PASIC.org : PASIC Artists

Founded in 1967, the Santa Clara Vanguard is a modern drum and bugle corps based in Santa Clara, California. The Santa Clara Vanguard is a charter member of DCI, as well as the third most successful DCI member corps with six champion titles. A strong contender throughout the 1970s, the Vanguard has since returned to capture additional titles in the 1980s and 1990s. The corps is known for their strong percussion section, taking top honors in several world championships. The Santa Clara Vanguard stresses tradition. It is perhaps this, combined with the pioneering nature of Vanguard shows, which has made them one of the activity's most popular corps. Fans cite the 1989 Vanguard rendition of The Phantom of the Opera as one of their favorites. Other Vanguard traditions include an award-winning percussion ensemble that has captured numerous percussion captions, the long-standing corps director Gail Royer, who guided the corps from its inception to his death in 1993, and the famous Vanguard performance of the "Bottle Dance" from Fiddler on the Roof .