McGuire's Pipes and Drums major was 69

From staff reports

The face of McGuire's Pipes and Drums band has gone to his rest.

Michael Zipay, drum major and leader of the Irish restaurant's signature band, died Sunday, the anniversary of his last march with the band. He was 69.

The Milton man, a fixture in the local band for nearly 20 years, last performed on Oct. 12, 2007.

"He was getting to the point where he couldn't march anymore," his daughter, Cheryl Kirby, said Monday.

His bandmates performed Sunday at the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church Festival in Milton and announced Mr. Zipay's death before playing "Amazing Grace" in his honor.

Mr. Zipay was diagnosed in June with scleroderma, an immune system disorder in which the skin thickens and hardens.

Mr. Zipay was a familiar face to many Pensacolians who never knew his name, his daughter said. He marched in untold numbers of parades and performed for countless audiences over the years.

"A lot of people are going to miss my daddy and they don't even know it," Kirby said.

A Vietnam veteran, Mr. Zipay will be laid to rest in his military dress blues. He served in the Marines for 20 years and was a drum major in the drum and bugle corps from 1971-1980. He had a colorful career with the Marines, performing with the band on "The Red Skelton Show" in the early 1960s; "The Bob Hope Show" in the 1970s and various other programs.

His band also marched during famous events such as Mardi Gras and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

He and his second wife, Beverly Zipay, retired to the Pensacola area. Around 1989, he joined the McGuire's Pipes and Drums band and became its drum major, performing regularly at the local restaurant and at events around the region.

"They have a great person to replace him, but he had style," Kirby said. "We're going to miss him greatly."

That sentiment was echoed by bandmate Wayne Willis, pipe major. "Mikey" was a friend to everyone in the band, Willis said. He knew what he was doing, and it showed.

"Mikey looked like a drum major," Willis said.

Mr. Zipay was tall, confident and made a visual impact. Photographers always wanted a picture of him directing the band in his plaid, Willis recalled. "He was always dressed out in the full regalia of a drum major."

Mr. Zipay is survived by his third wife, Patricia; four daughters: Cheryl Kirby, Delores Lemke, Donna Brandenburg and Debbie Thompson; five stepchildren, 15 grandchildren; and four sisters.

Visitation is from 5 to 7 p.m. tonight at Faith Chapel Funeral Home South. Services are at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

By: Lisa DiMatteo, Collegian Staff
Posted: 10/1/08
The Minutemen Marching Band's associate director, Thomas Hannum, was recognized for his life-long and world-wide influence and achievements in the world of percussion when he was inducted into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame this past August.

The Drum Corps Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to the honoring of people, such as Hannum, who have dedicated themselves to furthering and improving drum and bugle corps.

Aside from working as the Associate Director of the marching band at the University of Massachusetts since 1984, Hannum has also become known worldwide as a talented percussionist, teacher and clinician. The Drum Corps Hall of Fame recognized Hannum for his dedication, achievements and leadership skills that have influenced drum corps internationally.

Although Hannum has been passionate about music and drum corps ever since he first joined at nine years old, he didn't always view it as a career option. Going into college, Hannum didn't know how to read music because, in his drum corps, he was taught to play through a "listen, learn, and imitate" technique. So when he entered into his freshman year at West Chester University in Pennsylvania, he thought he was going to become a history teacher.

"I knew I loved to teach, so I figured I could be a teacher and have my summers off to teach the drums," Hannum said. So, he auditioned for the marching band at West Chester University and made the cut.

Through hard work, determination and a work ethic that he attributes to the hours of practice and commitment he endured during his younger years in the drum corps, Hannum graduated from West Chester University and entered into the graduate music program here at UMass. He worked as a teacher's assistant for the drum line and, after graduating with a masters in music, was offered the position as associate director of the marching band, one he currently holds.

Hannum, as well as teaching, has become involved with the corporate side of music; acting as a product consultant for major instrument-making companies. He said that the induction ceremony, which took place in Rochester, New York at the end of August, "brought me back to when I was nine years old and whole families were involved in [drum corps]."

He said, "[it] reminded me of why I got started, families at the ceremony are doing it because they love doing it."

The ceremony, Hannum said, was about "more passion and less corporate view."

While Hannum believes he has been extremely fortunate to be successful in a career that he loves, he is also quick to point out that at the beginning of his college education he really wasn't sure what his path would be.

"My story is that it really never is too late to do something you want to do," Hannum said. "It's important to bring in the idea that when you do go to school not everyone starts off knowing what they want to do, but it is never too late."

Lisa DiMatteo can be reached at ldimatte@student.umass.edu.

Plymouth-based BodyWorks Healing Center celebrates 10 years' of business with an open house celebration 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20.

To help celebrate the event, there will be free refreshments, chair massages, amethyst bio-mat sessions and informational sessions.

"We've treasured being a part of the Plymouth community and want to say 'thank you' to the residents and to all of our customers who've helped us get to 10 years," said Dave Krajovic, co-founder of BodyWorks Healing Center with his wife, Pat.

BodyWorks Healing Center is located at 819 N. Mill in Plymouth.

Voted "Best of the Best" by Allure Magazine, BodyWorks Healing Center is a holistic healing center that encourages the natural healing process through a variety of modern and ancient practices, including deep tissue massage, cranio-sacral therapy, Reiki, reflexology and transformational breathing.

Owned by Dave and Pat Krajovic, BodyWorks is located in a 19th-century frame house in Plymouth. For more information visit the firm's Web site at www.BodyWorksHealingCenter.com

For more information about the open house, call (734) 416-5200.

Fife-Drum Corps does tour

The 48-member Plymouth Fife and Drum Corps, headed by Drum Major Jenine Rowe, along with 25 chaperones, participated in their annual 10-day tour Aug. 3-13.

Their final destination took them to the USS Yorktown at Patriots Point, S.C., where they performed on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier.

Along the way, there were many other performances including Old Salem, North Carolina; Historic Brattonsville and Fort Moultrie, S.C.

The Plymouth Fie and Drum Corps is a self-funded organization formed in 1971 to help preserve the art of fifing and drumming. It consists of young adults ranging in age from 12 to 18 years.

Currently, the Corps is recruiting new members. Anyone interested in making new friends, traveling on tour each summer, accomplishing musical excellence through the fife or drums or learning precision marching with the guard, should plan on attending a parent/student meeting at Salem High School Choir Room 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20. No experience necessary.

For more information, contact the PFDC at PFDCPresident@gmail.com or check out www.pfdc.us

The alumni of the Stateliners Senior and Junior Drum and Bugle Corps are planning a reunion for all former members and instructors on Columbus Day Weekend, Oct. 11 and 12.

 

The Stateliners Drum and Bugle Corps of Greenwich, Connecticut was organized in October 1958, with the sole purpose of providing music for the members of the Byram Veterans Association in parades.

Originally consisting of fifes, drums and bugles, the Stateliners’ officers quickly decided to switch to the Drum and Bugle Corps format. The Stateliners Senior Drum and Bugle Corps made its first appearance at the Byram Memorial Day Parade in 1959. Membership consisted mainly of World War II and Korean War veterans who were already members of the Byram Veterans Association. In 1960 however, the corps came to a standstill due to a lack of interest by the original members. The corps began rebuilding by hiring drum corps instructors and rehearsing more modern drum and bugle corps-style music. On Memorial Day 1961, the corps included 47 members — 25 bugles, 12 drums, nine flags and one drum major. The year 1961 also saw the corps make its march and maneuvering debut performance at its very own drum corps contest, the “Stateline Review,” on Saturday, Aug. 5.

After various reincarnations, the stateliners became a self-supporting junior drum & bugle corps. Keeping its distinctive black, white and gold colors, the junior unit started with six horn players, three drummers, borrowed equipment and uniforms. All members were younger than 18. From 1967 through 1969, as the corps grew in size, these young corps members entered quartet and individual competitions and competed successfully. The corps also marched in numerous parades throughout Connecticut and New York.

In the winter of 1969, the Stateliner all-girl color guard made its debut in the All-American and New England Indoor Pageantry Association color guard circuits. The next year, 1970 saw the Stateliners Color Guard successfully earning championship titles in both circuits.

In January 1970, the Stateliners Junior Drum & Bugle Corps entered the Yankee Class “B” and Northeastern Marching & Maneuvering Circuits. With 24 horn players, 13 drummers, 18 flags, three rifles and one drum majorette, the Stateliners set off to prepare for drum corps field competition. The corps had Ray Luedee of the Connecticut Hurricanes working the drum line, the legendary Robert “Pepe” Nataro teaching the horns, and Hy Dreitzer of New York Skyliner fame writing the music. Assistant Corps Director Lou Fudale Sr. wrote and taught the drill and Bobby Montagnese, the youngest guard instructor in the East, taught the color guard. At the end of their first competition season, the Stateliners had won the Northeastern Circuit, and Yankee Circuit Class “B” Championships, and also placed 10th in Class “B” at the World Open in Lynn, Mass.

The corps earned numerous awards throughout its inaugural season, including first place and best drum majorette in all but two competitions, high drums and color guard in every competition, and an elusive high horn trophy to cap off a clean sweep of all categories at both championship contests.

The Stateliners competed against many talented drum corps from Connecticut and the New York metropolitan region but the Stateliners’ biggest competitors were their in-state rivals, the Milford Shoreliners, the Emerald Cadets of New Haven and the New London Surfers.

The Stateliners continued several more years in junior corps competition, and finally stopped competing in the fall of 1976. Much of the group’s equipment was donated to the Greenwich Boys and Girls Club and other youth organizations. Many members went on to become music teachers, studio musicians, college professors, police officers, nurses, doctors, and local business owners.

For information about the reunion, call Barb (Fano) Finn, 43 Moshier St., Greenwich, CT 06831, call 531-4439 or e-mail george.finn@verizon.net.This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
 
 

Hi Guys !!
I'm Lionel from Switzerland. I love drums and drumline and i would introduce you a new Drum Corps from my country !
The Orange Blue Drum Corps.

see this movies on youtube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BClYpStHnsI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXkW23hUmEI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae_qXY5mMBs

thx for your comments and have a wonderful day !!

With Musical Regards...

lio