Firebirds

The Firebirds drum and bugle corps was formed in the fall of 1976 with help from the recently defunct Phoenix senior corps.

The unit was a parade group in its formative years and entered the field of competition in 1980 and began touring the following season with appearances in the 1981 World Open “Class B” preliminary round, placing 19^th, the Drum Corps New York (DCNY) “Class A” circuit championships, finishing in 4^th position and the DCI “Class A” prelims, where they finished in 38^th place. The corps extended its touring performances, competing in the 1982 DCI East & DCI Midwest regionals, finishing 17^th & 12^th respectively and the preliminaries in the Key to the Sea & American International Open (AIO) contests with 14^th & 24^th place finishes. They improved to a 28^th place finish in the DCI “Class A” prelims and defended their 4^th position in the DCNY circuit. 

In 1983, the Firebirds achieved impressive results by earning a finalist position in both the AIO & US Open “Class A” regionals, with 11^th & 10^th
place rankings respectively  along with 10^th & 13^th place in the DCI Midwest & Drum Corps East (DCE) championships, a 14^th finish in the Key to the Sea Open prelims and 3^rd position in the DCNY circuit. The following season saw the corps merge with the Cadets of Upstate New York to form the Northmen. After two seasons of success, the Northmen went inactive in 1986 and then split from the Firebirds in 1987, who reorganized as a member of the DCNY circuit, competing from 1988 to 1992. They placed 2^nd in the 1988 & 1990 “Class C” division and 2^nd (1991), 3^rd (1992) & 4^th place (1989) in the “Class B” category.  

The Rochester unit returned to regional competitions with appearances in the 1993 DCI East & DCE “Division III” contests, placing 11^th & 12^th respectively and another 3^rd place finish in the DCNY circuit. The 1994 season saw the corps participate in the Canadian & North American Open regional, placing 18^th & 22^nd in the “Division III” prelims, concluding with a 36ht place finish in the DCI preliminaries. In their final year of competition, the Firebirds ended the season in 40^th position the DCI “Division III” championships.

They disbanded in 1996.

Paul Legault (DCX)

LOADING.....