Cincinnati Tradition

Corps Snapshot

Difficulty reflects an all-age audition process held in November and December; the corps welcomes all skill levels from age 14, with guardian or school approval required for some members. The published 2026 tuition was $1,050, plus $25 for each rehearsal from December through April; 2027 tuition is not yet posted. Rank reflects 5th of 12 corps in the 2026 DCI All-Age World Championship Finals (92.200). See the official membership and tuition details, 2026 fee schedule, and official DCI results.

>

← Corps directory

Cincinnati Tradition at a glance

Cincinnati Tradition is an all-age drum and bugle corps based in Cincinnati, in southwestern Ohio. Its competitive history crosses two eras: Drum Corps Associates and the DCI All-Age division introduced in 2024. It gives performers a different participation model from the youth World Class touring corps, with a regional identity and a substantial weekend rehearsal commitment. The official mission emphasizes access, lifelong learning, competition, and personal growth.

Cincinnati Tradition Videos

Cincinnati Tradition 2014 – DCA Finals Warmup [Quality Audio]
Video: HornlineFanatic. Historical warmup recording.

No verified performance video is listed in the available profile content.

Contact Cincinnati Tradition

No verified public contact details are listed in the available profile sources.

Cincinnati Tradition on Social Media

Social links from the supplied directory. Labels show where each link was published. Public-profile and source-reference links were not independently confirmed through a corps website; shared organization channels and older accounts are noted.

From around the web

Origins and the move into competition

Tom Slade and Dan Hartwig founded the corps in 1984. Instruments came from Silver Spectrum and Pride of Cincinnati, linking the new ensemble with earlier local organizations. Its first DCI appearance was the 1986 Queen City Classic. For many years it was primarily a parade and exhibition corps in the Ohio tri-state region.

The 2009 DCA Mini Corps event marked a new competitive direction; active DCA field competition followed in 2010. Tradition reached Class A finals in 2014 and 2015 and won that class in 2016 and 2017. It moved to DCA Open Class in 2018. These divisions describe the historical DCA system: they should not be confused with the separate youth DCI Open Class circuit. Official history.

2024: a ruby anniversary and an inaugural title

The corps celebrated its fortieth anniversary with From a Stone. DCI’s design interview explains the ruby imagery: the shaping and polishing of a gemstone paralleled the development of an organization over forty years. Program coordinator Kendra Wendeln and assistant director Dan Middlesworth connected the anniversary to the production’s design, giving viewers a reason for the visual language beyond an attractive color scheme. DCI’s 2024 production interview.

Tradition won the inaugural DCI All-Age Open Class championship with 87.475, ahead of White Sabers at 86.775. The 0.700 margin shows how close the first championship was. The award was the Glen Johnson Memorial Trophy. This was an All-Age Open Class title, separate from the youth Open Class championship and the All-Age World Class title. 2024 championship report.

2025: defending the Open Class championship

On August 8, 2025, Tradition won its second consecutive All-Age Open Class championship at Lucas Oil Stadium, scoring 90.025 against White Sabers’ 85.375. DCI reported that the corps led every caption except percussion. The 2025 event used a Friday divisional championship followed by a Saturday All-Age finals opportunity, so the Friday class win must be identified separately from Saturday’s overall placement. 2025 championship account; official detailed recap.

Sources and further reading

1. Official history and mission
2. 2024 design interview
3. 2024 championship report
4. 2025 championship report
5. DCI 2026 format
6. Contact

Current information

Participation requirements, costs, schedules, staffing, volunteer opportunities, and contact routes change over time. Use each organization’s official website for current details; this archive focuses on the corps’ lasting history, identity, traditions, and documented milestones.

THE VIDEO ARCHIVE

Watch Cincinnati Tradition

Explore 64 curated videos from this corps.