Mia Silvani leads the Blue Devil B Corps at the Concord 4th of July Parade
Campolindo senior Mia Silvani, junior Danielle Cortez, recent grad Brianne Cortez and recent Acalanes grad Maxine Brown, all members of the Concord Blue Devil B Drum Corps (BDB) helped earn BDB its first ever Gold 1st place award in the open class category this August at "Drum Corps International" in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Corps members prepared for the famed international competition by practicing twelve hours daily every weekend starting in April and increased to five days a week outdoors in the hot sun as soon as school was out for the season.
"It was the best feeling in the world to win at DCI," said Mia Silvani, a member of the "B" Corps color guard that dance and spin flags, rifles and sabres. "It was my best summer ever. We worked so hard; we tried our best every minute at practice and in the end, it showed."
BDB competed against other drum corps (including its arch rivals, the Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets) all over California before boarding a train to Omaha, Neb. in July for the beginning of a three week grueling competition tour across country. Traveling by bus from Nebraska through Michigan and Ohio to Indiana, Blue Devil B Corps competed, and remained undefeated, in multiple regional competitions.
"The weather was not my favorite part. It was either very hot and humid, like in the Midwest or freezing at night, like at Mars, our practice field in Concord," said Silvani, who has been a member of Blue Devils since 2005. "The Midwest mosquitoes were nasty. Once a swarm of bees came at us and we all had to run for cover. It also rained in the Midwest and we had to change our equipment (like our flags) in the middle of practice so they wouldn't get ruined."
The tour finished in Indiana on Aug. 8 after the week-long Drum Corps International at the Lucas Oil Stadium. "We performed inside the Stadium which had a removable roof, said Silvani, "so there was no wind or rain (or bugs.) It was the perfect venue for colorguard."
Further making history, later the same day that BDB took their Gold, Concord Blue Devil A Drum Corps, also following an undefeated season, earned their unprecedented 13th Gold 1st place award in the world class category. This was the first time the same parent organization fielded two first place winners at the same time.
"I learned so much," Silvani said. "I learned to push myself beyond what I thought I could do. I learned that each individual is important because together we make a great show. If we want to accomplish something great, it takes a lot of hard work and dedication from everybody. I just can't describe in words what drum corps means to me but I feel sorry for anyone who does not do drum corps."
Silvani plans to march until she "ages out" when she turns 21 years and is no longer allowed to compete.
Corps members prepared for the famed international competition by practicing twelve hours daily every weekend starting in April and increased to five days a week outdoors in the hot sun as soon as school was out for the season. 
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA