Season Summaries (2013–present)
2023 • INVASION
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Directors: Ben Chaffee, Dylan Kucinski
Drum Majors: Holden Taylor, Kaley Bennitt, Lauren Nalle
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For decades, audiences have been captivated by accounts of otherworldly encounters.
From the chilling suspense of "The War of the Worlds," to the unexplained crop circles in "Signs" and the epic battle for Earth's survival in "Independence Day," these iconic alien movies have left an indelible mark on our collective imagination.
For our 2023 program, INVASION, the White Sabers draw inspiration from these films and more.
The program opens with a startling interruption to a 1940’s radio broadcast, setting the stage for an intriguing and nostalgic adventure. From eerie blue lights in the sky to mysterious crop circles in the fields, tension builds with each scene. Witness an abduction, an alien ship landing, and a heart-stopping invasion that threatens our world's very existence. Will humanity be able to fight against the alien threat? Should normalcy be restored, you'll be left in awe of the triumph and determination of the human spirit.
The 2023 Corps earned the Open Class awards for High Brass, High Visual, and Best Colorguard.
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The Hand of Fate, Pt. 1 (from Signs) by James Newton Howard / Lightning Field by John Mackey / The Darkest Day, Fire Storm, and The Day We Fight Back (from Independence Day) by David Arnold
Heavy Metal • 2022
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Directors: Ben Chaffee, Dylan Kucinski
Drum Majors: Lindsay Lavicka, Holden Taylor
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The White Sabers came back from the 2021 virtual season with a crowd favorite show featuring the music of Metallica. "Heavy Metal" takes us through the attempts of ancient alchemy to turn base metals into gold. With a color palette featuring golds, silvers, and bronzes (heavy metals) and a music book consisting of Metallica hits "Enter Sandman" and "Nothing Else Matters" combined with instrumental pieces by Joseph Curiale and Alexander Mosolov, the White Sabers rocked out throughout the northeast before returning to Rochester NY for the 2022 DCA Championships, breaking 90 and having over a 5 point increase from the 2021 production.
During the 2022 season, the corps officially relocated from their historic home of Danvsille, NY to the Rochester suburb of Gates, NY.
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Iron Foundry by Alexander Mosolov
Enter Sandman, Nothing Else Matters, Battery, and For Whom the Bell Tolls by Metallica
Gates of Gold by Joseph Curiale
2021 • Brave New World
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Directors: Ben Chaffee, Dylan Kucinski
Drum Majors: Melissa Jaeger, Lindsay Lavicka
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During the COVID-19 lockdown, many of us weren't sure what the future of drum corps would look like. The show and season that we had planned for 2020 was cancelled, and many corps were in rough shape financially without tuition, bingo, or fundraising.
In 2021 the White Sabers began their comeback with the show "Brave New World" which reflected on our lives on Zoom and trying to do drum corps through... computers. The show used arrangements of Canon in D, New World Symphony, Alone by Marshmallow, Rise Up, and Ode to Joy.
We came back smaller, did not travel outside Rochester, and competed virtually, but we successfully built the bridge to 2022 and beyond. We finished sixth in DCA with a score of 85.60.
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Canon in D - Pachelbel
New World Symphony - Dvorak
Alone - Marshmello
Rise Up - Andrea Day
Ode to Joy - Beethoven
2019 • 007 — Becoming Bond
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Directors: Pete Amico, Ben Chaffee
Drum Majors: Joanna Rocco, Mikayla Brown
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The name's Bond. James Bond.
The popular British spy was the theme of the White Sabers' 2019 production "007 - Becoming Bond." When Bond falls in love with a girl that gets killed in arms, he seeks revenge on the killers and finds his true identity: Bond... James Bond.
The 2019 show finished an all-time best 4th place in finals with a score of 91.95.
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You Know My Name (from Casino Royale) / Welcome To Cuba (from Die Another Day) / Skyfall / Live and Let Die / Goldeneye
2018 • cOnvErgence
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Directors: Pete Amico
Drum Majors: Melissa Jaeger, Kim Miller
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The 2018 White Sabers capitalized on its success in 2017 and designed an extremely challenging and entertaining show in 2018. "cONvErgence" used the Stranger Things theme, Asphalt Cocktail, Say Something, and The Firebird as the musical soundboard of a visually colorful program. The show utilized five different colored tarps and matching guard uniforms that would gradually change during the show.
The 2018 show finished 5th in prelims and 7th in finals with a score of 91.738.
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Theme from Stranger Things by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein
Asphalt Cocktail by John Mackey
"Say Something" by Ian Axel
Selection from The Firebird by Igor Stravinsky
2017 • WaterwayS
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Director: Pete Amico
Drum Majors: Matthews Jaeger, Raymond Jones
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The 2017 White Sabers made a switch from their traditional uniforms and Aussies to a more modern appearance featuring lighter colored tops and shakos.
The 2017 show would finish fifth at finals with a score of 93.380, which remains the highest White Sabers score in history. WaterwayS featured the music of Eric Whitacre, Michael Daugherty, and Simon and Garfunkel to portray all things water.
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Selections from: Waterways by Ludovico Einaudi, Equus by Eric Whitacre and Rain by Brian Balmages / "Bridge over Troubled Water" by Paul Simon / Selection from Niagara Falls by Michael Daugherty
2016 • Unrequited
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Director: Leslie Amico
Drum Major: Raymond Jones
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2016 was the Corps' second year competing in DCA's Open Class, the highest division offered at that date. We steadily built in numbers as well as culture. This would be the last year in our traditional blue uniforms.
Our show was entitled "Unrequited" and featured Piano Sonata No. 14, Romeo and Juliet, and My Immortal by Evanescence, as well as additional Beethoven pieces.
The Corps scored an 89.550 at prelims and placed 7th at finals, both highs for the group.
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Selections from: Piano Sonata No. 14 by Ludwig van Beethoven and Romeo and Juliet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky / "Dance of the Knights" (from Romeo and Juliet) by Sergei Prokofiev / "Marche au supplice" (from Symphonie fantastique) by Hector Berlioz / No. 1. "Andante sostenuto" (from Symphony No. 4) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky / II. “Allegretto" (from Symphony No. 7) by Ludwig van Beethoven / "My Immortal" by Evanescence
2015 • Incantation, Ritual & Danse
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Directors: Leslie Amico
Drum Majors: Raymond Jones
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After back-to-back A Class Championships, the 2015 White Sabers joined DCA's Open Class. We were quickly growing in size and talent. The show used music from Rite of Spring, Incantation and Dance, Cirque du Soleil's Quidam, Alanis Morissette's Uninvited, and Danse Bacchanale. The corps finished in eighth place at open class finals with a score of 88.33.
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Selections from: The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky, Incantation and Dance by John Barnes Chance / "Incantation" (from Quidam) by Benoit Jutras / "Uninvited" by Alanis Morissette / "Danse Bacchanale" (from Samson and Delilah) by Camille Saint-Saëns
2014 • Arabian Nights
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Director: Pete Amico
Drum Majors: Matthew Jaeger
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2014 was a historical year for the White Sabers. We marched the class A limit of 65 members, several of whom came from the Empire Statesmen following their final season in 2013. The show was called Arabian Nights and used the music of Scheherazade, Miserlou, and Nights in White Satin.
The 2014 White Sabers received a score of 88.60 at finals, sweeping every caption and ranking 8th place across DCA Classes. The White Sabers' score of 88.60 remains untouched as the highest score ever earned by a class A corps.
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2013 • Fanfare for a New World
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Directors: Pete Amico
Drum Majors:
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In 2013, White Sabers were from Dansville, New York and we rehearsed out of the Livingston County Highway Department in the winters, the Dansville Airport during the summers, and slept in the original Bingo Hall in downtown Dansville.
The White Sabers won its first DCA championship with a score of 85.93 in Annapolis, MD — the highest score in corps history at the time. The corps outscored the Govenaires, Sun Devils, and Windsor Regiment in Class A Finals. The corps earned top honors in the visual, percussion, color guard, brass, and music effect captions.
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Selections from: Fanfare for a New Era by Jack Stamp, Symphony No. 9 by Antonín Dvořák and Dance of the New World by Dana Wilson / "Overture" and "New World" from Selmasongs by Björk