For a variety of personal reasons, my tenure with the Sunrisers was shorter than I would have liked or anticipated when I first joined. I joined from a junior corps (The Bellmore Thunderstreaks), in 1965, marched through most of the 1966 competition year and had to leave due to family problems. I joined again late in 1967 and once again had to leave early in 1968 before the season to take my long time dream appointment to the New york City Police Department. That aside, my tenure - though fairly short - will remain with me forever.
My most distinct memory is the first night I stepped into the ensemble in the old Mineola American Legion Post in 1965 after auditioning for none other than Hall of Famer and Brass instructor/arranger John Sasso. More nervous than I can ever remember being - before or since - I managed to screw up my audition totally. John either took pity on me or figured "what the hell - he's LOUD" and stuck me into the line as a second soprano. Something of a letdown since I was a solo soprano in junior corps. No matter - I was a Sunriser!
Sectionals over for the night, John called for the entire corps to form up into ensemble for a play through. I stepped into the line with the rest of the sopranos as inconspicuously as possible and found myself next to guys I had listened to on records of some of the greatest junior corps of all time... Frank Dorittee, Bob Murphy, Bill Hightower, Paul Calcagno, Steve Buglino, John and Ted Sasso, Frank Diliberto, and others. The Drum Majors were Hall of Famer and Sunriser charter member Howard Healy and Tom Beresford.
"Corps .. at-ten-HUT! Right shoul-der ..ARMS!"
... and here we go. The first song ... "Goldfinger" "One-Two-Three AND ..."
... I nearly crapped my pants. The SOUND of that hornline. I couldn't help but drop my horn (which didn't mean much since I didn't know the part anyway!) and just look in wonder from one side to the other. I constantly relate this night to the movie "You Light Up My Life", where the girl is to sing in front of a full orchestra for the first time. She sings her introduction, then the orchestra comes up behind her and she has this look of amazement on her face. I could relate. It was stunning, and unforgetable.
And I was now part of it. I was a Sunriser, and it was a part of my life I will never, ever, forget.
Bruce Emmott
