Hawthorne Caballeros Open House Success

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The Hawthorne Caballeros fresh off a very highly successful 2014 season, have reloaded for the 2015 season at a great Open House weekend. All sections were overflowing with returning and potential members who got right down to work on their 2015 program. The very large horn line had the opening number and the ballad learned and played by the end of the weekend. The color guard and percussion sections were also hard at work with large numbers hoping to secure a starting position in the line.

This season the Caballeros have seven members from Canada returning to the corps who make the long drive down to practices from December to August. Also there are several foreign members mainly from Japan who also be returning as they have done in the past. The fall recruiting was very successful as they used New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Long Island to bring in new members. Several members of this years corps have college band experience and still march in their respective, while a great many members have DCI seasons under their belts. The corps appears to be much younger than last season which is due in part to the strong recruiting that was done in the fall.

At the awards banquet during Open House weekend, Jessie Skinner was named Caballero of the Year. Jessie was the featured solo dancer in last years ” Entrapment ” program and was thrilled to receive that honor.

In 2015 the Caballeros will present ” Unchained ” as their program selection with hopes of pushing the envelope to a DCA Championship that eluded them last season. This years show is a continuation of their 2014 program with hopes of taking it to the next level. Every one of us throughout our lives has chains that bind us. The 2015 program will depict how we can transform from being ” Entrapped “, ” Bound “, and ” Restrained ” to breaking all the chains and becoming free! Led by program coordinator Clifford Bialkin, the 2015 show will feature original music and arrangements by Key Poulin and Rob Ferguson. The show will visually be brought to life by drill designer Drew Farmer and color guard designers Bobbey Biddle and Matthew Hurley. The music selections are broken into four parts with ” Entrapped/Bound “, ” Restrained “, ” Unchained” , and ” Free ” as the titles of the four movements. The Caballeros will be led onto the field by first year Drum Major Addison Shableski. Addison will be assisted by Chris Fontanelle, Trish Trackim, and first year assistant Joshua Jenkins.

This years staff includes Cliff Bialkin as show and staff coordinator and assisted by Lou Stork. Brass Caption Head is Russ Batsch and Co Caption Head Adam Freeman with brass arrangements by Key Poulan. Percussion Caption Head is Mark Garside while Rob Ferguson is the Percussion Battery Arranger as well as the Front Ensemble Arranger. The visual Caption Head is Matt Young and the Visual Designer is Drew Farmer. Color guard designers are Bobbey Biddle and Matt Hurley.

Even though the Hawthorne Caballeros did not capture the gold in Rochester, look for them to come out in 2015 much stronger and with the same goal in mind. Thanks to the entire staff of the Caballeros and especially Tom Beebe, Public Relations Manager, for his guided tour and input with this article.

Bill Flaker
DCA PR Team