The Bluecoats & Their Garden of Love Earn Silver Medal At Incredible 2023 World Championships

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Written By Mike Scott

On Saturday night the Bluecoats took home their third consecutive Silver Medal at the Drum Corps International World Championships, with a score of 97.738. The corps brought their 2023 production The Garden of Love to life in three incredible performances that left the World Championships crowd standing in uproarious ovation.

The corps, which has earned a medal in seven of the last eight years of DCI competition, brought The Garden of Love to life at more than 20 performances on an 8,000 mile summer tour across the United States.

Championships week begins each year with a stop at the corps’ “home show” - Innovations In Brass - a Bluecoats Summer Music Series event that allows the corps’ hometown crowd in Canton, OH to send off the corps to the World Championships. This year’s event - now located at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium - left the corps excited and ready to face more than 35 corps from around the world in championships competition.

“The Garden of Love was a level of production and ‘world creation’ that we’ve never attempted before. It’s a huge testament to our 165 amazing young performers that they’d join this strange journey of ours, bringing a garden full of flowers and avant-garde music to the football field,” said Mike Scott, CEO and co-director of the corps. “To bring this type of show to life for hundreds of thousands of fans and to achieve the absolute highest levels of excellence in performance, is a feat that they should be very proud of indeed.”

A Bluecoat reacts to the announcement of their second place finish.

A Bluecoat reacts to the announcement of their second place finish.

Two Bluecoats hug during the World Championships retreat.

Two Bluecoats hug during the World Championships retreat.

Also bringing great pride to Canton and the Bluecoats organization at the DCI World Championships was Rhythm IN BLUE - the Soundsport™️ team and program of Bluecoats that earned overall Best In Show and All-Age Best In Class at the Soundsport™️ International Music & Food Festival! This program, which aims to bring the Bluecoats Experience to more performers in an affordable and time-friendly program, was a resounding success in just its first year!

The Bluecoats organization congratulates gold medalists the Blue Devils and bronze medalists Carolina Crown for their outstanding performances and wonderful artistry. Additionally, we are so grateful for the countless donors, volunteers, fans, and supporters of Bluecoats who make a monumental season like this one possible.

Auditions for the 2024 Bluecoats and Rhythm IN BLUE are just a few short months away! Audition Experience Camps for the corps will be held in several locations across the United States, as well as virtual audition opportunities for both the corps and Rhythm IN BLUE.

To learn more about the audition process, and to sign-up to be the first to learn when registration opens, visit bluecoats.com/join.

Mike Scott
Mike Scott is a clinician, consultant, and the CEO of Rhythm X, Inc., a non-profit music education company in Dayton, Ohio. Mike earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 2012. There he studied percussion and conducting and completed the Farmer School of Business Summer Institute. Before beginning his career as an administrator and teacher, Mike was an active performer in the marching arts. In 2011 Mike was the conductor of the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps of Canton, Ohio and was a performer in Rhythm X’s percussion ensemble from 2011-2012. Mike was also a member of the Miami University Marching Band for four years, serving as the drum major during the 2011 and 2012 seasons. In 2013 Mike began work at Rhythm X, Inc. as the Operations Director, managing the business development and logistics of the organization. He was also the Director of Instrumental Music at St. Ursula Academy in Toledo, Ohio. There he taught band, orchestra, and general music in grades 6-12. Prior to the 2015 competitive season, Mike became the first full-time employee at Rhythm X, Inc. as the company’s CEO. There he works with the organization’s President Tim Fairbanks to develop the future strategy of the company. During the summer months, Mike travels the country with the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps as the group’s Tour Administrator. He has also served as the tour manager of The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps of Allentown, Pennsylvania. Mike proudly endorses Innovative Percussion, Etymotic Research, and Fred J. Miller Inc.
http://mikewscott.com
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