Star of Indiana

Bloomington, IN United States
Founded: 1985

Inactive Junior
YearPositionScoreTheme/Songs
1985 10 85.500 The Music of Walt Disney - When You Wish Upon a Star (from Pinocchio) * Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah * A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes (from Cinderella) * The Sorcerer's Apprentice * Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? * Mickey Mouse Club March * It's a Small World  
1986 8 90.500 Out of this World - Adventures on Earth (from E.T.) * Selections from Close Encounters of the Third Kind * The Throne Room * Finale (from Star Wars)  
1987 7 90.000 Greatest Show on Turf - Barnum and Bailey's Favorite * Ritual Fire Dance (from El Amor Brujo) * Sabre Dance * Comedians' Galop * Thunder and Blazes  
1988 7 92.800 Porgy and Bess - Porgy and Bess Overture * Oh, I Can't Sit Down (from Porgy and Bess) * Summertime (from Porgy and Bess) * The Hurricane (from Porgy and Bess) * Bess, You Is My Woman Now (from Porgy and Bess) * Oh, Lord, I'm On My Way (from Porgy and Bess)  
1989 6 95.300 British Invasion - Henry V * Song Without Words, * Fantasia on the Dargason (from Second Suite in F) * Crown Imperial  
1990 3 96.500 Belshazzar's Feast - Praise ye the God of Gold (from Belshazzar's Feast) * Then sing aloud to God our strength (from Belshazzar's Feast)  
1991 1 97.000 Roman Images - Roman Festivals (First Mov.) * Pines of Rome (First Mov.) * Roman Festivals (Second Mov.) * Roman Festivals (Third Mov.) * Roman Festivals (Fourth Mov.)  
1992 3 96.700 American Variations - Star Spangled Overture * Chester Overture * Amber Waves * Flag of Stars  
1993 2 97.300 The Music of Barber and Bartok - Parados (from Medea) * Kantikos Agonias (from Medea) * Allegro (from Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste) * Dance of Vengence (from Medea)  
Position 200+ indicates Division II, Position 300+ indicates Division III, Position 400+ indicates Mini Corps.
Star of Indiana was founded in 1984 with a grant from Willam Cook and Cook Group Incorporated, a cardiovascular medical device manufacturer based in Bloomington, Indiana. It was the second corps in history (after 1972's Bleu Raeders) to finish in the top ten at the DCI World Championships in its first year of competition. Top ten finishes in the World Championships followed every year thereafter until the group ended its competitive career after the 1993 season.


In 1991, Star won the DCI World Championships, adding top three finishes in Finals for the next two years. Overall, the group won more titles from 1990 to 1993 than any other corps at that time.

After a public performance in 1992, the group's leadership decided it wanted to do more than entertain the public with a 10-minute drum corps routine. Following completion of the 1993 competitive season, Star left the field of drum and bugle corps competition and changed its focus to develop a new concept in brass and percussion performance. By using the powerful instrumental music and precise choreography of a drum corps to reinterpret everything from Broadway and popular movie musicals to classical music compositions, Star of Indiana created a new kind of stage show.

The result was a highly successful ten-city tour in the summer of 1994 featuring Star of Indiana with The Canadian Brass, the world's best-known brass quintet. Named "Brass Theater," this tour-de-force of musical virtuosity took audiences and critics by storm.

In 1995 and 1996, Star of Indiana continued its musical growth, refining Brass Theater with The Canadian Brass for two new tours to even greater audiences. They released three CDs of the tours, appeared nationally on a special broadcast by PBS, and performed live on such famous stages as the Hollywood Bowl, Lincoln Center, Tanglewood and other leading venues. Brass Theater spent the next two years, 1997 and 1998, performing in the popular resort town of Branson, Missouri.

In 1999 the Star of Indiana organization took Brass Theater to another level when they created Blast! which premiered at London's Hammersmith Theatre. One year later Blast! came home to the United States and opened on Broadway to rave reviews. The show won the 2001 Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event and and the 2001 Emmy Award for Best Choreography. Blast! began touring the United States that year and created additional casts to perform permanently at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

The members of Brass Theater and Blast! all had their start in DCI corps and never forgot their roots in drum corps.

[Star of Indiana]

Members (37)

Member Name Section Years Involved
Bahner, Roderick Soprano 1988
Basey, Matthew Contra 1992
Basey, Matthew Tuba 2004
Baugh, Kevin (House) Soprano 1996
Burklew, Pamela Color Guard 1986
Carrico, Tiffany lead soprano 1987 to 1988
Doucet, Jocelyne Hornline Tuba 2010
Fena, Stacie color guard 1987 to 1988
Fudge, Shane Lead Soprano 1989
Gardner, Clark Snare 1992 to 1993
Giles, Darold Battery-Tenors 1985
Gonya, Douglas Hornline, Soprano 1988
Gornto, Rod Mellophone 1993
Griffith, Ray Euphonium/Contra 1986
Gulick, Chad French Horn/Mellophone 1994 to 1995
Hamilton, David Contra 1987
Harris, Mark Contra 1985
Hefner, Marlana Mellophone 1985 to 1988
Hughes, MacKenzie Cornet 1998
Jakubowski (Johnson), Brenda guard 1985 to 1986
Johnson, Michael Soprano 1986
Kamm, Philip Bass Drum 1985 to 1986
Logan, Timothy Drumline 1988
Minton, John Contra 1990 to 1992; 2010
Morgan, Evan Battery 1985
Patton, Greg Percussion 1995
Pirtle, Scooter Mellophone 1986 to 1987
Prough, Craig Baritone / Euphonium 1985 to 1988
Sexton, Dave Baritone 1986 to 1989
Snyder, Sean Contra 1993
Staring, Heather mellophone 1987
Taylor, Tony Mellophone 1987
Tye, Steve Contra 1985
Unger, Brent Mellophone 1988
Weimer, Kurt contra bass 1991
Wichowski (-Hill), Lisa Mary brass 1985
santos, steven contra 1992 to 1993

CORPS 31 items

Star of Indiana

Star of Indiana Jacket 1 from the Bill Ives Collection
Star of Indiana

Star of Indiana Jacket 1 from the Bill Ives Collection
Star of Indiana

Star of Indiana Jacket 1 from the Bill Ives Collection
Star of Indiana

Star of Indiana Jacket 1 from the Bill Ives Collection
Star of Indiana

Star of Indiana Jacket 1 from the Bill Ives Collection
Star of Indiana

Star of Indiana Jacket 1 from the Bill Ives Collection
Star of Indiana

Star of Indiana Jacket 2 from the Bill Ives Collection
Star of Indiana

Star of Indiana Jacket 2 from the Bill Ives Collection
Star of Indiana

Star of Indiana Jacket 2 from the Bill Ives Collection
Star of Indiana

Star of Indiana Jacket 3 from the Bill Ives Collection
Star of Indiana

Star of Indiana Jacket 3 from the Bill Ives Collection
Star of Indiana

StarOfIndiana Bloomington IN-2 from the Bill Ives Collection
Star of Indiana

Star Of Indiana Alumni from the Bill Ives Collection
Star of Indiana

Drum Corps World Star Win from the Bill Ives Collection
Star of Indiana

Blast Audio CD from the Chris Maher Collection
Star of Indiana
Star of Indiana History
Star of Indiana History from the Diceman Radio Collection Contributed by Ron Allard
Star of Indiana
PDF Document

388-393, Star of Indiana from the Steve Vickers Collection
Star of Indiana

1996 Brass Theater in Madison Wisconsin poster from the Steve Vickers Collection
Star of Indiana

Star of Indiana 1 from the Wayne Hiller Collection
Star of Indiana

Star of Indiana 2 from the Wayne Hiller Collection

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