Colts And Yamaha Announce Partnership

November 24, 2004

The Colts organization and Yamaha Corporation of America are pleased to announce the formation of a formal partnership for the 2005 season and beyond.

The Colts will play Yamaha brass and percussion instruments exclusively, including new battery and melodic percussion instruments and all new brass.

"The change-over to all Bb instruments was in our 5 year plan for this season, but we had not planned on percussion as well. As we worked with Yamaha, however, it became apparent that our two organizations were very much aligned and a perfect fit together." said Greg Orwoll, Executive Director of the Colts. "The decision to accept this offer from Yamaha was an easy one. Yamaha brings to our organization everything we need in terms of top-quality instruments, a strong commitment to education and exemplary service and support."

The partnership goes beyond just the open-class Colts corps to include the Colt Cadets and other Colts-sponsored local programs as well.

"We're excited to get the chance to work with the entire Colts organization during the 2005 DCI season and beyond. Their commitment to music and youth is clear with the high quality of all their program offerings. From the Division I Drum Corps down to the younger student programs like the Dubuque Area Summer Band, it's clear that the entire Colts organization is a valuable partner with Yamaha in Music Education," said Kurt Witt, Yamaha's Marketing Manager for Wind Instruments.

Witt continued, "There are a number of other corps that had expressed interest in playing Yamaha, but to be honest, we were really looking for quality rather than quantity. And with the addition of the Colts I feel like we've really got quality organizations in DCI playing Yamaha products."

Orwoll expects to have the complete line of new Yamaha brass instruments, except tubas, in hand for the Colts audition weekend December 17-19 in Dubuque. The battery and most of the melodic instruments will be delivered for the first camp as well. More information about Colts rehearsals can be found at www.colts.org.

The Colts join the Cavaliers, the Cadets, Crossmen and Bluecoats in playing Yamaha instruments exclusively in Drum Corps International.

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