Up Close With Scott Atchison and Mike McIntosh
Two New Members of The Cavaliers Team

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 - 5:11 PM
By Michael Boo
Posted by David Flynn

By now, you’ve likely heard that The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps has a new brass caption head and a new percussion caption supervisor and battery arranger. While you may have read their bios, you might be interested in learning more about their accomplishments, their philosophies, and how they plan on carrying on the proud tradition of Cavaliers excellence.


SCOTT ATCHISON

Scott Atchison, our new brass caption head, lives in Rockwall, TX. He has a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of North Texas, a master’s degree in conducting from the University of Tennessee, and has completed the coursework for a doctorate in conducting from the University of Washington, where he worked with longtime Cavaliers’ arranger Tim Salzman. He is in his second year as Associate Director of Bands at Texas A&M University-Commerce.

Scott saw his first drum corps show in 1996 and was instantly hooked, enough so that he auditioned for the Blue Devils and was awarded a mellophone spot in 1997. He then became the corps’ drum major for 1998-1999. In 2002, he worked with the Blue Devils as a visual tech and scored his first job as a brass head with the Troopers in 2007. His work and success with the Troopers the past three seasons provides a glimpse of what we can expect with him at The Cavaliers.

The year 2007 required instructors and members to have a lot of faith in what the Troopers could become. When Scott showed up for the corps’ first camp, they had no uniforms, no drums or horns and only half a staff. The corps also only had 18 potential members show up. And yet, due in large part to Scott’s hard work and relentless recruiting, the corps ended up marching 64 horns that season, the most the corps had marched in 20 years.

He remembers that 2007 was all about laying the groundwork for the future, adding, “When you build a program from the ground up, you learn a lot about how things are put together. It helps one see the big picture.” In 2008, he had 40 members from the 2007 line return to move the corps forward, and in fact, over his three years with the corps, only four horn line members moved on to other corps between seasons. Even with the most competitive of corps, that would be an impressive retention rate. It is even more so considering that one member lived in the city of another corps and a couple others had tried to make the other corps before coming to the Troopers.

Scott’s teaching style is such that members not only improve their own brass performance techniques; they also have enough fun doing so that they develop an increased attraction to the corps in which they are marching. Scott admits, “I learned how to be a better teacher from drum corps; such as how to break things down in sequence. I am super- passionate about what I do and pour everything I’ve got into rehearsals. Members find me to be animated and relentless in making things better.”

While Troopers 2008 was about getting more of the right people in place, 2009 was all about rehearsing more efficiently. Scott made sure that Troopers’ members this past season got more sleep, which helped them retain what they were learning. The corps also ate and traveled better. After what he accomplished in helping bring the Troopers back to the DCI World Championship Finals for the first time since 1986, wasn’t it hard to leave the corps? Yes, especially since he loves the Troopers tradition and had nothing but the best experiences with other staff members.

However, Scott admits he was ready for a change and the chance to work with The Cavaliers was impossible to pass up. “The Cavaliers has always been one of my favorite drum corps. The corps is bigger than DCI or what placement they get, and everyone knows they treat people really well.”

If you’re thinking about auditioning and are not sure if you have a chance to make the corps, Scott has a message for you. “If you’re on the fence about auditioning, you should definitely try out. If you don’t show up, your chances of making it are zero. I never thought I would make a world class drum corps the first time I auditioned…I wasn't in band in high school and never marched before. Yet I made the corps because I worked hard and I did my best."

“Even if you don’t make it, show up for the audition and learn a lot of stuff…how to play better, how to teach better. If just half what you learn during the audition camp sinks into your brain, you’ll be better for it. Anyone who shows up will have a great experience.”

MICHAEL McINTOSH

Mike McIntosh is no stranger to The Cavaliers, having come aboard as a snare tech in 1998 and serving as caption head from 2000 through 2003. He is returning this year as one of two percussion designers and caption supervisor after working on the design staff of the Bluecoats the past five seasons and also serving as that corps’ music coordinator.

He comes from an interesting background, having played saxophone in the Brentwood, TN high school band. Wanting to march drum corps, he began playing the snare in 1985 and made the Blue Devils snare line in 1988, becoming section leader in 1990. Mike took the summer of 1991 off and then taught the Nite Express from 1992-1996 and the Blue Knights in 1997 prior to coming to The Cavaliers.

He enjoyed his first stint with The Cavaliers, stating, "I worked with an amazing staff but wanted to expand my role. I wanted to design, and got that opportunity with the Bluecoats as one of two percussion designers and the music coordinator. The Bluecoats were very accomodating and are an extremely well run organization. I learned how to build a program and mentor a great staff. I learned how lucky I was to have the experiences I had with The Cavaliers and was able to infuse that into the Bluecoats experience."

And now, he brings to The Cavaliers the experiences he had during the Bluecoats’ most successful years ever.

In addition to his role as percussion designer on the staff of the Carmel High School Marching Greyhounds, one of the top marching ensembles in the country, he is a full-time student at Butler University, majoring in music theory and composition and an adjunct music faculty member at Marian University. Mike took the summer of 2009 off from drum corps after teaching 19 of the prior 20 years. He was planning on spending more time away from drum corps, but proclaims, “The opportunity to work with such a prestigious team was too special to pass up. Drum corps is fun for me; it’s about creating art with friends and The Cavaliers represent just that chance."

"As a percussion staff, we're very respectful and reverent of the brotherhood and traditions of The Cavaliers. A tradition of excellence is very important to us. The staff believes in a professional, educationally sound environment. We teach our players not just to drum, but to teach as well. We want to push the boundaries of the activity. Life's too short to not try to push things to the edge. In the past, I've not been afraid to take chances with the musical scoring. With the top-notch staff we've assembled here at The Cavaliers, I feel very comfortable pushing the boundaries a bit."

Mike also wishes to address those who are thinking of auditioning, but for whatever reasons aren't quite sure if they should. “I was cut from The Cavaliers in 1987. That experience made me realize it’s not the end of the world and you can spin that into a positive just as I have."

“I’m extremely excited about the opportunities to stretch the limits as a percussion section. I’m also excited about the modern edge as a percussion design team I think we’ll bring to the table. I am really into working with and complimenting Erik Johnson's front ensemble and also Tom Mcgillen's electronic choir as well. I feel like I’m home again with The Cavaliers and I hope everybody that’s auditioning realizes that they have a chance to make this corps their home as well."

“If you would enjoy playing a book that is going to try to push the boundaries, we’d love to have you!”