Testimonials from Cadet Pit Alumni in nomination and support of Neil Larrivee’s induction to the 2015 Cadets Hall of Fame. Neil Larrivee is one of the greatest arrangers and teachers in DCI. I had the fortune of being is his pit while at The Cadets from '02-­‐'05. Since then, Neil and I have remained close. His pit arrangements are some of the fullest, virtuosic, and technically demanding music written for a drum corps pit during his tenure with The Cadets. While at The Cadets, he garnered numerous championships and high drums awards. He has truly been an inspiration to numerous students inside and outside DCI. His involvement with Dartmouth High School and Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets only add to his amazing career in the percussion world. I don't think there is a more deserving person who should be inducted into the DCI Hall of Fame. Sincerely, Dr. Brad Meyer Director of Percussion Stephen F. Austin State University meyerbe@sfasu.edu Neil Larrivee would be an excellent choice for the Cadets' Hall of Fame! Although I only spent one season with the Cadets in 2006, his influence has had a lasting impact. Neil constantly strived for the highest levels of excellence in our performance quality, work ethic and professionalism. I find myself using his lessons and models everyday with my current ensembles, and they are still extremely effective in shaping and developing young musicians and people. He is without a doubt one of DCI's finest from ensemble arrangers/composers, and his legendary books helped bring several DCI Fred Sanford awards home to the Maroon and Gold. Additionally, I've had the pleasure of staying in contact with him over the years via our interactions at national competitions and festivals, and its clear he has a passion for nurturing and encouraging the next generation of teachers and composer/arrangers. I can only hope to achieve a fraction of the influence that Neil has on the percussive community as a whole; EVERYBODY knows Neil! I am honored to have had the privilege of learning from him, and to call him a friend. Thanks for your consideration! Craig Myers, Percussionist Performer/Educator/Marching Specialist/Composer/Arranger Cadets Pit 2006 craigmyers222@gmail.com I hereby nominate Neil Larrivee for the Cadets hall of fame. I do this without any hesitation or restraint. Neil was extremely instrumental in teaching so many young percussionists in the front ensemble. That part everyone knows. He also taught life lessons that I know are still used today by most of his students. But these are things any pit instructor does who is a great educator. Neil goes beyond that. Neil challenges the way you think about music. He challenges what you think is possible on the instrument or what you are able to do physically and mentally. This was done daily year after year. It wasn’t points, but how could you play the music to the best of your ability, consistently. It was about making the music better than what you thought you could achieve, and being a better person in life while you did that. He also made sure you understood what you needed to do to make that happen. He was constantly pushing the envelope with how and what you played. Sound quality and serving the song were paramount. Being set up for success with the way he wrote, to the prototypes of sticks and mallets to the technique you used on the instrument were some of the things he revolutionized in the activity, that other corps have copied and learned from. Not only did Neil challenge you (in the most kind and gentle way possible) to perform physically better, but more importantly making your mind work better as well as faster. Bending the rules on what you thought was the only way to do things or what was deemed “the standard”. No one developed my ear training skills, as well as my independence on the instrument more than Neil. There are things I can do today that wouldn’t have been possible without his tutelage. I thank him as much as possible every time I see him, but he is very humble about receiving the appreciation and gratitude. He tends to put out an extremely confident vibe, but underneath that I have seen an extremely warm and compassionate human being. He is someone who cares about you and would do anything in his power to help others, especially in their time of need. He is a work-­‐a-­‐holic in pursuit of excellence and even though he has done so much, he has gotten used to being unsatisfied in his efforts at the end of the day. This is what keeps him going. Challenging himself to be better and accomplish more each and every day. He is a machine and I wonder how he does it relentlessly. I feel that Neil Larrivee is the perfect candidate to represent our corps in the hall of fame. This group embodies the great American values of diversity, quality and education, which are all things that Neil exemplifies without a doubt. The pursuit of something greater than what we think is even possible is what drives him. It is with great confidence and pride that I recommend Neil Larrivee. Damon Grant Cadets Pit and Drum Major http://www.damongrant.org During my 4 years as a Cadet, I was honored to work and perform under one of DCIs legendary arrangers and educators. Neil Larrivee (or as we call him 'Uncle Neil') is a deserving candidate to be celebrated and recognized by the Cadets Hall of Fame. His depth of percussive knowledge helped us young performers understand what it meant to pursue perfection as a percussion section, as well as how to achieve it. I believe it's safe to say that Neil Larrivee was, and continues to be, an integral part of what front ensembles have become today. How can you begin to talk about the success of The Cadets percussion program without Neil Larivee? You can’t. His front ensemble arrangements not only pushed the envelope of technique, but also gave every production beautiful sonority and color. As an educator, he expected and demanded the very best from all who were members of his ensembles, and those of us lucky enough to be in his groups wanted nothing more than to meet the potential he saw in us. Brad Bower Cadet Pit 2006-­‐2009 Brbower2@gmail.com I was a member of Neil Larivee’s front ensemble for three summers, playing vibes in 2002 and timpani in 2003 and 2004. Rehearsals with Neil were always tough as no detail ever got past him. As performers, we learned how to pick apart every facet of our technique and how to detail every musical phrase to the highest amount of clarity. One of my favorite Neil Larivee quotes was “it’s going to get worse before it gets better.” This phrase taught us how to push through the intense level of detail and keep our eyes on the big picture. This lesson, along with many others, paid off not only with percussion trophies but also with the satisfaction of reaching a truly outstanding level of performance. The Cadets Hall of Fame is not complete without Neil Larivee. He was an integral part of the design and education team for so many years, and he has positively influenced many young percussionists such as myself. Neil’s personal work ethic, his commitment to his students, and his creative musical skills represent The Cadets in a way very few others can. Chris Rapacki Cadets Pit 2002-­‐2004 Crapacki@kleinisd.net I write this e-­‐mail in support for Neil Larrivee's Nomination for the Cadets Hall of Fame. I marched in 1998 in the pit, the year of Stonehenge. I learned a lot from Neil on how to be a great performer, have nerves of steel and how to be a champion. That summer with the Cadets was pivotal in my life giving me the confidence to finish my bachelors, and masters degree in music education. Now, I am a successful band director in Texas and I can credit Neil's philosophy of excellence in helping me make my dream of being a music educator a reality. Sincerely, Paul Higgins 1998 Cadets of Bergen County Pit Band Director Snyder ISD, Snyder Texas paul.ronald.higgins@gmail.com Picture it, New Jersey, Winter 1999, a girl from Kentucky just rode 18 hours on a Greyhound to Bergen County, NJ. Scared, cold, and excited to meet and play for an audition. I arrived at the armory, checked in and was astonished by the accents that these people had. I'd never heard such accents being from Kentucky and was overwhelmed by how fast they talked, then soon realized how fast they played. The weekend began and this man with an overwhelming presence consumed my rehearsal. Hours of instruction, a one on one audition and then finally a smile goodbye. That smile had me. I wasn't the best player but I felt like the best person. As I was invited back I set forth on a summer of notes, techniques, and sweat but above all relationships that will last me a lifetime. I always remember how Neil made me play better by commanding me to produce an effort I never knew I had. Thank goodness he did. I went on to receive my Master's Degree in Music, several performing opportunities, and now I help elementary students experience their potential. Neil will always remain in my heart forever and that smile in my mind. Tereasa Evans Cadets Pit 2000 keerays02@yahoo.com My name is Alex Crowley. I was a member of the front ensemble in the Cadets for 5 years under the tenure of Neil Larrivee. I met Neil during my rookie year in 1994. For numerous reasons having nothing to do with the corps, I did not return the following summer. I was drifting through life, (kind of) attending community college but not really applying myself, no real goals or direction. During that time nonetheless, Neil stayed in contact with me, and in those times before email, this was largely phone calls. At a rather low point for me personally, in June of 1996, Neil calls me at home asking me to come back to the pit to fill a hole. My initial response was, frankly, "wishy-­‐washy." Neil on the other hand was steadfast. He refused to allow me to let excuses stand in the way of achieving excellence. Within a day I was on a bus to Allentown for the remainder of spring training. This intervention of opportunity changed the course of my life. I returned to the corps and continued to be a member for another 4 years. Neil's contributions to the corps as an arranger and educator in percussion speak for themselves, but his personal touches with his students are what I think of most. My time in the classroom wasn't enough. Neil made it a point to engage me further outside of the organization to ensure that the important lessons we all got through the corps: work, dedication, and excellence, stuck. We continued to speak on a monthly basis up until my age-­‐out year, both about the corps and the upcoming season, and about what I was doing with my life outside of the corps. And while I can't speak for others, I'm willing to bet I'm not the only person he was reaching out to in this way. He showed true dedication to me as a student, and as his former students take on students of their own, the Cadets philosophy of work and excellence continues to grow. To this day, Neil has always been there for me with anything I need. 20 years since meeting him, he continues to encourage my success and words can't express my gratitude for what he's done for me. Neil Larrivee would be an excellent and deserving addition to the Cadets Hall of Fame. Thank you for your time. Alex Crowley Cadets Pit: 94, 96, 97, 98, 99 alexrobertcrowley@gmail.com Neil Larrivee should be inducted into the Cadets Hall of Fame. As an individual who grew up participating and performing in the drum corps activity I have always admired Neil Larrivee. I was exposed to his high-­‐caliber ensembles from a young age when he taught and arranged for my high school. His ensembles worked so hard, played with an extremely high level of musicianship, and the music he arranged was always effective and inspiring to me. I auditioned for Cadets because I knew that he would be teaching and arranging the music. I also knew that any ensemble he was involved in would be a phenomenal one. I continued to march at The Cadets for 4 years in the front ensemble, and was lucky to work closely with Neil. Because of his inspiration to me and so many others, and his ability to innovate the activity for front ensembles through his work at The Cadets, I believe he has had an instrumental role in Cadets history and should be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Vanessa Wudyka Cadets Pit 2008-­‐2011 Iain Moyer once said of Neil Larrivee's timpani writing, "He just writes whatever he wants to." I tend to agree with him, and that's how I met Neil. I auditioned for timpani in '06 after hearing the incredible timpani parts he wrote in 05, then I went back and listened to more shows and found that they all had incredibly fun and difficult timpani parts (of course all the front ensemble parts were great but maybe my ear was a little biased). So I went to the audition in '06, survived the patented Neil Larrivee abuse, and I had the pleasure of playing his timpani parts for the next 3 summers. When Iain made that comment about Neil, what he meant was that Neil is not afraid to push people to their limits. He wrote the most challenging music he could regardless of instrument limitations, beyond what lesser composers would consider reasonable. He expected it to be perfect, and he accepted nothing less. To me, that's what being a Cadet is all about. A huge thank you goes out to Neil from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for writing such amazing music. Thank you for hiring such incredible staff throughout the years. Thank you for pushing us to be the best musicians and performers we could be. Thank you for being a little goofy sometimes on those hot days in Texas when we needed it the most. And most of all, thank you for being an all around incredible human being. Matt Nadolny Timpani '06-­‐'08 I am writing to nominate Neil Larrivee to the Cadets Hall of Fame. I have known Neil in person since 1999, and before that, in name only, as an arranger. See, Neil arranged the pit score for my high school marching band in 1998, my freshman year. I was so fortunate to be able to play a score of that caliber so early in my marching music career. Under the tutelage of Jon Fox and inspiration from others like Kate Tice, I started auditioning for the Cadets for the 2000 season. As a very green 15-­‐year-­‐old, I was in over my head. But Neil started helping me grow... Neil had to deal with my persistent auditions for three years straight. 2000... 2001... and finally, with yet another final push from Neil, I made the corps in 2002. He was then stuck with me for the next 4 summers until my age out in 2005. Those four summers, while taxing, were at the same time, magical. Neil and Tom Aungst were pushing the boundaries of marching percussion arrangement and performance to new heights. In those four summers, we took 3 top percussion awards. Neil helped move the front ensemble into the 21st century with the addition of amplification (and boy was it controversial.) Neil's musical brilliance allowed us to use the amplification to pursue new musical opportunities, and the activity hasn't been the same since. While concurrently developing new mallets with Vic Firth just for the purpose of creating the right sounds and textures for the Cadets, Neil was also pushing the activity technically, creating marimba and vibraphone parts of unprecedented technical complexity. Many of my music colleagues would not be where they are today without Neil's teaching, writing, guidance, and mentoring. To this day, he looks after the Cadets and Cadets alumni, supporting schools and programs nationwide. It is an honor and a privilege to nominate Neil Larrivee for the Cadets 2015 Hall of Fame. Sincerely, Roxanne Moore roxanne.a.moore@gmail.com To Whom It May Concern, I think that Neil Larrivee should be elected to the Cadets Hall Of Fame. He was and continues to be a big influence on my life as a person, music educator and music arranger. As great of a teacher, writer and mentor that Neil is, he’s an even better human being. When I first started writing and teaching a high school indoor drumline, he gave me positive feedback, which I really needed at the time as I was worried about judges scores and trying to start an indoor drumline program. He made me realize that it’s about the development of the students. When I went to graduate school, I had no money, so I called Neil and asked if he could help me with a Vic Firth endorsement and maybe I could get a discount on some mallets so that I could continue to practice and play the marimba. He said, “Sure, no problem.” He then sent me a full line of 24 pairs of the brand new Robert Van Sice Signature Marimba Mallets and Vic Firth bags for free. I was blown away by his generosity. He alleviated a financial burden which allowed me to focus on my playing, studying and teaching. Jason Dyhouse Troopers ’95, Cadets ‘96 Front Ensemble Instructor Troopers ’97-­‐98, Spirit of Atlanta ’99-­‐00 jason_dyhouse@ipsd.org Neil Larrivee is a legend. He is preceded by his reputation as an excellent writer and teacher. I had been told since high school that it would be hard to impress him (and Tom), but that was my goal. It is a teacher like him who makes aiming for high standards worth it all. Like any great teacher, Neil has a passion for his subject and a genuine care for those he teaches and works with. But, he also has a personality that perfectly becomes the nature of a DCI pit. I remember that he took things very seriously at times, but also kept things in perspective (which was a great relief after playing "beat by beat" for the thousandth time!). He kept us on our toes, both during rehearsal and on breaks. One of my favorite pit memories is of him reading out of “Good Clean Jokes for Kids” which he bought for our pit. The jokes were so corny, we couldn’t stop laughing. I also remember having a certain “obstacle course” he created for us to race around during a break in NJ in ’04 which took real skill and agility. Of course it was hilarious, (I mean, we were the pit) but I mostly enjoyed watching Neil have fun being the “straight man” of the group, coaxing us through the "course" and being timekeeper. He didn’t have favorites. He didn’t bully or avoid anyone having trouble or lavish attention to the best players or personalities. I felt like he gave us the same respect that he expected of us, and that’s something I appreciate most now and find the hardest to do as a teacher and parent. When you expect a high degree of effort, day after day, it helps a great deal to assume that those you’re teaching are capable of it and desire it also. That is one of the great lessons of teaching that I learned from Neil. Since marching, I’ve seen how involved Neil is with continually improving the art of percussion education. I’ve seen him several times at the National Conference for Percussion Pedagogy and PAS conferences, where he has made me proud that I marched in the drum corps he taught. In the concert field, people can judge DCI folks a certain way, kind of like making us into the “meathead jock” of the music world, but Neil can speak with just as much authority in a room full of college percussion professors as in our humble Cadets pit. I enjoyed hearing him speak in conversations with my other percussion professors at the pedagogy conference and hearing his respectful comments towards others presenting there. Neil’s arranging is out of this world compared to other front ensemble arrangements. As a MM of Music Theory, I’d give him an honorary degree in it if I could for the great counterpoint he employs. It’s so much more pleasurable to learn and play music (over and over) when it sounds great. Not just great on it’s own but within your section, your ensemble, the whole corps. I would love to listen to just the marimbas playing together (or vibes) all day long. He set the bar for our playing high, but not without reward. If hearing yourself playing is not rewarding, it is not worth the effort to put into it. His arranging made the work necessary to play it easier, because it just sounded that good! Neil’s connection with Vic Firth made being in our pit feel like being children of the Candy Shop owner. We got to test out all the new candies before the other kids got them… AND help make them better! That was a nice power to have and earned my respect for the company. Combined with his arranging, he could find exactly the sound needed by literally creating the perfect mallets for it. It was a dream. I hope to see Neil again soon and miss him whenever I hear a drum corps show or hear someone with that crazy Massachusetts accent. Sara Wood Cadets Pit 2004-­‐2006 Saramecumwood@gmail.com