Larry McCormick, a key figure in the development of drum corps education, passed away on July 16 at the age of 88. Drum Corps International reported his death.
A native of the Chicagoland area, McCormick marched in The Cavaliers drum lines in the mid-1950s and later served as their arranger and primary instructor from 1962 to 1971. He also composed for and taught the Madison Scouts during that same period.
“Larry’s charts for the day were extremely musical,” said Dennis DeLucia, a DCI Hall of Fame member. Tom Blair, another DCI Hall of Fame member who worked with McCormick, stated that he was ‘a decade ahead in the use of video for education.’
McCormick’s work significantly impacted marching band education and helped shape the modern drum corps landscape. He launched Marching Bands of America in 1975, which became Bands of America and now operates under the banner of Music For All. The McCormick family has established the Larry McCormick Family Legacy Fund for Music Education through the Central Indiana Community Foundation in his memory.
For more information, visit dci.org.