Molly Tittler a mellophone player third from left, during a DCI performance in Allentown, PA Molly Tittler (Class of GCHS ‘03) represented Garden City, and Long Island, in the recent DCI (Drum Corps International) Finals held at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA. As a 2 nd year member of Division I Boston Crusaders, Molly spent 3 weeks in late May and June with 134 other focused young performers, building an 11 minute show. They practiced twelve hours per day and slept on the gym floor at a New Hampshire school, perfecting music and drill, then took “the show on the road” - travelling roughly 10,000 miles by bus around the country. Competitions occurred roughly every other night, against 23 other Division I “teams”, in stadiums, on football fields, and once, even on a baseball field. The performers finish shows by about 11 pm or midnight, then travel by bus to the next town/state, sleep on high school gym floors, then practice for 5-6 hours in preparation for the evening’s competition.

The Crusaders in constant motion - pit, color guard, horns and drums. This year’s Finals were held in Foxboro, MA, in front of thirty-five thousand fans. The Crusaders came in 9 th in the country, and the whole competition will be shown on ESPN2 from 10 pm until midnight, on Tues. Sept. 6 th. Why not TIVO, IO, or watch this incredible show? There are competitors, (including an entire corps from Japan), from all over the country and the world. There is even a movement on to re-create a Division I Drum Corps on Long Island (there were many Division II’s and III’s until economic downturns in the 70’s and 80’s). Call John Oddo - 631-338-7554, for information. Molly, a third-year Music Ed. Major at Hofstra University, currently is on staff with Garden City High School’s Marching Band. The Band not only performs at half-time shows for G.C. Football games, but marches in parades, has performed at Shea Stadium twice, and competes at High Schools across Nassau throughout the Fall. Molly has never forgotten the fun and comeraderie that she experienced with Garden City, from 1998 - the Fall of 2002, and hopes to be a Band Director herself, in a few years.