News release
A group of students and alumni from various Santa Clarita Valley high schools, including Castaic, Saugus, Hart and Valencia, have represented the community on the world stage at the 2024 Drum Corps International World Championship held in Indianapolis.
These young musicians were members of the Gold Drum and Bugle Corps, based in San Diego, which earned a bronze medal in the highly competitive Open Class division, according to a news release from the organization.
The students, who were selected through a rigorous audition process from hundreds of candidates, have been training and practicing since February in preparation for this achievement. “Their dedication and hard work paid off as they toured across the country, performing in California, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana, before reaching the DCI World Championship,” the release said.
The Gold Drum and Bugle Corps, established in 2005, is a premier ensemble known for its commitment to excellence, innovation and education in the marching arts, the release said. Gold provides young musicians and performers with the opportunity to develop their talents in a challenging yet supportive environment. The corps’ dedication to musical and visual excellence has earned them a respected place in the marching community, consistently placing them among the top competitors in the Open Class division, the release said.
“We are incredibly proud of these young adults,” Kevin Valentine, executive director of the Gold Drum and Bugle Corps, said in the release. “Their commitment and dedication have been outstanding, and they have represented Santa Clarita and their respective high schools with honor. Competing and excelling at the DCI World Championship is a dream for many in the marching arts, and these students have made it a reality.”
Local students who performed include:
• Liam Lafferty, Castaic High School, 2026.
• Everett Montemayor, Castaic High School, 2024.
• Morgan Montemayor, Castaic High School, 2027
• Robert Grunbok, Hart High School, 2023
• Bri Sutton, Saugus High School, 2025.
• Rodrigo Del Rio, Saugus High School, 2024.
• Michael Clouse, Saugus High School, 2026.
• Spencer Clouse, Saugus High School, 2027.
• Alex Kwon, Valencia High School, 2025.
• Olivia Siroky, Hart High School, 2021.
