OPEN - ROCKY MOUNT, NC
DIVISION III
93.0 - Mandarins
92.4 - East Coast Jazz
90.8 - Patriots
86.1 - 3rd Regiment
83.8 - Phantom Regiment Cadets

DIVISION II
89.9 - Spartans
87.3 - Tarheel Sun
84.6 - Jersey Surf
84.4 - Americanos
83.7 - Pride of Soka
80.8 - Allegiance Elite

AUGUST 7 - WINSTON-SALEM, NC
95.2 - Cadets of Bergen County
91.9 - Phantom Regiment
90.1 - Crossmen
83.8 - Dubuque Colts
82.5 - Kiwanis Kavaliers
69.5 - East Coast Jazz
69.0 - Mandarins
68.3 - Tarheel Sun
57.0 - Pride of Soka

AUGUST 4 - ROTARY DRUM FEST - GREENVILLE, MI
DIVISION III
90.4 - Mandarins
78.7 - 3rd Regiment
77.9 - Delta Brigade
75.4 - Lone Star
67.6 - Coachmen
49.5 - Bandettes

DIVISION II
90.0 - Blue Stars
86.6 - Americanos

AUGUST 1 - COAST GUARD OPEN - GRAND HAVEN, MI
DIVISION III
91.9 - Mandarins
83.4 - Phantom Regiment Cadets
80.0 - Golden Lancers
80.0 - St. John's
74.8 - Lone Star
73.9 - Yamato
73.1 - Knight Storm

DIVISION II
89.8 - Blue Stars
89.8 - Tarheel Sun
86.0 - Americanos

"Like the train their show depicts, the Mandarins are unstoppable and even the Division II corps must watch their cabooses as a result. The corps based its victory over the larger units on execution, but in the process managed to snatch even GE Brass away from all challengers in finals.

Visual was a different story, as the corps swept all visual captions in both rounds of competition with very fast-moving drill, stunning guard work and a mastery of fundamentals so dramatic that a single horn snap or turn seems more effective than the entire programs of several other units. This level of deadly skill has not been seen since the Mandarins of the late 80s and early 90s." -- Ken Mason, DCWorld Staff

JULY 30 - CANADIAN OPEN - KITCHENER, ONTARIO
DIVISION III PRELIMS
89.5 - Mandarins
88.9 - East Coast Jazz
86.2 - Patriots
83.8 - St. John's
81.9 - Phantom Regiment Cadets
80.4 - Knight Storm
77.7 - Golden Lancers
77.7 - Lone Star
76.5 - Senateurs
73.2 - General Butler Vagabonds
72.8 - Delta Brigade
66.9 - Stentors
65.2 - Mirage
63.9 - Conqueror II
62.8 - Coachmen
62.6 - Emerald Knights
61.8 - The Volunteers
54.0 - Wabash Crusaders
52.5 - Dutch Boy
50.4 - Ridge Raiders
48.3 - Squires

DIVISION II PRELIMS
88.2 - Tarheel Sun
76.3 - Allegiance Elite

DIVISION III FINALS
90.1 - Mandarins
88.5 - East Coast Jazz
87.8 - Patriots
83.1 - St. John's
82.4 - Phantom Regiment Cadets
77.7 - Knight Storm
76.6 - Golden Lancers
75.5 - Lone Star

DIVISION II FINALS
88.5 - Tarheel Sun
78.5 - Allegiance Elite

JULY 12 - DCWest CHAMPIONSHIPS/PRECISION WEST - CONCORD, CA
DIVISION III
83.1 - Mandarins (High Visual, General Effect)
71.9 - Vanguard Cadets
75.0 - Earthquake (High Percussion, Brass)
60.2 - West Coast Sound

DIVISION II
81.9 - Blue Devils B (High Percussion, General Effect)
81.5 - Pacific Crest (High Brass, Visual)

DIVISION I
86.6 - Blue Devils (High Visual, Brass, General Effect)
84.1 - Santa Clara Vanguard (High Percussion)

JULY 11 - MOONLIGHT CLASSIC - STOCKTON, CA
DIVISION II/III
81.1 - Mandarins
77.8 - Pacific Crest
77.5 - Blue Devils B
71.4 - Vanguard Cadets
62.2 - West Coast Sound

DIVISION I
85.7 - Blue Devils
82.7 - Vanguard

"The Mandarins are flexing their experienced muscles this week, giving Pacific Crest a taste of a nearly four-point gap between them. Their show, like the locomotive it seems to represent, drives from moment to moment without aggression, but definitely with a purpose and a relentless quest for their destination." -- Stefanie Kressaty, DCWorld Staff

JULY 6 - SANTA BARBARA, CA
DIVISION II/III
78.3 - Mandarins (High Visual, General Effect)
78.1 - Pacific Crest (High Brass, Percussion)
73.9 - Blue Devils B
67.8 - Vanguard Cadets
67.6 - Earthquake
56.5 - West Coast Sound

DIVISION I
85.8 - Blue Devils (High Brass, General Effect, Visual)
83.2 - Santa Clara Vanguard (High Percussion)

JULY 5 - CORPS AT THE CREST - GLENDORA, CA
DIVISION II/III
75.8 - Mandarins
75.2 - Pacific Crest
74.1 - Blue Devils B
65.3 - Vanguard Cadets
65.2 - Earthquake
54.7 - West Coast Sound

DIVISION I
84.4 - Blue Devils
81.5 - Santa Clara Vanguard

JULY 4 - CHULA VISTA, CA
DIVISION II/III
74.5 - Pacific Crest (High Percussion)
74.4 - Mandarins (High Music, Visual, General Effect)
73.0 - Blue Devils B
66.9 - Earthquake
55.2 - West Coast Sound

DIVISION I
83.8 - Blue Devils (All Captions)
79.3 - Santa Clara Vanguard

JUNE 28 - FULLERTON, CA
DIVISION II/III
72.6 - Mandarins
70.6 - Pacific Crest
64.5 - Vanguard Cadets
63.3 - Earthquake
54.9 - West Coast Sound

DIVISION I
84.7 - Blue Devils (High Brass, General Effect, Visual)
80.9 - Cavaliers (High Percussion)

JUNE 27 - RIVERSIDE, CA
DIVISION II/III
71.3 - Mandarins (High Visual, Percussion, General Effect)
67.9 - Pacific Crest (High Music)
59.7 - Vanguard Cadets
58.2 - Earthquake
50.5 - West Coast Sound

DIVISION I
82.8 - Blue Devils (High Visual, Music, General Effect)
79.6 - Cavaliers (High Percussion)

JUNE 21 - DCWest SEASON OPENER - HAYWARD, CA
DIVISION II/III
68.0 - Blue Devils B (High Percussion)
67.6 - Pacific Crest (High Brass)
66.7 - Mandarins (High Visual, General Effect)
57.1 - Vanguard Cadets

DIVISION I
80.7 - Blue Devils (All Captions)
74.4 - Cavaliers
71.2 - Santa Clara Vanguard

"Changing to new Asian-style uniform jackets, Mandarins marched 14B/18P/10CG/1DM. Playing music from Eric Whitacre's Ghost Train Triptych, Mandarins open with a backfield mellophone solo as the train slowly pulls away from the station and heads down the tracks.
The train theme carried throughout the show at varying tempos. Some timing problems between brass and percussion were evident tonight, but marching technique is solid.

The musical book is demanding on each player in the line and each carries themselves well at this early point in the summer. Taiko drumming returns for the drum feature and was a hit with the crowd." -- Pat Chagnon, DCWorld Staff

JUNE 20 - VALLEJO, CA
DIVISION II/III
63.9 - Mandarins (High General Effect)
63.7 - Pacific Crest (High Percussion, Music)
63.6 - Blue Devils B (High Visual)
53.3 - Vanguard Cadets

DIVISION I
78.5 - Blue Devils A (All Captions)
73.2 - Cavaliers
69.0 - Santa Clara Vanguard

"Mandarins - came on first and went on to BE first. What a fabulous new uniform! The first in almost a decade from what I understand. Like a cross between Cadets and a Shogan. They are dark plum with gold trim, black pants, and a gold apron (somebody let me in on what it's called?) that hangs in front and back - loin cloth look for a better choice of words. The shoulder seams fall below the actual shoulders giving them a broader visual. I was told they're working for an Asian Warrior look. The guard is also sporting a new look based on last years' costume, but gold lame, silver apron, and black boots. It's very tight and I had to keep Rich and pals in check. Breakdown: 13 horns, 10 guard, 9 pit, 5 bass, 3 snare, 2 tenor. Sound and look much bigger. Interesting show: Passport (music from "The Ghost Train Triptych") by Eric Whitacre.

They open with "The Ride" which begins with a solo snare drum in an excellerondo and mellophone. The horn's phrase becomes the segue between each of the movements carried on next by a soprano, mallets, and then contra. All the guard flags (and there are several) are in metallics which I believe would be connected to the train theme. A unique drill move this year is horn passes through the pit. It gets crowded and the judge got caught on more than one occasion between a xylophone and a gong.

The subsequent pieces are "At the Station", "The Motive Revolution" and "Bullet". This last bit has a guard member running through the back ranks with an old fashion fire fan (accordion style with two handles) billowing what looks like smoke into the air but is probably baby powder. Great idea. West coast folks will be pleased to hear that the popular taiko drum solo from last year is back - brush sticks on tenors and snares, plus six wooden drums on the front and one big one to the side. They got a great ovation. They have a great show, but also great competition...it really is tight out there." -- Christina Mavroudis, DCWorld Staff

"Tonight's first-place award went to the four-time world champion Sacramento Mandarins. This corps continues to prove again and again that good things come in small packages; they always sound like a bigger corps. Everyone plays all the time. This year's production is both dynamic and entertaining. New uniforms are deep plum-colored ancient warrior-looking jackets with wide shoulders -- a very interesting and different look from the pink and black we've been accustomed to for so many years. The multi-talented guard is standout beautiful in form-fitting lame." -- Sue Johnson, DCWorld Staff