Emeritus

The Tricorn Foundation is honored that all of the Corps’ four Musick Masters and Drum Majors have agreed to support Tricorn by lending their names to our effort.

Each of the Emeritus made invaluable contributions to the founding, growth and improvement of the Corps.  Through their leadership the Corps became and has remained a premier fife and drum corps in the country and an icon of Colonial Williamsburg.

All alumni are grateful for the traditions of excellence, mentoring and musical training provided by these leaders.

To each of the Emeritus we say you have our deepest respect and thanks.

George become the first Musick Master and Drum Major of the Corps in 1961 and served until 1971.  During George’s leadership of the Corps he founded the organization and traditions of excellence that survive to the present.  The Corps became more integrated into regularly scheduled marches and militia musters in Colonial Williamsburg’s “Historic Area.” 

George organized the Corps into a structured Junior and Senior Corps with the rank and point system still used today.  He also established classes led by senior members and a repertoire of written music. Among other publications, he authored Volume I and II of the Carroll Collection of Ancient Martial Music, commonly known as the “Red” and “White” books.  The Corps also received its first regimental uniforms during this time.  The Corps became an immediate favorite of visitors and one of the most recognized symbols of Colonial Williamsburg.  Under George’s leadership the Corps membership grew to a point that a waiting list for prospective recruits became necessary.

George also organized the Band of Musick that played concerts of period music using reproductions of 18^th century instruments.  In 1968, under George’s direction, the Corps and Band of Musick recorded its first record album titled “The Fifes and Drums and the Band of Musick.”

Prior to joining Colonial Williamsburg, George began his interest in drums by enlisting in the Royal Canadian Navy as a musician at the earliest possible age.  He became a member of the Black Watch Royal Highlanders of Canada military band where he served as Drum Sergeant.  George then enlisted in The U.S. Army Band.  In 1959 he was detached to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Honor Guard to help establish a fife, drum and bugle corps, which today is known as the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps.  For his service in founding the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, George was awarded the Army Commendation Medal.  After leaving Colonial Williamsburg in 1971, George worked at Walt Disney World where he founded the Walt Disney Fife and Drum Corps. 

Currently George resides in Alexandria, Virginia, where he is the owner of Carroll’s Drum Service, which produces and sells hand made rope tensioned drums and other fife and drum related instruments and music.  He also is the Director of Music for the Civil Air Patrol’s only recognized music program.

John became Musick Master and Drum Major of the Corps in 1972 and served until 1981, when he was promoted director of Colonial Williamsburg’s performing arts department, the Company of Colonial Performers. He returned to the Corps in 1985 and served as its supervisor until his retirement in 1993. 

While John was Musick Master and Drum Major, he increased the Corps’ reputation as an outstanding performing and education unit. The Corps became an icon of Colonial Williamsburg and one of its most prominent marketing symbols.  The weekly performance schedule grew significantly and the Corps performed often on national television and for visiting dignitaries.

John also was instrumental in convincing Colonial Williamsburg that the Corps needed a permanent headquarters building. In 1981 the current Fife and Drum Building was completed and dedicated.  During John's tenure, the Corps recorded two record albums and one CD of music: The Fifes & Drums of Williamsburg (record album, 1975), A Concert of Military Music (record album, 1978) and Marching Out of Time (CD, 1989). John has authored a host of publications including the four volume series Music of the Fifes and Drums.  

John was born in Canada and brought up in England and Scotland.  He joined the Scots Guards as a Boy Soldier at age 15, came of military age at 17½ as a drummer (drum, flute and bugle), and was first promoted in the ranks in 1948.

As a drummer and infantryman he saw service in Malaya, Cyprus, Egypt and Germany and Royal Duties in London, Windsor and Edinburgh.  He was promoted through the ranks and, at age 23, was appointed Drum Major of the 1^st Battalion, Scots Guards, the youngest Drum Major in the Brigade of Guard’s history.  In 1958 he was appointed Drummer to the Royal Household, a position he holds for life.  He rose to be the Senior Drum Major of the Brigade of Guards and of the British Army.

After his military service he took over as Drum Major of the Pipes and Drums of Powell River, British Columbia, Canada.  He then moved to New York City to represent the London drum company of Henry Potter and was contracted by the Military District of Washington to teach the major United States military bands in new ceremonial drill and duties.  In 1968 he became Director of Music of the United States Merchant Marine Academy Band at King’s Point New York.  John then accepted the position of Musick Master and Drum Major for the Corps in 1972.

John currently resides in Williamsburg where he continues to be a highly respected mentor to the Corps and to teach at various workshops for bands and drum majors.

Bill joined the Corps as a fifer in 1965 and rose to the rank of Sergeant Major.  Upon graduating from James Blair High School in 1971, he worked as a member of the Corps' staff.  In 1976 Bill graduated from Christopher Newport University with a B.A. in History.  That same year he became the Assistant Musick Master under John Moon, and in 1981 he was promoted to Military Musick Master.  In 1985 Bill left the Corps to become Director of the Company of Colonial Performers.  He earned his Ph.D. in American Studies at William & Mary in 1998.  In January of 2011, Bill was promoted to the position of the Royce R. & Kathryn M Baker Vice President of Productions, Publications and Learning Ventures of Colonial Williamsburg.  Both of Bill's sons, Billy and Charlie, are Corps alumni.  Bill has remained active in Corps alumni affairs and he continues as a mentor to the Corps.
         
         Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, 1984

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During Tim's leadership of the Corps the first full time female assistant instructor was hired and the first female recruits were admitted.  Tim currently is involved in school outreach programs teaching the importance of field music to students.  He also serves as a clinician in 18th-century field music for other fife and drum corps throughout the nation.

           
          Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, 1997