Cadets to join with the spirit of Bernstein
Friday, August 1, 2008
By: George Hopkins

Plans under way for 2009 anniversary production

On the heels of the recent announcement that the Cadets will appear on the field in 2009 as the Holy Name Cadets, Director George Hopkins announced the corps' program base for the coming summer during a meeting with members and staff prior to their Allentown, Pa., rehearsals. 

The “working title” for the 2009 Holy Name Cadets program will be “Lenny,” a reference to the great Leonard Bernstein, according to Hopkins. 

Some of the background told by Hopkins included some milestones in 2009: 

•  The year-long celebration of the 90^th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein’s birth
•  The 50^th anniversary of the arrival of West Side Story on Broadway
•  And, the 75^th anniversary of the founding of the Holy Name Cadets 

Just a few miles from the Cadets’ hometown in Allentown, Pa., West Side Story will return to Broadway, the cultural institutions of New York are doing countless renditions of various Bernstein compositions and the entire music community will turn to celebrate the huge impact “Lenny” has had upon the world of classical music, musical theater, and much more. 

 “Bernstein and his work has had a connection to the Cadets from the 1960’s through current day. Of great significance was the run of 1983, ‘84, ‘85, and ‘86 when the Cadets performed almost exclusively the work of the great New York composer,” said Hopkins. “The collision of so many anniversaries in one year gives us the opportunity to return to our roots at a time where we reflect on all that has allowed the Cadets 75-years of uninterrupted service to youth. At the same time, we plan to draw on the return of Mr. Bernstein’s work to the stage, and yes, of definite significance is the great Broadway Musical, WEST SIDE STORY! 

When asked about details of the plans, Hopkins noted, “The 2008 team is hard at work on completing the final week of the season. This drum corps has proven to be special and we are thrilled to be able to spend hours and hours in search of excellence.” 

“That said, we have much work to do regarding design, but you can be sure we will begin work on next year beginning the morning of Aug.10^th. What I can say is we do plan to be unique in our approach. We plan to challenge the students, entertain the audience and bring to the field the best version of the Cadets possible. We will draw from the material in such a way that the musical base provides the foundation for a distinctive product that will be remembered, we hope, for years to come.” 

Rehearsals for the 2009 Holy Name Cadets begin in November. With 46 age-outs, including a large number of percussionists, the corps would expect to have available somewhere around 80 or so positions for the new season. Interested in participating? Go to www.cadets.org, click the membership button, and fill in the short information form. Information will be sent to you about becoming a member of Holy Name Cadets. 

The Cadets will perform at Allentown, Pa., on Saturday, Aug. 2^nd during DCI Eastern Championships, in Westminster, Md., on Aug. 3^rd during their home show, Music In Motion. They will then set up camp in Washington, Pa.,  Monday through Wednesday of next week as they continue to prepare for the 2008 DCI World  Championships in Bloomington, Ind., on Aug. 7-9^th.. 

Stay tuned for more updates and information, including a unique plan for winter rehearsals.