FRANK DORRITIE

Class of 2023

INSTRUCTOR / ARRANGER / MENTOR / ADVISOR

Cadet Years: Brass Instructor (1969-1970; 1974-1977)

Brass Arranger (1971; 1974-1977)

Brass Caption Head (1977)

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HIS CADET STORY:

Frank started his drum corps experience with Scout Pack 333 in 1955 at the age of nine.  He was a lead soloist in the early 1960’s in high school with the Xavier HS Cadets in NYC, marched with St. Catherine’s Queensmen (1961-62), and then in his senior year of High School joined the Long Island Sunrisers for ten (10) years as a featured soloist, arranger, and instructor.

 

There are instructors who help you to play correct notes, and then there are teachers who help make you a better player and person.  Frank, most definitely, was a teacher.  He made rehearsals interesting, educational, and even, at times, fun.  He helped convert local kids from bugle players into brass performers.  Many of his students in the Cadets never had a trumpet lesson much less marching-band experience -- just plain old drum corps experience with crude instruments -- but plenty of heart and dedication.

 

Frank was an assistant horn instructor with the Cadets in 1969 and 1970.  He wrote the musical score for the corps' famous 1971 show, “America the Brave - 1776”, and then helped to rebuild the horn line from 1974-77, writing the brass charts each year, working together with Jim D’Amico (1974-76), and then Bob Cardaneo, Dennis Dewey and Rich DeCola in 1977.  You can see and hear the Cadets mature from 1973-77 thanks to Frank's hard work and dedication to the brass program.

 

In 1977, the Corps introduced two-valve soprano horns to the line, leaving twenty-four (24) valve/rotary bugles available.  Frank and assistant horn instructor Bob Cardaneo came up with the idea to have Bob and instructor Dennis Dewey teach the 24-girl guard how to play the soprano bugles.  So, for the closing company front in, “I Don’t Know How to Love Him”, the girls threw away their flag poles, picked up the valve/rotary bugles, and joined the horn line with an 80-person company front.  In addition, at a judges meeting after the Saturday night show, judge Jerry Kelsey made a suggestion about singing, “Amen” at the end (jokingly).  Frank thought it was a great idea, presented it to the staff, and on the next day put it into the Sunday afternoon show.  (It is rumored that at that show, Jerry Kelsey and judge Shirley Whitcomb went nuts in the press box.)

 

Frank went on to teach other corps including the Blue Devils, Santa Clara Vanguard, Cavaliers, Bluecoats, Crossmen and the Madison Scouts.  He has written charts for a host of marching bands, jazz bands and brass ensembles.  He has worked as a performer, clinician and adjudicator throughout North America, Europe, South Africa and Japan, and as musical consultant for Fox Television.  He is known for his work with Dave Brubeck, Wynton Marsalis, Tito Puente and the National Cast of Phantom of the Opera, as well as vocalists Jackie Cain and Roy Kral, Lisa Vroman, Franc D’Ambrosio and Mel Tormé, among others.  He’s a member of ASCAP and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences where he served on the Board of Governors.

 

He also credits his drum corps experience as the foundation for his work as an audio producer which led him to nine (9) Grammy nominations and two (2) Grammy awards for his work with Cal Tjader and Art Blakely and the Jazz Messengers in the Jazz and Latin categories.

 

Additional Honors:

• He’s an eight-time DCA Individual & Ensemble National Champion

• 2004 World Drum Corps Hall of Fame

• 2005 Buglers Hall of Fame

• 2016 Drum Corps International Hall of Fame