The Latest News and Upcoming Events
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Towpath Volunteers, current and past, are special people. Many not
only excel at fife and drum, but in other activities as well. This page is
not only dedicated to the Towpath Volunteers as a group, but to these
special people, who together make the Towpath Volunteers Fife and Drum
Corps great! |
| Local Ensemble Performs in France |
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Bonjour! The Towpath Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps from Macedon made a triumphant return from a fife
and drum festival in France. The musical group was the first American fife and drum corp to attended
the Fête du Fifre in Saint-Tropez along with corps from Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, and France.
The 2-day event included several parades and performances, and a evening
performance at the Citadel. At the end of the performance, all the corps – which included over 300
fifers and drummers – played a piece together, which was specifically written for this event. The trip started early Wednesday morning September 14th with a 6:00 AM bus ride from Macedon to Kennedy Airport in New York City. The overnight flight to Nice, France took 7 hours and the group arrived around 8:00 AM local time the next morning. Greeted by their hosts from the St. Tropez fife and drum corps, the group toured the beautiful city of Nice and the incredible beaches along the Mediterranean. On the way to Saint Tropez, the corps also toured Cannes, home of the famous Film Festival. The handprints laid in the sidewalk reminded everyone of the famous Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard. Upon arriving in Saint Tropez, the host group held a reception lunch-in. Afterwards, the group prepared for its first official performance, a laying of a wreath at the U. S. memorial and monument in memory of those soldiers who died in the invasion to liberate Saint Tropez from the Nazis in World War II. What the Towpath Volunteers anticipated as a small private affair turned out to be a formal ceremony as the group arrived to police presence to control the crowd. Speeches given by local politicians including the Mayor Jean-Pierre Tuveri of Saint Tropez, former French Military dressed in uniforms, and a bugler. Several members of the Towpath Volunteers Honor Guard played music while the ceremony organized. The Militia, Color Guard, and a few Honor Guard members participated, displaying our country’s flag and playing the National Anthem. The wreath was laid by Rene Rochietta, the president of the host fife and drum corps, the Mayor, and Paul Willson, representing the Towpath Volunteers. The first day ended with the members from both corps dining and playing fifes and drums together at the Volunteers motel. Friday had the Volunteers receiving guided tours of Saint Tropez. The beauty of the quaint narrow streets, lined with endless small shops including many fine pastry shops that were visited frequently during the visit. The group enjoyed some “Free Time” and enjoyed some shopping and taking in the sights and sounds of the harbor and surrounding beaches. The afternoon was completed with members of both corps playing Boules in the park, a game similar to Bocce Ball. For dinner, the corps was joined by groups from Italy and Belgium that had gathered at the fife and drum association building that Towpath nicknamed the Fun House. The evening concluded with several hours of fife and drumming. As the evening passed, the fifers and drummers were intermingled as everyone was playing together.  Saturday was an early riser day as the corps had to catch the bus to attend the show rehearsal at the Citadel. The Citadel itself looks like a large castle on top of the hill, overlooking St. Tropez and the Mediterranean. A large amphitheater had been built for the event overlooking the sea. Each of the groups were to perform individually in the show, with a grand finale, a song especially written for the show to be performed together. The Towpath Volunteers, the special guests, were the last group to perform. Once the corps had completed rehearsing on the stage, practiced its entrance and exit, it was time to work on the finale. It took only a couple run-throughs to get the members from all 15 corps from several countries that spoke different languages to play well together, leaving everyone with a feeling of accomplishment. It was off to the Fun House for an International Lunch, as each group was asked to bring or prepare food from their region or country. The Volunteers had brought Zweigle red and white hot dogs from the states, made salt potatoes, a Buffalo chicken wing dip and S’mores as its native foods to share with the other corps’. The USA table was a busy one, and the line did not disappear until the hot dogs, salt potatoes, S’mores and dip were gone. The food as well as the drink was delicious and plentiful. The music started to build as more and more of the musicians finished their meals and joined the jollification. The group of musicians was large, an estimated 300 people. The group found the biggest differences from the music as played by the Europeans is that the European songs were much livelier, quite a contrast to the military style of the Towpath Volunteers. Towpath took a liking to several of the European songs, the “Circle of Joy (Friendship)”, the “Dancing Bear” and a song that no one seemed to know the name of so the Towpath members called it “Calypso”.  The first parade consisted of all the groups marching the same parade route that was approximately 2 miles long. On return each corps was sent off in a different direction and marched around the town. Several times the corps would stop and perform. The narrow streets and the large size of the Towpath Volunteers would keep the group on its toes. On the smaller streets, the corps were forced to change to smaller ranks. By time the parade was done, the group was smooth in its transitions. A now exhausted Towpath group returned to the park and headed to the Salle Jean Despas for dinner. The comments and praise heard along the parade routes were very encouraging. Many a spectator was seen singing along to the “Battle Hymn of the Republic”, covering their hearts and saluting the American Flag, which was deeply touching. It was a great sense of appreciation and pride for the American people. The dinner was filling and within a short amount of time, the fifes and drums were again outside playing. The groups formed up in parade order and now marched to the Citadel for the night performances. The Towpath Volunteers were applauded greatly as they marched by the stage area to a packed house.  As of Sunday morning, the Towpath Volunteers had been in France for 2 ½ days. There was no way today could be better than yesterday, but it was!! The corps met the bus and was transported to the meeting building next to the park for breakfast of fresh croissants, french bread and ham. After breakfast, the Volunteers divided into 2 groups. Group one headed to a Catholic Church for mass as well as to perform “Amazing Grace”. Since there was not enough room in the church for the entire corps, group two marched around the village. The Catholic Church was found to be big and beautiful with a lot of charm inside and out. It was only the second time in history that the American Flag had been displayed in the church. The first time, one week before for the 10th anniversary memorial for 9/11. Group two marched off and performed throughout St. Tropez. For over one hour, the group played almost continuously before finally getting a break in the tourist area along the harbor. After a short rest, the group headed to the square outside the Mayor's Office to meet up with Group one and the other corps as well. The mayor gave a short speech and then the groups reprised “Francette” for the crowd that had now gathered. The leaders from each group were then invited to the Mayor's Office for a reception, where the Mayor Jean-Pierre Tuveri thanked the group’s representatives, Linda DePuy and Paul Willson, for coming to the festival. A gift was presented by the mayor to remember St. Tropez. The reception gave the leaders time to mingle amongst themselves. Paul Willson was honored to spend some time with Rolland Peyre, Grand Master Drummer and founder of the Drums of the Odyssey Academy. The Festival Banquet, the end to the Official Festival was held at the “Places of the Strings.” The leaders from all the corps were placed at the Head table and Paul and Debbie Willson were honored to sit next to the Mayor of Saint Tropez by his request. The event organizer, George Girourd, gave an emotion filled speech and each leader was presented a gift bag on behalf of the host corps. A long session of jamming and dancing was proceeded by one last parade around the beautiful city of Saint Tropez. The Towpath Volunteers were honored to have several members of the host corps march with them for the final parade.  Gift bags were presented to our guides for the tremendous job they did as our private guides. Additional bags were present to the leadership of the Host Corps to be split among the members. The Towpath Volunteers also presented a bass drum head that was removed from one of the bass drums and signed by each member of the corps. This gift was immediately hung in the association building for all to see. Monday was a more relaxing day, a time for the sore hands and feet to heal; and to spend some money. The day started with free time to shop and hunt for souvenirs in the village, swim at one of the many beaches or go to see the “Butterfly” exhibition at a local museum. For lunch, the group had a picnic on one of the many pristine beaches of St. Tropez. From this beach on the shores of the Mediterranean, Italy as well as Corsica could be seen. A trip to the Art Museum was next for the corps. The first floor held a show of paintings by Henri Manguin from the early 1900's. The second floor was a permanent collection of the Masters. The group then boarded the bus and was off to Ramatuelle and the General Patch monument on the beach the US Troops stormed during World War II. The final part of the tour was the Mayor's Office on top of a very large hill with a spectacular view of the Mediterranean. The Mayor came out and greeted the group and thanked us for being there.  Tuesday was an early day to catch the bus to the airport. Several of the Host Corps members showed up to travel to Nice with us to see us off. The bus ride was quiet as the members reflected on the events from the last few days or tried to get some sleep. The airport goodbyes were heartfelt and soon the Volunteers were on the plane for its nine hour flight. The bus ride from Kennedy Airport was less than seven hours but felt far longer. Once we reached West Wayne Plaza in Macedon, we had been traveling for twenty four and a half hours. This was an amazing experience for Towpath – a fantastic cultural exchange, musical exchange, and wonderful new friendships! How can you tell if the efforts of so many were worth it? Ask any Volunteer if they would go back again and they all say in a heartbeat - Yes!! |
| Towpath Volunteers Represent USA in France - September 2011 |
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The Towpath Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps based in Macedon, NY is proud to
announce that they have been invited to perform in the prestigious "Fete of
the Fife and Drum" being held this year in Saint Tropez in the French Rivera.
The group has been working with the host corps in St. Tropez for nearly a year
in putting this performance together. The preliminary schedule is for the corps to bus to New York City and fly to Nice. The group will tour Nice and Cannes before departing to St. Tropez. Friday is an off day for relaxation and to spend some time on the beach as well as preparing for the festival. The motel the Volunteers will be staying at will be shared with a fife and drum corps from Italy. The festival starts on Friday evening and will consists of several performances and parades during the weekend. The festival closes Sunday afternoon with all the groups sharing a festival feast. The hosts corps has made it clear that the Towpath Volunteers will be the main attraction and will be treated like VIP's. Not bad for a little fife and drum corps from upstate New York! The Volunteers will enjoy Monday as the host corps will be touring with us and conclude the visit with a picnic for both groups. The corps will be flying back to the states on Tuesday, bussing home and returning to reality. This trip and performance should continue the legacy the Towpath Volunteers have been building for over 3 decades as one of the premier corps in the country. The host corps researched and interviewed several groups before inviting the Towpath Volunteers. The feeling of representing not just Macedon or New York but as a representative of the United States of America is an honor in itself! To reach the funds needed to make this trip affordable while making the corps look its best, the group has intensified their fund raising efforts, applied for Grants and increased the number of performances and events it will be attending. Plans are in the works to replace all the knickers for a more unified look, and many of the tri-corns that have become badly worn. The group is also purchasing drum cases to protect the wooden drums while not in use, and during transportation that would reduce maintenance costs on them. Even with all this effort, each member is going to have to be responsible for much of the expense of the trip. Lastly, the corps would like to thank the members, member's families and the all the people and businesses of our community that have supported us in so many ways. A tremendous amount of time and effort has been put forth to make this trip as well as membership in the Towpath Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps an affordable, educational and fun experience for all. |
| 2011 Donna Johnson Scholarship Award Winners Named |
| The Towpath Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps announced the recipient of the Donna Johnson –
Towpath Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps Scholarship for 2011 is Nicholas Yager of Newark. The scholarship is named after Donna Johnson, who was an active member and Bass Drummer when she died in 1996. This scholarship is given to an active Towpath Volunteer member with a minimum of 4 years marching experience who shows dedication and leadership with a preference to continue their education in the Medical or Music fields. Nicholas has been playing the Bass Drum with Towpath since 2006 and is currently assistant Drum Sargent and Leader of the Bass Drum Section. His parade attendance for the 6 years he has been a member is well over 90%. He has shown great amount of dedication and excellent leadership skills that has boosted the Bass Drum Line to exceptionally high standards of performance skills. Nicholas comes from a family of Towpath Volunteers as his mother Sherry is a member of the colorguard and his father Kevin is a fifer. Older brother Benjamin is a snare drummer as well as a past recipient of the Donna Johnson – Towpath Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps Scholarship in 2008. Nicholas graduated from Newark, with High Honors and will be studying Biochemistry at SUNY Geneseo. |
| Congratulations to all our 2011 graduates! |
| 2010 National Muster - Westbrook, Connecticut |
| The Towpath Volunteers took 45 members to Westbrook, Connecticut the
weekend of August 27th through the 29th for the National Muster. A late
change in the group’s marching schedule gave the Volunteers the
opportunity to attend but also, since placement in line is determined by
postmark, left the corps at number 62 in line out of 67 fife and drum
corps. The weather all 3 days was spectacular. Friday night’s “tattoo” consisted of performances by the co-hosts of the event, Westbrook Senior and Moodus Fife and Drum Corps. Westbrook hit the 100 year mark and the Moodus group was celebrating 150 years strong. Later in the evening, musicians from all the groups played in a very large jam session. Saturday’s events started with the 11:00 am parade. The opening ceremonies were held at the town baseball field followed by a short concert performance by each of the attending fife and drum corps. Highlights included performances by the Army’s Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps from Arlington, Virginia and the Colonial Williamsburg Fife and Drum Corps from Williamsburg, Virginia. When the Towpath Volunteers finally had their chance to perform, some 4 hours after the concerts started, they were greeted warmly. The group played Mocking Bird, a medley of Harriott, Drunken Sailor (Drum Solo) and First of September. The group received its participation ribbon and marched off the field to Yankee Doodle. Several members from other groups stopped after the performance and congratulated the group on a fine performance. When the last corps played, the Muster concluded with another full scale jam session. Snare drummer Josh Thorp has been bestowed the honor of the “Last Man Standing” as he played non-stop until the festivities were halted around midnight. |
| 2010 Gasparilla Parade of Pirates - Tampa, Florida |
| The Towpath Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps marched in the 2010
Gasparilla Parade of Pirates in Tampa, Florida on Saturday, January 30th.
The festival started back in 1904 and is one of the largest festivals in
the southeast. Although the weather was not perfect, with a light rain and
occasional gust of wind, the crowd, expected to be close to 500,000
people, was loud and ready to party. According to Drum Sergeant Adam Chapin, it was so loud that he rarely heard the fifes. "It was so loud that I could only hear the drummer next to me, and I only heard the fifes when we were stopped. It shows the competence of the drum section when we were all playing together without even hearing the fifes". The parade featured over 150 units, only a few marching bands and many elaborate floats sponsored by many of the "Krewes" and businesses. The Volunteers were highly honored to be 5th in the lineup. The crowd’s continuous encouragement made the 3.8 mile parade route feel far shorter. The group flew out of Rochester on Thursday morning and returned Sunday evening. The Volunteers took in several sites and activities to keep them occupied before and after the parade. A trip to the beach in Clearwater and Pirate Cruise filled day 1. Day 2 was a visit to the Tampa Historical Museum and free time at "Channelside". On Sunday, before returning home, the group spent part of the day at the Tampa Aquarium. Included was a private animal showing of a Hawk, Alligator and a Penguin. |
| Honor Guard performs on TV |
| The Towpath Volunteers Honor Guard performed on the local cable
television show "The Music Show" in December. The Music Show airs on several area Community Access Channels and is hosted by Ray Braselton, (former Towpath Bugler), who owns and operates Braselton’s Music in Marion NY. The show was almost entirely about the Towpath Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps. Discussions included some of the history of the group, some of the more memorable and larger performances, and what the corps was currently doing today. Some Towpath Volunteers parade footage was also shown. |
| 2009 Towpath Marriages |
| Sarah Willson (Retired Fifer), daughter of Paul (Business Manager) and
Debbie Willson (Fifer) was married to Rick Peters on August 22. Rick is the
son of Fredrick and Teri Peters. The outside ceremony took place at the White House in Webster Park. Many current and former members were in attendance for this festive occasion. While the ceremonies and reception dinner were enjoyed in brilliant weather, sunny and warm, the dancing portion started off with a front coming through with typhoon style winds and rain. As with any Towpath function, the bride and groom went with the flow and, after a short delay, the dancing continued with the dance floor covered in water and guests dancing in and around the numerous puddles. More than one guest remarked on how memorable and how much fun the reception was! Sarah and Rick traveled to Colorado for their honeymoon, touring many of the area national parks. They live in Webster along with their two dogs, Raleigh and Mesa. |
| 2010 Gasparilla Parade of Pirates - Tampa, Florida |
| The Towpath Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps has recieved and accepted
an invitation from the Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla to march and perform
in the 2010 Gasparilla Parade of Pirates in Tampa, Florida on January
30th. The festival started back in 1904 and is one of the largest
festivals in the south east. The name and foundation of Tampa's traditional Gasparilla Carnival come from legendary pirate Jose Gaspar, "last of the Buccaneers," who terrorized the coastal waters of West Florida during the late 18th and early 19th century. Gaspar, given to calling himself "Gasparilla," served as a lieutenant in the Royal Spanish Navy for five years until 1783 when, upon seizing command of a Spanish sloop-of-war, he with his fellow mutineers set sail for the Florida straits. And so the young Spanish aristocrat-turned-pirate began an adventurous life as outlaw of the sea. The number of ships that fell prey to Gasparilla and his buccaneers during later years is not known, but he continued to ravage Florida waters until December 1821. Deciding it was time to retire from pirate life, Gaspar had just convinced his crew to split up their accumulated fortune, disband and live out their lives in peace and luxury. But the sight of a merchant ship sailing northwestwardly toward Orleans was all too inviting for the greedy adventure-seekers. One last thrill, and they would end their careers in grand style--Gaspar and company could not resist, and so set out to pillage the seemingly unassuming merchantman. Closing in on their prey, the pirates realized, to their chagrin, they had chosen a United States Navy warship in disguise for their final folly. And final it was. A bloody battle ensued, leaving Gasparilla's flagship burning to ruin. As the story goes, just as the commanding officer of the U.S.S. Enterprise was boarding the defeated ship, Gasparilla seized a heavy chain, wrapped it around his waist and neck and leaped into the water, brandishing his sword in a final gesture of defiance as he sank into the sea. The festival is a week long event starting on January 23, 2010 with the Gasparilla Children’s Parade & Piratechnic Extravaganza, and climaxing to the Pirate Invasion, Gasparilla Parade of Pirates, Pirate Fest the next Saturday, January 30, 2010. The Pirate Fest Street Festival features stages with live entertainment, food and the Gasparilla Midway - which will offer thrilling rides, fun games and amusement for all ages. A good comparison might be the state fair. All events are held in downtown Tampa. The parade itself starts at 2 p.m. and will be around 3 1/2 hours long. The route the group will be march is approximatley 3.8 miles long. The Towpath Volunteers will be taking approx 50 members to march and perform. The group is looking into other performances while in the area. |
| 2008 St. Patrick's Day Parade in Savannah, GA |
| On Friday, March 14, in Savannah Georgia, 41 members of the Towpath
Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps based in Macedon performed in the 184th St.
Patrick’s Day Parade. The corps was formed in 1978 and is celebrating its
30th anniversary. Towpath was honored being placed as the 4th band in the
parade. This 3.5 mile long parade is 2nd largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade
in the United States. The parade took place in historic downtown Savannah.
There were over 60 bands, 350 marching units and floats participating. The
parade drew close to a million viewers from around the world.
Historic Savannah has a distinctive look much different from other cities in America. The twenty-one squares are named in honor or in memory of a person or historical event. Each square contains monuments, markers, statues and other tributes, along with beautiful scenery and fountains. Leaving the cold and snow behind, the corps left Rochester on Thursday. Upon arrival in Savannah, the Volunteers stopped at historic Fort Jackson for a Civil War Military and Artillery presentation. Upon completion of the tour and demonstration, the corps broke out their fifes and drums, performing an impromptu concert. On Friday, while awaiting the start of the parade, the corps had the opportunity to interact with The Clondalkin Youth Band from Dublin, Ireland. The bands performed for each other, then posed together for pictures. The style of music and the eras the groups represented were quite different, but there was a common bond between members of both bands. The parade was spectacular from the start. Large enthusiastic crowds and temperatures in the mid 70’s made for a great day. The Towpath Volunteers never looked or sounded better. Keeping with Savannah tradition, if the crowd enjoyed a performance, some would kiss and/or put beads on the participants. Needless to say, by the end of the parade, many Towpath members were covered in lipstick and beads. The parade was broadcast live and could also be viewed on Web Cast by 2 television stations, WSAV and WTOC of Savannah. Currently both stations still have the web cast on their sites. At the end of the parade, the corps was presented with the “Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians” Award. The weather for all 4 days of the groups visit was summer like. The corps toured the Historic District on Saturday. Flowers were in bloom and the Spanish moss hanging from the trees was very picturesque. The Pirate House was one of the corps favorite sites. One of the oldest structures in Savannah, it is reported to be haunted, and once served as a roost for pirates. It is now home to a delicious restaurant. The old rooms are dining areas, with a pirate on staff who will give you a tour and tell you the history of the house. Robert Lewis Stevenson wrote the famous “Treasure Island” while staying there. Another attraction the corps enjoyed was the park bench made famous in the movie Forrest Gump! The group stayed at Landmark Motel located on Hunter’s Army Base, just south of the city. In the evenings, the corps had fun jamming for the hotel guests. Before returning to Rochester Sunday, the corps was able to take in some of the sites at Tybee Island, including swimming in the cold Atlantic (only the few and the brave), Tybee Light House and Fort Pulaski. The fort has a moat with live alligators living in it. The corps was sad to leave the warm weather behind. Everyone had a great time. The corps is looking forward to participate in this parade again. The Savannah Georgia parade organizers have already contacted Towpath and extended an invitation to the 2009 parade! |
| Great Weekend at the Moodus Muster |
| The Towpath Volunteers fife and drum corps traveled to Moodus
Connecticut to attend the annual Moodus Fife and Drum Corps Muster. The
event was held on a beautiful fall day October 20, 2007. A Muster is a gathering of fife and drum corps and the Moodus Muster has become the 3rd largest one in Connecticut. 24 other fife and drum corps were represented from as far away as West Virginia. The Towpath Volunteers were the largest group with 35 members attending the event. The Volunteers marched out number 13 in the short parade from the school to the “Old Grange Hall”. At the muster site next to the old Grange Hall, each group took turns holding a concert. Towpath performed a medley of songs prepared by fife leader Patricia Roland and Drum Sergeant Adam Chapin. The music was well received and many comments heard on the excellent performance. After the last group played their concert, members from many of the groups stayed and jammed into the evening. For several of the Towpath members who were attending a muster for the first time as well as the more seasoned marchers, the muster was a rewarding experience. |
| Volunteers to attend Savannah 2008 St. Patrick's Day Parade |
| This year's Parade, the 184th edition, will take place on Friday March
14th. It is expected that over 400,000 people will visit Savannah to help
celebrate the second largest St. Patrick's Day Parade in the United
States. This parade has previously won the Turner South Network for "best
of the best" parades for the entire southeast region. The 3.2 mile parade begins downtown at 10:15 a.m. with as many as 500,000 visitors arrive to this city adding to the nearly 200,000 residents. The parade will have close to 300 units including over fifty bands. The festival draws only the best of the local, national and international bands. Recent attendees include: the Virginia Tech military band "The Highty Tighties", the 250 member Second Time Arounders band from St. Petersburg, Florida, the First Company Governors Foot Guard band from Hartford, Connecticut and 14 bagpipe bands coming from as far away as Canada and Ireland. The Towpath Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps has previously performed in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade back in 2004. One of the first requirements a large parade looks for is size and the Volunteers are proud to be able to put 50 plus members in the street. With the St Patrick's Day Parade only a few months away, the groups is working hard on preparing its equipment, polishing its marching and music and tailoring the uniforms. Looking good at event like this or a Macy's will open the door for future opportunities. |
| 2007 Donna Johnson Scholarship Award Winners Named |
| For the first time in history, the Towpath Volunteers have presented
the Donna Johnson-Towpath Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps. Scholarship to
multiple winners. Receiving the awards were Frank Barbero (Snare Drummer),
Kevin Chapin (Snare Drummer) and Rachel Dunn (Fifer) The Awards were presented July 4th prior to the Fairport 4th of July Parade. Presenters were Becky Johnson, daughter of Donna Johnson for whom the award is named and Paul Willson, founder of the corps. Donna Johnson was a Bass Drummer in the Senior Corps in the later 90's. She marched along with her daughter Becky (Fifer) and son Andy (Snare Drummer). She was the first active member to pass away in 1996. The winning members were selected as most deserving graduating high school seniors from all the area school districts. The selection process was performed by the Towpath Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps Inc Board of Directors. Considerations included number of years in the corps, number of parades attended, efforts in making themselves and the members they march with the best they could be and field of study the member is going into. All three members were at the top in each category. It was decided that each deserved and would receive the award. Rachel, a delightful 18 year old that plays the fife has been in Towpath for 7 years. Her parents are Kathy (Bass Drum) and Mike (Fifer) Dunn of Palmyra. Her 2 brothers Morgan (Color Guard) and Sean (Snare Drum) also march in the group making this a family effort. Rachel enjoys the Historic aspect of what the Volunteer portray. One of her favorite Towpath memories is attending her first muster in Moodus, Connecticut. She will be attending SUNY Oswego to study Global and International Studies and plans on working in government, perhaps eventually as President of the United States. Kevin (Snare Drum) is the 19 year old son of Steve (Militia) and Kathy (Fife) Chapin of Macedon. He has been playing Snare Drum in the corps for 7 years. His older brother Adam (Snare Drum) was a previous Donna Johnson Scholarship award winner in 2003. Kevin feels what makes Towpath is giving music to so many people that may have never played an instrument before in their lives or have never had any way to apply it. It draws such a variety of unique people together to make music. One of his favorite memories is attending the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps first Junior Camp (2005) and having the opportunity to jam with many excellent fifers and drummers. Kevin will be attending Chicago School of Violin Making in Skokie, IL. Frank (Snare drum) is the 19 year old son of Mary and Michael Barbero of Macedon. He has been playing drums in Towpath for 6 years. Frank, as assistant to the Drum Sergeant, has been instrumental in teaching and working with the Towpath Drum Line. Frank's biggest favorite memory is performing in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (2004) in New York City. He is currently attending Monroe Community College and is working towards a degree in music. The Towpath Volunteers wish the best to all our graduating members and hope those who have left the area for college will stop in and see us on their breaks! |
| Congratulations to all our graduates! |
Performance Calendar | Joining | Alumni
In Memory of Our Fallen Heroes
Contacting the Corps.
Last modified on: August 25, 2011