Former Optimists

Some of our former members have been honoured by the drum corps community while others have continued in music and drum corps related areas. Here are a few of those for whom we have been given some information.

• Al Murray is vice-president DEG/Dynasty
• Al Tierney is a member of the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame
• Barry Bell has been teaching bugles for more than 50 years and is a member of the DCI Drum Corps Hall of Fame. He's also playing Eb Alto with the Optimists Alumni Corps
• Bernie Beer is a member of the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame
• Dave MacKinnon is co-Brass Caption Head of the Bluecoats. For the last few years he's also been instructing the Alumni Corps
• Doug Sparkes plays bass trombone with the Vancouver Symphony
• Lorne Ferrazzutti has been teaching drums for more than 50 years and is a member of the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame. He's also drumming with the Optimists Alumni Corps
• Skip Prokop became drummer and composer for Lighthouse, one of Canada's most successful rock bands
• Terry Warburton is owner of Warburton Music of Orlando, FL., manufacturers of brass mouthpieces used by orchestra and jazz players all over the world.
• Wayne Dillon is a DCI judge, former instructor for The Cadets and is currently Brass Caption Head of the Boston Crusaders.