Mt. Kisco Fife and Drum Corps: A 75 Year Tradition
The group has performed throughout the United States and have been in operation since FDR was president.
The Mount Kisco Fire Department Ancient Fife and Drum Corps is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2012.
Bill Stewart Sr. has been a member of the corps for 60 years. Stewart entered the corps shortly after graduating from Mount Kisco High School in 1951.
Stewart, who served as fire chief from 1985 to 1992, said recently a person does not have to be a volunteer firefighter to be a member of the corps. “We take them from 10-years-oild,” he said.
The corps, which is part of the fire department, has 42 active members, with some of them in their 70’s.
The corps’ drum set consists of 10 snare drums and four base drums, all hand painted. The drums were originally created by Sanford Augustus Moeller, who was nicknamed “Gus” and were obtained by the corps in the early 1950’s. The corps dresses in traditional Colonial American uniforms, featuring red blazers and a tricorn hats during performances.
The corps has performed at many venues, including the World’s Fair inQueensin 1939; on the “Good Day New York” television program in 1994; and in the1997 New York City St.Patrick’s Day Parade.
In addition, the corps’ instructors, including Stewart, took part in the “Braniiff Airlines Tour of America” in 1975. The tour included performances in several cities, including New York, Washington DC, Chicago and Dallas in only four days. In 2009, the corps performed for the 50th anniversary of Colonial Williamsburg historic site in Virgina.
Trips are paid in part by corps members and via fund-raisers, Stewart said. The many trips the corps has taken over the decades is one of the keys to its popularity among members, Stewart said.
The Corps has taken part in several musters over the year at various sites with other fife and drum corps. “It’s just a gathering of the corps. There’s a muster parade and after that each cops performs out on the field for about five minutes.” Stewart said.
The corps also performs in annual Firemen’s, Memorial Day and St. Patrick’s Day parades in Mount Kisco, as well as participating in the village’s annual 9-11 memorial ceremony.
Though the corps consists of individuals within a wide age range, he credits the veteran members for continuing the corps. “If we didn’t have a group of these people, we wouldn’t have the corps,” Stewart said. “They came in the corps and they’ve stayed with the corps.”
There are no qualifications needed to become a member of the corps, Stewart said. “Basically, just come,” he said. Shortly after school opens in September, registration is accepted by the corps, for those nine years of age or older. Members pay a dues fee and are provided with drums and uniforms. “We’re subsidized by the fire department,” Stewart said.
Stewart recalled that he when he was president of the corps in 1967 that he was warned by a fife instructor fromLong Island, Charles Riley, that the corps needed to increase membership. “You have to do one of two things – disband the corps or start a junior corps,” Stewart remembered being told by Riley.
“We started a junior corps and the next year we had kids banging on the door” to join, Stewart said. One of the young members of corps is Katie Tipa, a senior atFox Lane High School. She has been part of the corps since the fourth grade.
“I started because it’s the fire department band for Mount Kisco,” Tipa said. “It just looked like a lot of fun.”
Tipa enjoys the trips the corps has taken, especially an outing she made with the group to Williamsburg when she was in the eighth grade. “It was an amazing experience because we met drum corps from all over. We all marched in a parade together,” she said. “It was interesting to see the techniques of other drum corps and how they play and their song repertories.”
“I think word of mouth is a powerful thing, especially seeing this corps marching in parades. It’s definitely something to look at and look up to and spreading the word definitely attracts younger kids,” Tipa said.
The current president of the corps is Ann Demodna, who has held the post for roughly the last decade. She became a member of the corps in 1978 when she was nine, following the lead of her best friend Ellen, who is Stewart’s daughter.
Why has she devoted herself to the corps? “Just to keep it going,” Demodna said. “It’s something for the kids to do. We all have ties to the fire department.” Demodna noted that one of her brothers, Michael Boles, is chief of the fire department and another brother, Vincent, formerly served as chief.
To encourage youths to join the corps, there is registration held every fall and youths can fulfill their high school public service requirement by being active members, Demodna said.
“The kids want to do it. They want to look good. They do very well in parades,” Demodna said.
Practices at held every Wednesday night for two hours, from October through May, at the Mount Kisco Elementary School and the efforts of the corps members paid off at all nine parades it participated in. “Last year we won a trophy at every parade for best fife and drum corps,” she noted.
For more information about the corps, go to www.mountkiscoancients,org
