ROBERT BELLAROSA

Class of 2012

CADET / INSTRUCTOR / HISTORIAN / WRITER / DRUM CORPS LEGEND

Cadet Years: Brass/French Horn (1948-1952)

         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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HIS CADET STORY:

Robert “Bobby” Bellarosa began his drum corps career with the St. Helen’s Cadets (Brooklyn, NY) as a rifle and snare drum player around 1946/47.  He joined the Holy Name Cadets, commuting from Brooklyn, NY, in 1948, and continued through the 1952 season, playing French horn.  From 1952-1969 he continued playing French horn in the Senior Corps ranks with Consolidated Edison (NYC), Our Lady of Grace Lancers (Hoboken, NJ), Garbarina-Mazarakos Post American Legion, Federales (Brooklyn, NY – self-organized in home neighborhood) and the Hawthorne Caballeros (Hawthorne, NJ), performing at times with more than one group for the year.  He then continued with the New York Skyliners from 1970 through 1973.

 

Bobby was a “frequent visiting instructor” to more than fifty junior corps in the New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania areas, completing over seven decades of dedication to the activity.

 

He was the Founder, Publisher and Editor of Eastern Review and Heritage magazines, combining tabloid-chatty stories and New York Times definitiveness via the expertise of its writers.

 

Additional accomplishments:

• Drum Corps News: Board of Directors and contributing columnist.

• B&K Recordings: Classic drum corps records, tapes, CD’s

• Promotional: “Booking agent” for numerous area corps

• Equipment Supplier: of horns, drums, uniforms and all things drum corps

• Photo Archivist: Exclusive owner of thousands of drum corps photos, many dating from the early 20th century.

• Founder of “The Original Drum Corps Hall of Fame and Museum”.

 

Additional Honors:

Cadet of the Year (1952)

Brooklyn Drum & Bugle Corps Hall of Fame

Buglers Hall of Fame (2007)