QCR Corps History

Queen City Royalaires

The concept for the Queen City Royalaires Senior Drum & Bugle Corps is solely the possession of John Bermudez. Mr. Bermudez is the veteran of junior and senior competitive drum corps, marching band, winter guard support and live popular music performance.

The Queen City Royalaires Foundation was formed in the spring of 2000 to assist in the development of a competitive senior drum & bugle corps in the Manchester, New Hampshire area. The foundation was created with the help of the National Heritage Foundation. All donations are fully tax deductible.

The corps was officially announced at the July 10, 2000 meeting of the Manchester Rotary Club. Members were treated to the playing of the National Anthem on baritone bugle by John Bermudez in full uniform. After Rotary business was concluded, Mr. Bermudez addressed the group and shared the story of his career in pageantry, his assessment of the unserved market in the region for a new competitive senior drum corps and fielded a lively question and answer session. Many members were familiar with the corps, mostly now folded, from the surrounding region. And many expressed enthusiasm for what such a group could mean to the community.

In an effort to consummate this concept and bring it to life with the least impact on already existing groups, the Royalaires participated in MiniCorps Competition at DCA Championship in Syracuse New York September 1, 2000.

The corps will not be active this season as other opportunities and obligations have made the appropriate preparations impossible. The foundation will continue and focus toward the 2002 competitive season.