Corps News

April 28, 2008: Hurricanes announce the hiring of Justin Mitnik
The Hurricanes are pleased to add Justin Mitnik to the brass staff. Justin Mitnik received his Massachusetts Education Degree in Music from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Justin has worked with the Boston University Athletic Bands teaching and arranging as well as the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps from 2000-2007. Justin has also worked with the University of Massachusetts Lowell Marching Band as well as working with the Mathuen High School Band.

Justin has recently performed with Blast II and will leave again on tour with the group. He has performed with Blast and CyberJam, as well as Shockwave in the past. He was featured as the Trombone soloist and also appeared on many TV shows in Japan including Fuji TV’s 2007 Music Fair. Justin also performed in the Metropolitan Wind Symphony and Salisbury Symphony Orchestra. Justin joins a great brass staff that includes Dave Dion, Jeff Mitchell and Laurie Kunzle. Welcome Justin.

April 21, 2008: An Invitation "Back to Glory"
Thank you so much for your support for over 54 years. As Chairman of the Board of Directors I am very proud of what we have been able to accomplish over the past three years. On April 30th 2005 Dave and Connie Condon of DNS Associates conducted a strategic plan "Creating A Vision" to a group of forty Hurricanes, Management Staff, Educational Staff, Board Members and Alumni. This planning session enabled us to look at our strengths and opportunities as well as our threats and weaknesses. There were four major items identified by this process that we needed to deal with immediately. They are as follows:

  1. Management:
    • Need a clear organization chart with written job descriptions for all management staff and education staff.
  2. The Drum Corps:
    • Need to present a professional appearance and attitude at all times. Reputation (social and performance).
  3. Better Community reputation and involvement.
    • Establishment of our Community Outreach Music Program. The establishment of the Hurricane Cadets.
  4. Lack of a Home Site.
    • New home at the Seymour Community Center.

Please join me on Friday May 23rd along with our board of directors, alumni, family and friends for an evening called "Back To Glory". Listen and enjoy as our Hall of Fame members, alumni and staff share with us their experience during the Glory days. We have a program that will blend the past, present and future of the Hurricanes. We urge you to be a part of another successful strategic effort to bring the Hurricanes "Back To Glory" once again as a Champion caliber DCA Corps.

A premier performance by the 2008 Hurricane Drum & Bugle Corps will be provided for your enjoyment.

Please open the invitation and RSVP to Thomas A. Gabianelli by email or snail mail at: 69 West Street , Seymour or call (203) 231-2682.

February 11, 2008: Remembering Laura Aleen Flynn (Glovna)
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Laura Aleen Flynn (Glovna), daughter of former Connecticut Hurricane Director, Robert Glovna. Her funeral will be held on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. from the Alderson Funeral Home of Naugatuck, 201 Meadow St. to St. Francis of Assisi Church, 318 Church St., Naugatuck for a Mass of Christian Burial at 9 a.m. Burial will be in St. James Cemetery, Naugatuck. Friends may call at the funeral home on Monday from 4 to 8 p.m.

January 30, 2008: Community Outreach Program
We are proud to announce the second year of our Hurricanes Community Outreach Program. The Hurricanes Cadets have now expanded to include woodwinds, brass, and percussion instruments. Several valley schools, the American Legion, as well as the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley and the Valley YMCA now join us in support of our program.

Students who want to learn to play or refine their skills on a brass, woodwind or percussion instrument are more then welcome. We have plans for a competition winter guard and winter percussion program in the near future.

Please join us at our open house on Wednesday, February 13 at 6:30 pm at the Seymour Community Center. View the Open House flyer for more details or visit the Collaborative section.

Sunday, January 27 Rehearsal Update
40 brass and a full battery and front ensemble were present at the corps rehearsal this past Sunday as the corps played thru the first two numbers of the corps 2008 field show. Brass and persussion ensembled the opener, BILLY THE KID, and the brass played thru the ballad, SHENENDOAH/MARIAH. The corps worked very hard and it started to show results as the day went on.

Joe Roche and the rest of the visual staff put the brass and perc through a pretty intense marching basics block. After playing thru the opener, the staff feels that the members now have a better understanding of what this piece is about, now that they have heard all the elements. The ballad is going to be a great moment when its all said and done. For February the goals are to tidy up some minor things with the opener and ballad and begin the Ho-Down.

The brass will be rehearsing this Sunday Feb. 3rd, percussion 10th, guard and Honor Guard 17th and brass and full percussion on the 24th. The corps is really starting to kick it into high gear as they await April and being able to get outside to begin the visual portion of the show. Stop by at the Seymour Recreation Center from 10-5 on any of the above dates to catch a glimpse of the 2008 Hurricanes.

December 4, 2007: Hurricanes Kick-Off 2008
With the 1st winter weather of the season outside, the heat was on inside as the Connecticut Hurricanes kicked off their 2008 season at their annual open house held at the Seymour Recreation Center. Well over 100 new and returning members listened anxiously as program coordinator Jim Dugan announced the Hurcs are going west. The corps plans on expanding on a show concept idea used back in the 1999 season which until this day is still talked about as one of the most entertaining shows performed in DCA.

The corps will begin in the east with Aaron Copland's Billy the Kid Suite. The corps will continue moving west with an original composition combining Shenendoah with the Hurricanes corps song, Mariah. Next up will be a good old fashioned Hoedown, again from Aaron Copland's Rodeo. This will bring the corps to their destination, the west, with the ever popular Magnificent Seven. The corps is really excited knowing they will be performing a show every weekend that they will not only have fun with but the fans will love!!!!!!!!!! (and cannot wait to see again)

After Jim's presentation, corps director Bernie Malesky then introduced the creative and educational team. Program Coordinator is Jim Dugan. Visual Design-Jamey Thompson, Brass Arranger-Dave Dion, Percussion Arranger-Kevin Murphy, Front Ensemble Arranger-Tim Holcomb and Guard Design-Phillip Triani. Percussion staff includes Kevin Murphy-caption head, Tim Holcomb, James Bocuzzi, Brendan Mason and Tom Anderson. Brass staff is Dave Dion and Jeff Mitchell, caption heads, Laurie Kunzle and Dave Negri. Guard Staff is Phillip Triani and Jim Zulick, caption heads and Karen Prince. Visual staff consists of Joe Roche, Doug Oravez, John Hannigan, Phil Vizzo, Bob Waterhouse, Steve Surina, John Curran, Sr. and Vinny Cautadella.

After hearing the announcement of the program and staff, the corps was eager to get down to business. Closing comments were made to the corps by Tom Gabianelli, president of the corps Board of Directors and then it was off to work for the members. Joe Roche led the 44 brass members present thru a very precise visual technique block as the guard learned a dance section that will be used in the ballad section of the show. Kevin Murphy and Tim Holcomb took their army of 39 percussionists to the other side of the building as they began going thru their drum packet of warm-up and technique excercises. After the brass visual block, Dave Dion then went thru the brass technique book and the brass also played thru 2 parade tunes and began and finished the 1st minute of the opener.

At the end of the day there was a quick display of the accomplishments of the entire corps for the day. Everyone went home very excited and anticipating the corps next rehearsals which are Sunday Dec. 9 for the brass and Sunday Dec. 16 for the full percussiuon at the corps winter home, the Seymour Recreation Center from 10am-5pm.

There are positions open in all sections of the corps as the Hurcs expect to field one of their largest corps in their long history. Stop by any of the rehearsals and view the corps as they ready themselves to be among the best DCA has to offer in 2008.

November 27, 2007: Hurricanes Add Joe Roche to Visual Staff
The Hurricanes are pleased to announce the addition of Joe Roche to the corps visual staff. Joe has worked with many corps such as the Cadets, Madison Scouts, Star of Indiana and the Sunrisers. He has worked with both George Zingali and Marc Sylvester. He is a Guidence Counselor with US Army Recruiting Command. Joe will be in charge of setting up and implementing the visual technique program that will be utilized by the corps this summer. For a complete bio, visit the staff page.

November 26, 2007: Hurricanes Celebrate 2007
The Hurricanes officially brought 2007 to a close with their annual year end banquet. Over 100 members, staff, alumni, support people, friends and family and newly inducted Hurricanes Hall of Fame members were in attendence. After the buffet meal, the corps watched the DVD of their 2007 finals performance at which the 2nd highest score, 92.488, in their long history was achieved.

Tom Gabianelli, president of the Hurricanes Board of Directors and Bernie Malesky, executive director of the corps made the award presentations at this years banquet. Inducted into the Hurricanes Hall of Fame this year were Gail Bottillo, Scott Friend, Bob Kogut and Moe Knox.

Section awards were: Most Improved Brass-Heather LaPlante, Guard-Mandolin Sousa, Percussion-Dontelle Barthelemy, Pit-Irene Sheades, Marchers-Justin Sheades and Dave O'Donnell.

Receiving 5 year pins were-Steve Conoscenti, Bill Flaker, Tommy Kaplan, Gary Smith, Brian Maroldt and Joe Brown.

Receiving diamond chips to add to their 10 year rings for years of service were Dondi Staffieri-15 years, Edgar Frazelle-15 years, John Curran Jr.-15 years, Tom Brady-25 years and Doug Oravez-35 years.

Rookie of the year was Alex Bowyer and Hurricane of the year was Amorette Languell.

Congratulations to all of the award winners this evening and to the entire corps for their achievements in 2007.

While 2007 came to a close, everyone in attendence looks with great anticipation to 2008, which kicks off on Sunday December 2 from 11-5 at the Seymour Rec. Center.

October 11, 2007: Hurcs Announce 2008 Design Team
Bernie Malesky, Executive Director/COO, excitedley announces the design team for 2008. Leading the team will be program coordinator JIM DUGAN. Also new to the Hurricanes, joining returning designer/arrangers Dave Dion, brass, and Philp Triani, guard, will be JAMEY THOMPSON, visual, and KEVIN MURPHY handling the percussion charts. After serving as the persussion caption head for the past three years, TIM HOLCOMB will serve as the front ensemble arranger. Also joining the corps for 2008 will be JEFF MITCHELL as program consultant.

The Hurricanes look forward to all these gentlemen working with the corps as they look to remain among the elite of DCA and challenge for the top spot in Rochester, NY at the DCA World Championships.