Academy, The


Other Names: Arizona Brass and Percussion Ensemble; Arizona Academy

Tempe, AZ United States
Founded: 2001

Active Junior
World Class

The Academy drum & bugle corps was originally called “The Academy Brass & Percussion Ensemble” and sponsored by the Arizona Academy of the Performing Arts. Planning for the corps began in 2001 with the formation of a board of directors. Performing standstill concerts in 2001 and 2002, the corps added a bit of marching in 2003 and a color guard in 2004. The corps became competitive in 2004, changing their name to “The Academy”.

The corps' first competitive performance took place in June 2004, in Stockton. Although the corps' 2004 season and tour were relatively short, they remained undefeated in “Division II” during that summer.  
Academy's uniforms were all black, with a large black "A" on a red background on their back. The 117-member corps performed a program of brass chamber music in their inaugural “Division II” competition.

A unique fundraising inducement, in a program called "Be Instrumental," was the offer to engrave benefactors' names on the brass instruments bought with the benefactors' $2500 donations. 
The following season saw the corps remain undefeated as they travelled out of state, appearing at the infamous “Drums Along the Rockies” for the first time.

The Corps' first national tour occurred in 2006. With their first ever finals performance they won the Spirit of Disney award, high brass, corps director of the year, and even the DCI “Division II” championship title. 
In the fall of 2006, they announced they would embark in “Division I” competition for the 2007 season. In their first season of “Division I” standing in 2007, Academy came out strong, placing 13th at the DCI “World Class” semifinals.

The following year, the corps fell out of the semifinalist position, finishing 18
th in the quarterfinals. In 2009, “The Academy” was named the official drum and bugle corps of the City of Tempe and performed outside University of Phoenix Stadium prior to the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl XLIX and at the NFL Experience, "an interactive theme park of all things football". They bounced back as a DCI semifinalist with a 14th place finish.

From 2010 to 2015, the corps was a consistent semifinalist at the DCI championships, placing between 14
th to 19th position, including three 15th place finishes. In 2016, the Academy had their most successful season since moving to “World Class”, placing in the top 12 at all three DCI regionals. At the DCI championships, the Academy placed 11th, becoming the first corps to make its Finals debut since 2002.

From 2017 to 2019, they returned to semifinalist status with placings from 14
th to 15th over the course of those few years before the pandemic in 2020 which halted operations. The parent organization Arizona Academy of the Performing Arts also sponsors summer and winter color guard programs for youth aged 5-14 and provided a home for Phenom, a summer marching band that participated in DCI's SoundSport until becoming a completely independent organization in 2019. The corps, however, was not successful in getting off the ground and disbanded.

The 2020 season was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The corps passed on most of the non-competitive 2021 season, performing only at the Indianapolis Finals. 
The corps resumed competition in 2022 with a 16th placing at the DCI Semifinals and an 18th position finish in 2023.


Arizona Academy of the Performing Arts; Drum Corps World (multiple issues), A History of Drum & Bugle Corps, Vol. 2; Steve Vickers, ed.; DCI Today, Spring '04, p.13; Dave Strickler; Drum Corps
International; Paul Legault (DCX)

Members (21)

Member Name Section Years Involved
Bierwas, Danny Drumline 2004
Blum, Ashlin Trumpet 2004
Boe, Zachary Trumpet 2007
Brewster, Seth Trumpet 2014 to 2015; 2017
Britton, Hunter Contra 2018
Cobbett, Jared Contra 2006
Cobbett, Jared BottomLine 2006 to 2009
Cohen-Joppa, Emma Brass - Baritone 2004
Gryniewicz, Tony Contra 2003 to 2004
Henderson, Ben Mellophone 2004
Lee, Alex Tenors 2003 to 2004
McCrea, Drew Percussion- Bass Line 2003
Mead, Ryan Euphonium 2016 to 2017
Morgan, Benjamin Trumpet 2021 to 2022
Orrantia, Danny Drum Major 2003
Pasteur, Chris Baritone 2002
Puckett, Ethan Euphonium 2021 to 2022
Ronan, Kevin Contra 2001 to 2003
Shillings, Erin Pit 2001 to 2004
Simon, Natan trumpet 2003
Sutton, Jonathan Bass 2003

CORPS 11 items

Academy, The

Academy Hat from the Bill Ives Collection
Academy, The

TheAcademy Tempe AZ from the Bill Ives Collection
Academy, The

TheAcademy,Tempe,AZ,CC1-AgeOutCoin(RE-1.5)J_U_S from the Richard Elmquist Collection
Academy, The

TheAcademy,Tempe,AZ,LCP1(eBay)J_U_L from the Richard Elmquist Collection
Academy, The

TheAcademy,Tempe,AZ,LP1(RE-1.0x0.875)J_U_S from the Richard Elmquist Collection Contributed by Richard Elmquist
Academy, The

TheAcademy,Tempe,AZ,LP2-2017-HeatForged(RE-1.0)J_U_S from the Richard Elmquist Collection Contributed by Richard Elmquist
Academy, The

TheAcademy,Tempe,AZ,Patch1-A(RE-3.5x2.5)J_U_S from the Richard Elmquist Collection
Academy, The

TheAcademy,Tempe,AZ,Patch2-2014-10thAnn(RE-3.5x3.375)J_U_S from the Richard Elmquist Collection
Academy, The

TheAcademy,Tempe,AZ,Patch3-ACutout(RE-3.0x2.25)J_U_S from the Richard Elmquist Collection
Academy, The

TheAcademy,Tempe,AZ,Patch4-2017-AonBlack(RE-3.5x2.5)J_U_S from the Richard Elmquist Collection
Academy, The

TheAcademy,Tempe,AZ,Pin1-ILoveTheAcademy(RE-2.25)J_U_S from the Richard Elmquist Collection

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