2004 SCORES and REVIEWS

Note: for Postal Mail Drops in Allentown, Indianapolis, and Denver,
please use the housing addresses. Address to ATTN: Member Name,
Mandarins Drum & Bugle Corps, c/o the school.

Email deliveries will be scheduled for Allentown, Columbus,
Cincinnati, and Denver, as feasible. Messages must be brief
and non-confidential.

The popular DCI Virtual Tour will return approximately July 23rd
this year. Hosted by Jim Tashima and Mary Purvis.

Jolsesch Photography photo ordering link here, for 7/16/04.

AUGUST 7 - DCI FINALS - DENVER, CO

98.700 - The Cavaliers
98.525 - Blue Devils
96.825 - Santa Clara Vanguard
95.600 - The Cadets
93.525 - Phantom Regiment
92.125 - Bluecoats
91.225 - Carolina Crown
91.175 - Madison Scouts
90.525 - Boston Crusaders
87.600 - Blue Knights
87.425 - Crossmen
85.950 - Glassmen

AUGUST 6 - DCI SEMIFINALS - DENVER, CO

98.525 - The Cavaliers
98.200 - Blue Devils
97.375 - Santa Clara Vanguard
96.125 - The Cadets
93.575 - Phantom Regiment
92.175 - Carolina Crown
91.925 - Bluecoats
91.250 - Boston Crusaders
90.675 - Madison Scouts
88.025 - Crossmen
88.000 - Blue Knights
86.375 - Glassmen
86.300 - Spirit from JSU
83.250 - Capital Regiment
81.800 - Seattle Cascades
81.325 - Colts
77.000- Magic of Orlando

AUGUST 5 - DCI QUARTERFINALS - DENVER, CO

97.750 - The Cavaliers
97.225 - Blue Devils
95.750 - Santa Clara Vanguard
94.600 - The Cadets
93.200 - Phantom Regiment
90.575 - Bluecoats
90.525 - Carolina Crown
90.475 - Boston Crusaders
90.475 - Madison Scouts
88.000 - Crossmen
87.225 - Blue Knights
86.550 - Glassmen
85.875 - Spirit from JSU
83.800 - Capital Regiment
82.825 - Seattle Cascades
82.375 - Colts
78.500 - Magic of Orlando
78.050 - Southwind
77.850 - Pacific Crest
77.750 - Mandarins - Video Link Here: Windows Media Player required. Photo Link Here.
76.325 - Esperanza
75.350 - Kiwanis Kavaliers
74.925 - Troopers
71.600 - Pioneer

"improved nicely last 2 weeks......had some strong performance moments....brass errors stick out more in small hornline....but they also weresuccessful at defying their size....taiko drumming highlight of show....properly placed...." -- AABB999, via RAMD

"Mandarins delivered the goods with a cool show. All this corps is missing is more horns to deliver punch. The drum line rocks & the guard accentuated the Samuri show very nicely. I always enjoy this corps. If they are committed to being in Division I, I just wish they would step up with a larger horn line. One of my favorite shows from the non – semifinalist corps. Nice job, Mandarins!" --TexasPRfan, via Drum Corps Planet

"They have improved a great deal in the past few weeks. Once again, they have a well designed, challenging show. The music is accessible and very entertaining. They just had a lot left to clean. They were also a victim of the shortened season. Great job." -- SkyRyder, via Drum Corps Planet

AUGUST 1 - CELEBRATION IN BRASS - ANKENY, IA

95.35 - Santa Clara Vanguard
90.50 - Bluecoats
89.85 - Carolina Crown
87.25 - Glassmen
82.20 - Colts
78.30 - Mandarins
78.15 - Pacific Crest
75.20 - Troopers

"Last Wednesday, I got a call from my mom. "Turn on IPTV quick!!! DCI is on!!!!" I turned to channel 13 here, and I just caught the last half of Mandarins' show. Wait, Mandarins didn't make finals this year, did they? No. It turns out that someone taped the Ankeny, IA show on August 1st, and it was just telecast last Wednesday. From what I saw of the Mandarins, WOW!!! I loved the show music, and the brasssection sounded full and a lot larger than the 50 or 60 they had on the field. Probably could have easily taken Division II finals, but since DCI made them bump up a divsion to play just one more show last year, they had to go Div. I. Still, the show freaking rocked." -- MScout99, via RAMD

"Dear Mandarins, I was able to catch the show in Ankeny, IA this year. My friend and I love your use of the Taiko Drums. It added a lot of character to the front ensemble. It is great to see your corps year after year doing so well. Congratulations! Sincerely", Michael French, via GuestBook

"Awesome uniforms, loved the drum solo, horn line was nice but a little weak. One cool thing is that they played the part of the 1812 Overture that you don't usually hear, and it fits very well with the other music they selected." -- geneseo_bari_87, via Drum Corps Planet

JULY 31 - DCI - INDIANAPOLIS, IN

88.900 - Carolina Crown
87.000 - Crossmen
86.875 - Glassmen
86.825 - Blue Knights
85.250 - Spirit from JSU
83.075 - Capital Regiment
80.600 - Colts
80.575 - Seattle Cascades
78.200 - Pacific Crest
77.475 - Esperanza
77.125 - Magic of Orlando
76.775 - Mandarins
76.300 - Southwind
75.475 - Kiwanis Kavaliers
73.925 - Troopers
72.425 - Pioneer

"Very good this year. Drum Major has a wild looking hat this year. Drumline leads the show it seems" -- DCIFanOfAllDivisions, via Drum Corps Planet

"What a cool show from Mandarins. With this show, the drum line really steals the show. And although that not be that hard since they only have about 32 horns, they have a great book, and a very driven, energetic performance to go with it. I only wish this corps had some more horns – common, Mandarins – if you are going to be in Div. I, you need more horns. Color guard program is effective, and they flesh out the theme of the show very well – although they might not be as clean as they have been in their best years. And one more thing – the drum major uniform is just awesome. I don’t know if it’s the exotic nature of the far eastern cultures or what, but for some reason, Mandarins have found ways to have similar thematic shows year after year and remain much more fresh and interesting than what you get from Troopers and Pioneer (no offense intended). I love this show & look forward to seeing it again one more time in Denver." -- TexasPRfan, via Drum Corps Planet

"Mandarins show is totally cool." -- RadiationVibe, via Blue Devils Forum

"I agree with you about Mandarins, I'm their newest fan." -- wvu80, via Blue Devils Forum

"One of the most original and conceptual shows I've seen this year." -- Jim Schehr, via SoundMachine

JULY 28 - DCI - FAIRFIELD, OH

89.40 - Phantom Regiment
88.70 - Bluecoats
87.50 - Boston Crusaders
85.05 - Blue Knights
81.75 - Capital Regiment
78.90 - Mandarins - Video Link: Up Close and Personal with the Mandarins
77.25 - Magic of Orlando
73.60 - Pioneer

"They are really good, except for that paint-off-the-wall-pealing trumpet tone, WOW. You know, they've been really good for some time now. They're certainly a D1 corps, because they would easily beat all of the D2 corps that I've seen this season." -- profhill via Drum Corps Planet

"I just returned from seeing the Mandarin Corps perform in Fairfield, OH, and allow me to say that I was simply blown away. I truly appreciated the work put in to the theme for "Samurai", myself being a bit of an enthusiast for Japanese culture. I read your selections somewhat hastily in my program, but it was for the better, since I was amazed to hear your corps playing a rendition of Joe Hisaishi's "Journey to the West", from Princess Mononoke, easily my favorite movie of all time. You made the evening for me, and the other three individuals who I attended the Summer Music Games with agreed that your corps stole the show. Best of luck in all your future competitions, and I hope that "Samurai" soundly defeats competition and wins the hearts of fans at many points further along your tour. I, for one, am now a loyal convert. Thank you for sharing your music, talent, and creativity." -- D. Rhodenbaugh, via GuestBook

JULY 27 - DCI - COLUMBUS, OH

93.60 - The Cavaliers
91.80 - Santa Clara Vanguard
88.60 - Bluecoats
81.00 - Capital Regiment
78.50 - Mandarins
74.90 - Southwind
72.70 - Pioneer

"Right off the bat, they entertained me with just the sight of their uniforms. I loved them, especially the drum majors. I wouldn't want to get in his way. Hee Hee. Loved the start of the show with great visuals. The guard is very clean throughout the show. The double rifle spinning was one of the highlights of my season so far. Major talent in this color guard. The hornline would have been better if their wasnt so many members out of tune. The pit was quite soothing to the ear and had mature, balanced sound. The drum solo overall was fantastic, with the visuals and the tribal drums. Overall, nice, but again, I don't feel this is division 1." -- Jay Hughes via Sound Machine

"I found it ironic that the Mandarins had a much fuller sound than Southwind, despite Mandarins' smaller size. Overall, I found Mandarins' show to be very entertaining." -- idolize44, via RAMD

"Nice sound from horns, people around me thought they sounded full and loud. Funny headgear, especially viewed very far away." -- Eric, via RAMD

"This was BY FAR my favorite small group of the night. Man-for-man, they could flat put out some power! They have the most original uniforms in drum corps. Their hats look like a little golden horseshoe over thier heads, which is NOT such a good idea because it makes them look out of line, even when they are not. The drum major LOOKED like Genjis Khan, with a beard and mustash thing going on. GREAT character! I can't tell you how much I really enjoyed this group. Great show, great originality everywhere you looked. Second place uni was Mandarins, purple material with gold trim, almost robe-like, and those Samarai helmets with gold horseshoe looking thing on top. I didn't dig the helmets, but they WERE original. The guard unis were large and flowing, fit the show, and made the guard look bigger than they were. Fantastic use of material and theme."  -- wvu80 via Blue Devils Forum

"This is a super show with super staging and one heck of a drum line. Horn line was very good as well, and produced a big sound. Someone's hat fell off. Good clean show. Excellent music. I especially love the Tchaikovsky portion of their show. The Hans Zimmer music is well done too. Wish they were 120 big, they would be top 12. A must see show. Congrats!!" -- jwillis35 via Drum Corps Planet

JULY 26 - DCI - BUFFALO, NY

92.75 - Santa Clara Vanguard
92.60 - The Cadets
86.25 - Crossmen
84.75 - Spirit from JSU
84.75 - Blue Knights
76.05 - Mandarins - Story by The Buffalo News of New York
73.40 - Kiwanis Kavaliers

"The Samauri concept is great. They are smaller in size this year & remind me of the Div II Mandarins. There is some great percussion work with the guard. I like their helmets, but I don't care for that gold horeshoe shape on the front. I found it very distracting." -- DrumCorpsMom via Drum Corps Planet

"I have never seen Mandarins before and the first thing I noticed was the Samauri headgear. Now looking at pictures from Orlando, I see that these are new. They are definitely interesting. Some corps go far with the themed shows with lots of visual references like the Mandarins did, and other take a more laid back approach (for example, Southwind and "The Mummy"). I enjoy both as long as it doesn't get to cheesy. I really liked the drumming and the flags surrounding the field were a nice touch. I didn't think that their drill was extremely difficult until some moves at the end. I enjoyed them musically, nothing really stood out as bad or super great. Thanks for coming all the way out to the Northern Tundra!" -- Danielle302 via Drum Corps Planet

JULY 23 - DCI - ALLENTOWN, PA

92.150 - The Cavaliers
90.900 - The Cadets
87.625 - Phantom Regiment
87.075 - Bluecoats
85.275 - Carolina Crown
83.175 - Glassmen
78.500 - Colts
75.325 - Mandarins - Interview with Ben & Megan
74.075 - Southwind
72.250 - Troopers

"Mandarins win my award for best DM of the evening. He had a lot of style and was obviously enjoying himself out there. Is there significance to the headwear they are wearing? I referred to them as "Klingon headgear," but it occurs to me now that they may be related to the show or be traditional headwear. Let me know." -- mfrontz via Drum Corps Planet

"First thing I noticed: the hats. It looked like they were Darth Vader hats with the faces cut out and horns glued on top. They probably looked better higher up than down where I was. I didn’t mind them. Percussion! (Yeah, wake up if you drummers are still with me.) The beginning, percussion break, and end of the show had a lot of energy, and it was all driven by the perc. They roped me in with Taiko drumming right off the bat while the hornline and guard raced towards the front of the field, carrying flags with them. Lots of excitement to begin the show. There was an extended piece of singing, four-part harmony-ish, bridging the opener with the Tchaikovsky – I thought “whoa!” when I recognized how smoothly they’d transitioned into Overture Solennelle (which sounded a lot like 1812 – I know plenty of classical music, but not Tchaikovsky so much). More singing than Crown used. I could hear it where I was, don’t know about projection to the box. They could have played it, but I think the intent was as much practical as effect-driven. As loud as the hornline plays throughout the show, this gives them an extended break, while still having music going on. The Tchaikovsky, once the playing started, also had a great deal of energy and excitement, driven by percussion and overextended horns, as did the ending. As a result, there were some cracks and intonation problems. I’ll take the volume for now while they clean up the quality issues rather than having them play quieter with good quality and work the volume up throughout the year. I’m sure the staff is teaching them the right way, and I hope the quality of sound gets there. Thoughts on corps identity: The Mandarins seem to be very underrated to me. I’ve only seen them the last two years, but from the uniform, taiko drums, and show theme, they have one of the most distinctive identities in the activity. Complementary to that is the fact that I’ve never heard about staff sh ake-ups from these guys. Whether or not they keep the same staff year to year, they put out quality products with their signature. I can always use more taiko drumming!" -- smj02 via Drum Corps Planet

"I like this show a lot. They were exciting and have a very nice show as well. Being it was such a long night I really don't remember anything specific, except that they are a solid corps that is entertaining the crowd." -- cage via Drum Corps Planet

JULY 21 - DCI - EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ

92.55 - Blue Devils
91.65 - The Cadets
87.55 - Phantom Regiment
87.30 - Bluecoats
86.00 - Carolina Crown
84.00 - Crossmen
83.25 - Blue Knights
74.85 - Mandarins - Photo link here

"I was very shocked that they scored below 75. They were infinitely cleaner than they were in Orlando! Marching looked good, the guard had a really solid night and the new helmets looked cool. FOr those who have seen them, the corps proper now wears a modified version of the drum major's helmet wih the horns. The singing was completely inaudible due to the loud concourse, but the horns played much better tonight and seemed to have more vlume than in Orlando. The balance between the drums and horns is just about right. I think this show could really push for a semis spot, especially if they can keep improving at the rate the did since Orlando. Great show Mandarins!" -- Tony L. via Drum Corps Planet

"The Samurai theme is a perfect fit for this California corps. My son thought their Samurai helmets were pretty cool and I thought they were definitely very unique compared to the traditional corps helmets. This corps is alway impressive for their size. Great brass sound and their 1st trumpets (sopranos) had some good sounds in their high register. Drumline was very entertaining and techinically pretty tight. Colorguard was very colorful and added that asian flavor to the them. A good show for them." -- Dr. Love, via SoundMachine

"There are quite a few very young people in this corps and the hornline isn't as big as the other corps, but they performed very well and maturely and put on a very entertaining show with a good sound. The drums at the front were pretty cool. The guard were good and the hornline was very in tune and put out a lot of sound for its size. The drum major looks like a samarai warrior in his uniform." -- sop16, via Drum Corps Planet

"never seen this corps live, ever. Only heard them on CD. But I can really see why they are such the *powerhouse* in their division, they can crank brasswise and especially with the drums. I was up pretty high in the stadium, so their singing didn't really project all that well. Liked the theme" -- jaypet, via Drum Corps Planet

"My first viewing. This is a nice show and the kids really convey the Samurai thing well. They sounded good, particularly on the last number and visually it was a nice program, despite a lot of trouble with the wind on the field. Good job Mandarins." -- jcn8, via Drum Corps Planet

"GREAT corps for their size... awsome bass drum line too...enjoyed them VERY much." -- JJAYBOYD, via RAMD

"Love theri unis...the taiko drumming was great. Put out a good amount of sound for...like...35/36 horns or something." -- Mike D., via RAMD

"I thought you might like their show, Mike. A BIG sound from a little corps. They put every ounce of body and soul into their show. They had about 40 horns in Seattle (I counted) on June 26th. Some mid-season dropouts? Percussion is a constant throughout, the Taiko was icing. Very sweet. Placing those big drums upfront on the sideline was a smart move and worked well with the drill. Trying to cart them into center field would've been cumbersome and awkward. Jackie (Sis) will have to love these unis. Very colorful and flowing. Did you catch the DM's big feathered headdress? Very Samurai." -- Steve Spand, via RAMD

"show is a bit abstract musically and lacks melodic content....they perform decently some of the time, but I don't believe they have the maturity to stay competitive in Div. I, and found their scoring number to be rather high....koto drumming is done well and pretty authentic....would be way cool if they would run the Kotos (or pull them on carts) and put them in the center of color guard action in feature.....just a suggestion...." -- AABB999, via RAMD

"First up was the Mandarins, with the temerature in the eighties and 70% humidity you could cut the air with a knife, and it hurt their overall sound level. This is a really entertaining show, the Japanese Drums were great and they did a good job horn wise. My wife was wondering what the significance of the green flag with 111 was. The headpieces really look great, and amazingly no one lost any." -- frankiE, via Soundmachine

JULY 20 - DCI - CHESAPEAKE, VA

87.25 - Phantom Regiment
86.00 - Carolina Crown
85.50 - Bluecoats
75.60 - Colts
74.10 - Mandarins

"First of all, yeah... the DM just looks tough Their show is quite entertaining. They seemed a little small to be going for Div I this year though, but they pulled it off well. There were several, unfortunate, drops in the guard during high impact moments. The drumline did superbly, and the drum feature is cool! The hornline plays very well, but at times sounds like they are sacrificing a little bit of quality for volume. There's also a lack of smoothness to the sound on the move, but I think that may be due to the marching fundamentals, they just don't seem to stand up very well. Overall though, a nice show and a good treatment of the music from Last Samurai." -- Pittman, via Drum Corps Planet

JULY 16 - DCI - ORLANDO, FL

89.90 - Blue Devils
88.95 - Santa Clara Vanguard
85.45 - Madison Scouts
84.70 - Boston Crusaders
82.05 - Blue Knights
81.80 - Spirit from JSU
80.70 - Crossmen
75.00 - Capital Regiment
74.15 - Colts
71.85 - Mandarins - Multimedia links here - Windows Media Player required.
70.12 - Magic of Orlando

"Quick, when you think of samurais you think of what composer? Tchaikovsky! Well, if you don't, the Mandarins do. Their samurai themed show is the best thing I think I've ever seen from them. It started and ended with film music, I guess from "The Last Samurai." The middle of the show was all Tchaikovsky. What that has to do with samurais is beyond me, but it was played well and was entertaining. I could do with a little less aerobics from the hornline, or dance or whatever. Maybe it was supposed to be martial arts. They had these odd flags planted all over the field that they also stormed the field with. I recognized them as military flags from 17th century Japanese shogun armies. (Thanks Playstation 2!) Lots of nice kodo drumming." -- Leif, via Blue Devils forum

"Mandarins put on a very interesting and intense show despite their size. The taikos are used very effectively this season. They are a nice change from the usual Corps choices of programs and always have been for me anyway." -- Sandman, via RAMD

"Surprisingly sloppy for them. The horns aren't as strong as the have been in the past, yes size hurts, but they don't have the same quality of sound I've heard from them with even smaller hornlines. I think the program as a whole is very effective otherwise. The Teiko Drums were very effective as were the banners surrounding the field. My friend really enjoyed them. He liked that they had their own way of doing things that was different and refreshing. I have to agree. If they can clean, semis is possible. If not, then not." -- Tony L, via Drum Corps Planet

"Liked the taiko drums. Pit players did an excellent job with expression on those drums." -- emtbill, via DCP

"small small open class corps.. but they are clean . as long as you dont pay attention to the fact that the drum line over plays the whole show .. i am a drummer and i was beside my self with the show they where to dang loud .. about they onlky time you could really enjoy the hornline was in the slow parts of the show.. drill was very clean and that is always there strong suit so they just need to get the drumline to relax." -- clayjn, via Drum Corps Planet

"I've never seen this corps, but their visual is what did it for them tonight folks. They can march as well. I don't think their horn line projects as well as some of the others but the show concept is nice. I liked the show concept the Samauri's! They're color guard was very nice, and the recap results reflect it." -- Lancerlady, via Drum Corps Planet

JULY 5 - ESPERANZA EXPERIENCE - SAN DIEGO, CA

84.40 - Santa Clara Vanguard
68.95 - Mandarins
68.35 - Pacific Crest
66.60 - Esperanza

"Just wanted to let you know I particularly enjoyed your show tonight. The costumes are, as usual, absolutely wonderful. The big Japanese drums sounded great from the stands. And the whole Mandarine individual style thing is intact and doing well. The Drum Major's costume is beyond words. And the drum major is well worth the costuming; his conducting and style and visual effect was by far the most enjoyable at the show tonight. I think you may have a "best" candidate there. I look forward to seeing you again in Denver, if not before. Best Wishes." -- Selma Cozart, via GuestBook

" I've always liked and respected this corps, and they're what I call the "Yoda" corps of DCI: size matter's not! I LOVED the design of this show. Their look is perfect, and this corps was MADE to play a show like this. I always like their Teiko drum features, and they are a huge part of this show. At times tonight they seemed to phase a little, but when they were going with a groove, it was great. Their guard, as usual, blew me away. Their uniforms were a nice contrast the the corps proper, and they had some 'traditional' looking Asian flags for part of the show (I assume they're traditional, but I don't really know anything about the culture). One part that sticks out in my mind: the guard is on the far outside ends of the corps (possibly in the end zones, I'm not sure), half on each side. The Teiko drums start up, and the guard 'answers' them with what I first thought were a dozen or so slap sticks. As the march into the drill, still playing, you realize that they're really 'playing' two rifles (that have a kind of wood/tan look that matches their unis). They then proceed to put on a rifle spinning clinic that made my jaw drop: simply amazing! I have no clue who their guard instructors/writers are, but kudos!!! Their horns were strong for their size, and if you hear a recording you'd never guess how 'small' their horn line is. Their drums are also very solid, with small drums mounted on their bass drum rims. Great show, and good luck in Denver, Mandarins." -- Perc2100, via Drum Corps Planet

JULY 3 - CORPS AT THE CREST - WALNUT, CA

84.50 - Blue Devils
83.45 - Santa Clara Vanguard
69.75 - Seattle Cascades
68.85 - Pacific Crest
68.20 - Mandarins
66.55 - Esperanza

"Oh wow, they are small this year. Smaller than last year for sure. Don't even think about letting that full you! These are the Mandarins we're talking about here, when has size ever hindered them? Nope they were incredible. The show was packed with GE. The opening with the Taiko drums (that's right isn't it?) big loud in your face hornline. Great drill! NO AMPS!!! WAHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Actually none of the corps so far had amps :) . A colorguard that I loved even though the judges apparently didn't like as much. It was just wow! Or not. I loved the group because they really do amaze me with what they can do regardless of size. However, they had a great intro, lots of power, great GE, the audience was loving it, and then they started singing. Not only that, they were standing still while singing. Now I don't mind singing when done right, but that wasn't the time for it, I mean the opener had lots of power great velocity in the music and drill and then they're singing a ballad and standing still. IMO if the opener is as powerful as this one is, then the ballad needs to be later in the show so you have time to let the audience (and judges) down easy instead of getting them way up and then just dropping them. The drill wasn't clean, some of it was, but they still had lots more to do. Unfortunately I think they're going to need harder drill in most of the show if they want to get into semis this year, and I don't see them making those changes and having it clean by the end of the season with where they are with their current drill. The colorguard was the first one of the night to really grab me during the show. They made me want to throw down my flute (yes I'm a woodwind please don't hurt me) and learn to play flag. One of my favorite shows of the night, lots of power, but they're relying a little too much on the GE score right now. Clean up the brass sound in the middle of the show, enhance the drill and clean it, and then they'll be looking at making semis." -- saugusbandgeek via Drum Corps Planet

"Nice, Nice drum work throughout, I'm not a drummer so I will not try to tell you what those Chinese? drums they played throughout the show were I liked it. This was a Mandarins show, a lot of energy and emotion across the board and I enjoyed the whole show. The horn line does tend to overblow this year and lacks the control of previous years but if they can get this issue under control they might be able to squeeze into semi's but it will take a lot of things falling right for this to happen. I actually thought they were better than PC and they definitely have a better show." -- Laubster, via Drum Corps Planet

JULY 2 - WESTERN CORPS CONNECTION - RIVERSIDE, CA

84.05 - Blue Devils
82.20 - Santa Clara Vanguard
68.25 - Seattle Cascades
68.20 - Mandarins
67.15 - Pacific Crest
65.45 - Esperanza

JULY 1 - KALEIDOSCOPE KLASSIC - MODESTO, CA

81.00 - Blue Devils
80.75 - Santa Clara Vanguard
66.70- Mandarins
66.60 - Seattle Cascades

"I just wanted to say your performance at the Kaleidoscope Klassic in Modesto July 1st was outstanding. I am a novice at this, but felt you should have received a much higher score. I'm a grandparent of a member of the FEVER Color Guard. This is my first experience at a competition for Independent Groups. It was a great evening of watching such wonderfully talented young people. Your group was amazing. I wish you a great season." -- Nancy Green, via GuestBook

"This was my second favorite show from Stockton. While still very entertaining the corps was off tonight. Visually they looked pretty good but the horn line was not balanced and lacked the presence they had in Stockton. Show design enabled them to beat the Cascades but I am not sure how long that will hold them up there. The show will always be enjoyable to watch though" .--Schimmy, via Drum Corps Planet

"Here's the bad: Drum line needs a meatier warmup and there's too much singing. There, the rest is all good. Nice helmet for the drum major, it's like a cross between a viking, a samuri, and a dragon, very interesting. They should retitle this show Taiko Samuri because that's what you get: Lots and lots of kick-arse taiko druming with the guard, and sometimes the entire corps, acting as samuri. A superbly designed show with great drill. The guard and flags are excellently used and the drum line feature with the taiko drums couldn't last long enough. The brass is small, like always, but packs a great punch and really has some tough drill to tame especially near the end. As I said, too much singing for the opener. Change it and you will get big ups from me (like you care). An unintended effect was the near full moon rising in the distance as the corps hit their first big hits and the moon's color matched the guards outfits. Very nice show. Get another 30 members and they'll be contesting with the "big" boys. Excellent show." -- Guizeppe, via Drum Corps Planet

JUNE 27 - SOUNDS OF SUMMER - KELSO, WA

81.30 - Blue Devils
81.00 - Santa Clara Vanguard
66.55 - Mandarins
65.30 - Seattle Cascades

"The Mandarins have proven each year they can build upon their origins to produce a show that has a distinctive Asian flavor.  This year they have chosen a samurai theme.  Their musical program includes two pieces, Red Warrior andThe Way of the Sword, from the movie "The Last Samurai."  It also included a piece titledTabidachi, Nishi he from the Japanese anime movie "Princess Mononoke.

The samurai theme permeates through the outfits of the color guard, through the martial arts dance moves, and through the vocalizations during the driving drum features. The color guard uses reds, oranges and yellows making a rich and vibrant visual program.

L-shaped flags provide yet another look to the corps.  In the Bullet section of the show, each member of the color guard spins two wooden-colored rifles that resemble bamboo sticks.

The drum features are the most exciting parts of the production.  The Mandarins use the Taiko drums they have used over the years as the foundation for drum features that are less about moving from one place to another and more about a state of being.  Fans will undoubtedly appreciate the technical aspects of this kind of drumming.

The part of the show that seems somewhat out of place is the "1812 Overture."  Although there is a military theme to the piece, it is a departure from the Japanese theme of the rest of the show.

The musical program is progressing, led by the high brass section." -- Donald Chinn, DCW Staff

JUNE 26 - SUMMER MUSIC GAMES - SEATTLE, WA

80.15 - Santa Clara Vanguard
79.80 - Blue Devils
66.60 - Mandarins
64.75 - Seattle Cascades

"ALWAYS a creative, tight show from Sacramento, but this years "Samurai" presentation was First Order Magnitude Kick Ass! The taiko drum section [used several times throughout the show] has a thundering, commanding presence; very, very neat. Mandarins unquestionably had one of, if not the highest, audience-appreciated show tonight. A tough act to follow by any corps. Do NOT miss them at DCI! PS: also [other than Garfield, very briefly at the end of their '77 show] the first corps I've ever heard sing. Hmmmm...." -- Nev, via RAMD

"I had the pleasure of seeing the Mandarins for the first time in Seattle on the weekend and was very impressed. My first thought was that the corps might have pleasure in the future of playing the title theme from the stage action-musical Terracotta Warriors, which recently toured live in Vancouver and is currently on stage in Toronto. Some of the music is meant to be played by a drum corps, in my opinion. Best regards. A new fan." -- Mrs. Dawn Morin, via GuestBook

"I saw your corps perform in Seattle on the 26th of June. I was completely blown away! The whole show was so amazing, and your theme was so original. I loved all the visuals, the way the drill flowed together, the uniforms, the traditional drums,the drum majors helmet, and how the whole corps had so much energy and enthusiasm. You all seemed to really love what you are doing, and you conveyed that feeling to the audience with flying colors. You are all my new heroes! Keep on keepin' on." -- Andrea Elliott, via GuestBook

"I saw your show in Seattle last night - it was awesome! So early in the season, and even compared to last year, I felt that your show was executed extremely well. I am excited to see how you finish the season. Your work and dedication really shined last night! Congratulations!" -- Chris McAvoy, via GuestBook

"I'm actually a big 'Scades fan and went to a bunch of their camps one year but I was at the Seattle show this weekend and I must admit I was a little upset that I missed a lot of effect of the Mandarins show as I was trapped in an entry waiting to get back to my seat. I watched the show from over a person's shoulder and from what I heard and what I could see, I was blown away. I commented to my girlfriend that I thought the Mandarin's 2004 show was better than any of the 'Scades or Mandarins' shows I have seen to date. :) I wish I could go back and see it again with a better view. I'm pushing for you to make the top 12 so you'll be on my dvd and I'll for sure be cheering you on in my local theature during the DCI top 17 presentation. Nice Job Mandarins! Keep up the excellent work and thanks so much for coming up to Seattle and layin it all down!" -- Jeff Rainwater, via GuestBook

"The Best Overall in Show Award. The most exciting show, both musically and visually, that I've seen in a long time. Unique and original. They performed a Taiko based drum feature that was overwhelming. Justin and Bill Turner might understand. They consistently prove, year after year, that big things can come from a small corps. 1st place in my book. My mother, sitting beside me, (drum corps mom vet) exclaimed, "My God!" -- Steve Spang, via RAMD

"Great show. I am still amazed at how small the mandarins come out, however I dont think it hurts them too much. Very percussive show, with a lot of fight club style dancing added in, and the crowd ate it up. They never cease to amaze with what they can do with smaller numbers. Very classy! I was a little disturbed by the red banners used in the opener, and then planted on the back sideline for the remainder of the show. Anyone that has seen them should understand." -- JazzCat82, via Drum Corps Planet

"Next on was the Mandarins. This was my first chance to see them, and I'm glad I did! They did a Samurai show. They had several good pieces, including two pieces by Hans Zimmer, and some Tchaikovsky. Of course, the first thing I noticed were the Taiko drums lined up on the side line! Woohoo! And they used them well a couple of times during the show, not just as a "look at the neat equipment we bought for a 1 minute segment of our show and will throw in storage at the end of the season!" thing. The next thing was the uniforms. The musicians uniforms are difficult to describe, but you can see them at http://www.mandarins.org/ on the News page. The guard were all in dress that mimicked samurai clothing. Their sabers were more like katanas, of course. And they had flags that were more like Samurai banners. All very cool. The DM, had a war helm with horns. He got a round of applause for that! The music was awesome, and their hornline sounded great! They deserved every point they got. Whoever did the music selection along with the arranging did a great job of keeping the music moving, with hit points and soft spots. It never got boring, however. Very impressive. One neat little thing that will stick with me, was when the guard started working double rifles - spins, throws, hand to hand work...I nearly lost my voice cheering for them!" -- Justin H, via RAMD

"GREAT SHOW!!! Loved you in Seattle, Thanks for coming. What a thrill to see your show, Highlight of the evening.Best of luck thru the season." -- Eved Owen, via GuestBook

"You just wouldn't believe the crowd response -- I don't ever remember having a response like this! I mean, people were cheering so loud that your couldn't hear the drum major's commands." -- Esther Mar, via cellphone

"I just saw the Mandarins tonight at the Seattle Summer Games, and I was blown away. Y'all should have gotten first place." -- Cevin Millstead, via GuestBook

"These are remarks JUST made to me on the phone, and come from a very enthusiastic former band mom who knows a thing or two about music... When I told her the scores as posted here on DCP, first thing she said was, "Ohhhhh that's just not right. Mandarins were UNBELIEVABLE!!!" I asked her what happened. My mom in law talks in incomplete sentences, so I was getting things like "ohhhhh the guard was just gorg--and then the big Japanese drums up on the---and then the horns....ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh just gorgeo...oh wait, the guard, you should have seen them...ohhhhhhhhhhh it was just gorgeous!!" She said she "understood" the show, better than ANY OTHER CORPS' SHOW. And then she shocked me...she said Mandarins were the ONLY folks to get a SPONTANEOUS standing ovation, where people were "leaping out of their seats". I said, "Well, I'm sure they stood for Vanguard." And she said they did, but it was like a polite ovation, as opposed to a spontaneous throwing things and hollering type ovation. VERY IMPRESSED MY MOM WAS!" -- Ryan H. Turner, Drum Corps Planet, in a phone conversation with his mom

"Mandarins: Oh baby, Samurai kicks @ss!!! The whole show was upbeat and kept me interested. Great percussion on the battery and in the pit. The opener is particularly a blast. The guard uniforms are the coolest I've seen (samurai outfits) and take a look at the drum major's hat too - hehe." -- PercussionMafia, via Drum Corps Planet

"Mandarins - they performed a Samurai themed show. The music is very nice and the show VERY WELL DESIGNED. Visually the show is gorgeous. Great use of the unis, great use of color throughout, great horn and body movement for effect and nice drill. I think they are already performing it at a late season level (perhaps leaving room to be caught?). My only complaint (a big one) is a repeat of Flammaster's comment - they overblow. I don't mean a little, they overblow throughout. They have just 40 horns, but they are trying to sound like 60. It isn't going to happen. I really think their horn staff is doing the kids a disservice by allowing it to go on. Dial it back a notch and they will really have something great. I think they have a really good shot to push their way into Semis and perhaps up into the 14-15 range. The show is that good. The colorguard is outstanding." -- Runnerup via Blue Devils Forum

"The opening form was very cool. The horns were in a block on the back right side of the field with the guard forming an L around two sides of the block. There was a lone guardsmen standing mid field yielding two swords. As the drums began to play the horns and guard were practically sprinting to the center of the field while the lone guardsmen did some cool martial arts/sword type work. During the sprint, I saw a guard member go down, but she recovered quickly. The initial horn impact was loud and nice as they pushed to a wedge front field. Following the initial impact the horns stood front and center, in a wedge, and hummed for a good 30 seconds, at least. If it was amped, I didn’t notice, but I still did not like it. As the horns started playing and the drill started moving, half the guard was carrying red banners. I found this to be ineffective and they did it for a long period, or so it seemed. The rest of the guard is on sabers and doing very nice work and they nailed their last toss. Guard is now all on red flags, very nice. Horns are cooking…some ensemble problems. Beautiful guard solo begins the ballad. Guard is on double flags – purple and silver – very effective and very nice. The ballad was gorgeous and ended on a lush loud note. Bravo! We now have a solo guardsmen center field again, doing martial arts, as we head into the drum solo. Guard is now using two rifles each – VERY COOL. They are very effective in tossing and spinning two rifles in different patterns. This was one of the guard highlights of the night…the crowd just ate it up. More humming starts the closer, but it is over quickly. I counted about 40 horns, and boy are they good for such a small number. There is a wonderful section with insane runs, during which they are stationary. All in all, the crowd ate up this show. It was very cool and very enjoyable. I absolutely loved this show. It was very entertaining, but from a demand standpoint it just doesn’t measure up to what Seattle is doing, nor does it have as much potential for growth, so I’m not sure if they are going to be able to maintain their lead over Seattle for much longer." -- gellio, via Drum Corps Planet

JUNE 25 - DRUM & BUGLE CLASSIC - SPOKANE, WA

79.35 - Blue Devils
79.25 - Santa Clara Vanguard
63.10 - Mandarins
62.40 - Seattle Cascades

"I saw the Mandarins perform in Spokane, WA this past Friday and thought each and everyone of you were outstanding. You put on a spectacular show and I know how much hard work all of you put into that! I hope I get a chance to see you perform again! Good luck to all of you in your future competitions." -- K. Diteman (Spokane Thunder parent), via GuestBook

"Saw you guys in Spokane this last weekend. Wow, what a show! You have such energy. Thanks!" -- Cheryl, via GuestBook

JUNE 20 - PACIFIC PROCESSION/PRECISION WEST - HAYWARD, CA

76.70 - Blue Devils
75.85 - Santa Clara Vanguard
62.35 - Mandarins
61.35 - Pacific Crest
58.60 - Esperanza

"Use of a Taiko section in the pit is Genius, -- with a capital "G." Easily one of the most creative and entertaining shows of the entire night, and their drum line's ability to use different exotic sound combinations was amazing. Rumiko's favorite corps of the night." -- drumlaw9, via Drum Corps Planet

"I was really impressed with Manderins, the little corps that could. Man, for a half sized horn line, they put out full sized power! -- David Bassan, via Drum Corps Planet

"Mandarins proved to be great too...I will always love and respect them...no matter how small or LARGE they become, they always put on a great show!" -- djtenors, via Drum Corps Planet

"Sticking to Division I with just more than 80 members, the Mandarins prove year after year that talent, not numbers, can be the key to success. Encapsulating their best signature moves (tummy crunching 'V' form by the guard), the show "Samurai" uses music from "The Last Samurai" and warrior-themed visuals. "Bullet" returns as a favorite percussion feature, utilizing one large and six small taiko drums. Their show is full of unique moments including a fish kite, warrior banners, a full-corps choir with blended male/female voices, and the guard on double rifles. This eight-time Division II & III champion packs their program with exciting sounds and breathtaking drill -- it's not a show to miss." -- Christina Mavroudis-Dempsey via DCI.org

JUNE 19 - MOONLIGHT CLASSIC - STOCKTON, CA

76.60 - Blue Devils
75.90 - Santa Clara Vanguard
60.80 - Mandarins (Photo Link courtesy of brassboy, via DCP)
60.65 - Pacific Crest
57.85 - Esperanza

"Mandarins have the best show I've seen from them in awhile. They're bigger this year, more brass and lots of good loud sound. Arrangements are excellent as always. The guard didn't have their uniforms yet, and that will add to their scores. The title of their show is Samurai. They should make the top 12 this year." -- Drummom, via Blue Devils Forum

"The only bad news with this corps, and it seems to be a trend, is their size never seems to increase. They still are only marching maybe 80 members. That having been said, they have a great sound for what they are. You’ll be happy to know that they brought back, in major form, the taiko drums. The first minute of their show is all taiko and drum line, very very nice. As is typical for these guys they like to end with frantic drill with great music, and they don’t disappoint. The music is great, very entertaining. Everyone loves the uniforms. I hope they can get about 30% bigger so they can really contest with the “big” guns. Great show." -- Guizeppe, via Drum Corps Planet

"I just wanted to tell the Mandarins that last night's show was totally awesome! From the director, the arrangers, the instructors, down to the performance of the young talented people, I see great passion, drive and commitment and more passion.... I mean it was just an awesome show, Man! I don't know what else to say.....YOU ARE SO HOT RIGHT NOW! You go get 'em! Love to you...".-- Lauren Price, via GuestBook

"Saw your show in Stockton, and as always is was OUTSTANDING. You have out raised the bar on creativity and excellence. You will make top ten this year." -- Larry & Barbara Williams, via GuestBook

"I just got back from the Moonlight Classic and saw you perform. Out of all the bands I liked yours the best because I think it was the most original. I was wandering what it takes to join the band and how old you have to be because i was thinking about auditioning for next season." -- Danny, via GuestBook