- System Blue
Travel lightly. You are not traveling for people to see you. Travel slowly. Jet planes are for getting places not seeing places. Travel humbly. Visit people and places with reverence and respect for their traditions and ways of life. Travel with curiosity. It is not how far you go, but how deeply you go that mines the gold of experience. Travel with the spirit of a world citizen. Be an ambassador of good will.
— Author Unknown
Travel is about much more than just monuments and ruins. It is an opportunity to reach out and discover what's best about the world. Travel enriches our lives, spreads prosperity, dissolves political barriers, promotes international peace, and brings excitement and change to our lives. Travel is an integral part of The Blue Devils experience. The Blue Devils organization has a strong commitment to the continuing education of its members through both national and international travel. This commitment affords Blue Devils members an opportunity to experience a variety of diverse cultures, traditions, customs, and contemporary lifestyles of the world community, through performances and personal interaction.
The Blue Devils have a successful history in this endeavor.
In 1983 the Corps attended the 21st Century Celebration in Osaka, Japan. The corps participated in a 2 mile parade through the streets of Osaka viewed by over 600,000 people locally and upwards of 4 million viewers via national television. 1988 saw the percussion section featured as the centerpiece of a week-long schedule of performances at Japan Greenland, the Japanese equivalent of Disneyland.
"Devil's Advocate," the Senior Twirling team of the Blue Devils have participated in numerous World Competition twirling performances, including: Tokyo, Japan in 1982, Milan, Italy in 1983 (gold medal team winners), Calgary, Canada in 1984 (gold medal team winners), Turin, Italy in 1986 and Lyon, France in 1998.
The 1988 Winter Color Guard traveled to Den Haag, Holland to conduct clinics and perform at the Dutch Finals Color Guard Championships under the auspices of Drum Corps Holland.
Through The Blue Devils' association with Drum Corps International and the Summer Music Games, the corps has performed extensively throughout Canada, with appearances in Toronto, Hamilton and Montreal.
In 1992 the corps accepted an invitation from the city of Nice, France to participate in Winter Carnaval. Carnaval is a month-long festival of parades, concerts, fireworks, and celebrations which feature performing groups from all over Europe, Africa and the Asia. The Blue Devils participated in several parades (including a night parade along the Riviera) and concerts in Nice, Eze, Monaco, and Monte Carlo. Upon completion of performance responsibilities in the South of France, the corps traveled to Paris for free time and sightseeing, then on to Holland for free time in Amsterdam and a clinic and performance in Hilversum, sponsored by Drum Corps Holland.
The Blue Devil 'A' Corps returned to Japan in the fall of 1996 for a ten-day tour that included field show and indoor theatre performances as well as clinics.
The Blue Devils 'B' Drum and Bugle Corps participated in the 1998 World Marching Festival in Kanagawa, Japan. BDB transformed into a Division III corps and modified their summer production for the Festival in Japan. The corps competed against other drum corps and marching bands from Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Australia and won first prize at the festival. BDB is the only ensemble from the United States in this festival.
The Blue Devils 'A' Corps retuned to Europe in the summer of 2000. On June 28, they departed for Amsterdam, Holland for a 21-day European tour. The 128 marching members and 22 staff staff members appeared in marching music festivals, concerts, and parades in The Netherlands, France, Belgium, and Germany. Performances included Expo 2000 in Hannover, Germany, The German Open Marching Festival in Hameln, July 4th concert in Berlin, Bastille Day celebration in Paris and Opening Ceremonies for the Nijmeegse Vierdaags in the Netherlands. Along with other numerous performances, the members had an opportunity to sightsee in some of the World's most beautiful cities, including Amsterdam, Berlin, Brugge, and Paris.
Also in the summer of 2000, The Diablo Wind Symphony completed a fourteen day Australian tour with performances in major Australian schools including the Newcastle and Queensland Conservatories of Music. These performances solidified the group's reputation as a quality representative of American wind performing groups.
In 2002, a 38-member ensemble was the guest of the city of Okayama, Japan, providing a series of performances and clinics for Japanese elementary, intermediate, and high school students as part of the "Marching in Okayama" music festival.
In the summer of 2003, The Diablo Wind Symphony embarked on a 18-day Scandinavian tour with concerts in Goteborg, Kristianstad and Stockholm, Sweden as well as the world famous Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark.
In October 2003, a 58-member select ensemble retuned to Okayama, Japan as guests of the city. Apart from the many requested educational clinics and performances for elementary, intermediate, high school, and college students, The Blue Devils were the featured act at the standing room only finale of the "Marching in Okayama" music festival.
In the summer of 2005, The Blue Devils returned to Europe for a 3-week tour. They arrived in Amsterdam and transferred to their housing site in La Gorgue, France. Their first performance was at a Drum Corps Europe contest at the KV Kortrijk Football Stadium, Guldensporen Stadium, in the town of Kortrijk, Belgium. The Blue Devils competed with Holland, German and England's top drum corps and took first place. The corps had days off in Brugge, Brussels, Paris, Milan, and Venice. The Blue Devils were the star guest performers at the Italian Marching Band Championships in the beautiful city of Lecco, Italy. The culmination of the tour was the opportunity to compete at a truly unique event. Every 4 years Kerkrade, Holland is the site for the World Music Contest. Three hundred groups from 30 countries competed at this prestigious 4-week long celebration of the musical marching activity. The Blue Devils took first place honors and are very proud to be champions of the 2005 World Music Contest.
In October 2005, 14 members of The Blue Devils percussion section traveled to Seoul, South Korea to participate in three performances at the Seoul Drum Festival hosted by The Seoul Metropolitan Government and organized by The Sejong Cultural Center.
In October 2007, a select ensemble of The Blue Devils consisting of 24 brass players, 12 percussionists and 1 Drum Major returned to the Marching In Okayama Festival in Japan for the third time to participate in the 20th Annual Marching in Okayama Festival. The Blue Devils are honored to have the opportunity to continue this wonderful friendship with the city of Okayama and the Marching In Okayama Festival!
In December 2011, 30 Blue Devil members and staff participated as featured clinicians in the International Band Camp in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Read more.
In September of 2012, 93 Blue Devil members and staff traveled to Guatemala City to perform a concert to close out the Guatemala Marching Band Championships. Read more.