Since our founding thirteen years ago, the Field Band Foundation (FBF) has grown tremendously into a mature and goal achieving non-profit organisation, whose dream is to dramatically impact the lives of our economically challenged and often misguided youth through cheerful music and dance. With our incredible forthcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup performances, the FBF gains an opportunity to soar even higher and achieve global exposure.

‘We are convinced of the complementary character of the Vlamo (www.vlamo.be) support to the Field Band Foundation’, say Maarten Deschacht and Bart Tienpont at their arrival. This is also the main conclusion of the FBF after launching a Vlamo course about show design and percussion at the recently founded FBF Field Band Academy (http://www.fieldband.org.za/read_more.pdf) in Eshowe, Durban, South Africa. During the last three years Vlamo has been working closely together with the FBF providing teachers for yearly ‘teach the teachers’ workshops. This was accomplished with the financial support of the Flemish government. This year the Field Band Academy has been founded and Vlamo was kindly invited to provide educational support. The Field Band institute guarantees a solid base for a long-term cooperation between both organizations.

Sem Vanhessche and Maarten Descamps are joining the Kidsgrove Scouts this year. It is the first time that Belgians have joined an English drum & bugle corps. Reports of their experiences are published on Facebook and their website about the UK adventure. The 99 members of Kidsgrove Scouts will be travelling to America this year to participate in the Drum Corps Associates championships. "So basically we're killing two birds with one stone: first Belgians in an English corps and the first time that an English corps has participated in DCA", said Sem Vanhessche and Maarten Descamps.

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Text & photo: Drum Corps Europe

The Devils from Witzenhausen will participate in the DCE European Championships in Kerkrade this year. A spot freed up because the Senators have announced that they will not be competing this year. The Devils were the first corps on the waiting list for the DCE European Championships of 2010. Drum Corps Europe has invited the corps to participate and the invitation was accepted. DCE regrets that the Senators can't participate, but is happy to welcome a new debutant to the European Championships. With the addition of The Devils, three German corps will be competing on 25 September in the Parkstad Limburg Stadium: the Devils, the Starriders and Heartliner.

Text: Drum Corps Europe