For the past three weeks, the sounds of drums and horns has surrounded the West Virginia Wesleyan College campus and the Buckhannon community.  The nine-time World Champion Cadet Drum Corps has been rehearsing at Wesleyan to prepare for their 2006 season and their production Through the Looking Glass.  Area residents will have the opportunity to see the 135-member group perform on Thursday, June 8, at 7:30 p.m., at Cebe Ross Field atWesleyan.

The Cadets are comprised of members from around the world who rehearse and perform one 11 ½ minute marching field show.  The members range in age from 16 to 21 years of age, the majority of which are college students.  The corps consists of brass, battery percussion, pit percussion, and color guard members along with around 40 adult instructors and support staff.  The Cadets is one of the oldest drum and bugle corps in the world and is sponsored by Youth Education in the Arts of Allentown, PA.

The students have been practicing from 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m., and each day contains four meals, and ten hours of music, marching, and ensemble rehearsals.  Auditions for the group began last November.

After departing Buckhannon, the Cadets will head on tour across the United States for nine weeks ending in Madison, WI on August 12. The performance at Ross Field is free and open to the public. You can learn more about the Cadets at www.yea.org.