Dan English was born in 1903, and studied drumming under J. Burns Moore. He passed in 1931 at the young age of 28 of heart disease, and in his short time on earth he garnered a very impressive string of snare drum titles due to his excellence in drumming. He joined the Lancraft Fife and Drum Corps in 1918, and won the Connecticut state snare drum title in 1925, an impressive feat considering CT was the hotbed for rudimental drumming during that time. He repeated this feat in 1926, 1927, and 1929. In 1930, he won the N.E. States title and the US Nationals title in Brooklyn NY.

Dan was so impressive in his playing, Sanford “Gus” Moeller spent considerable time studying Dan’s playing style, hoping to learn and understand how Dan was able to play so expertly.

Burns Moore, not one to give praise of other drummers lightly, once stated that Dan English was one of the finest students of the craft of rudimental drumming, adding that Dan was the only person he ever heard impressively play his (Burns) solo “Filling The Double Drag” correctly.

After Dan passed, in 1932 the Lancraft Fife and Drum Corps honored his name by presenting the Dan English trophy to the most outstanding drummer in the Senior Class Division. This trophy was the most prestigious rudimental drumming trophy in the Fife and Drum Corps world.

Contestants for the Dan English trophy must open and close two rudiments, one being the Long Roll and the other rudiment picked from a hat, timed at three minutes each, a minute and a half to accelerate and a minute and a half to ritard back to starting tempo, as well as play a rudimental solo. The Senior trophy lasted until 1988, the year it was quietly retired.

The year after the Dan English Trophy was retired, 1989, the Dan Mullen Trophy was introduced. The requirements for the competitors was the same as for the Dan English Trophy; two rudiments and a solo. Dan Mullen was drum instructor and playing member of the Connecticut Blues. Since its inception, Dan has also been a driving force in the Conn. Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps. Dan started drumming in the early 60″s with St. Justins Drum Corps of Hartford, Ct., where he won many individual championships. In 1971, he marched with the Emerald Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps before enlisting in the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps in I972. Dan was responsible for several drum arrangements played by the Old Guard in the mid -late 70’s, most notably the ever popular “Opus I.” After his discharge from the Old Guard, Dan joined the Conn. Hurricanes Drum and Bugle Corps of Shelton, CT. He played with the Hurricanes, along with his wife Joan, until they retired from active playing after the birth of their children Monica and Kevin. It was then that Dan began leaching drum lines in Conn. and Mass. including: The Golden Saints of Hanaford, Sgt. Daniel Bissell of Granby, CT. Classics of East Haven, Royal Columbians of Chicopee, Mass., Coginchaug Jr. Ancients of Durham and the Conn. Blues of Middletown. Dan’s dedication to drum corps was never more evident than three weeks before his death, when, thought seriously ill, Dan played with the Blues drum line as the corps went on to win their 8th Northeastern Championship. Danny will long be remembered as a wonderful husband and father, a very good friend to many and also as an exceptional and visionary drummer, arranger and instructor.

One might debate whether the Dan English an d Dan Mullen winners are National Champions, there is merit for both sides of the argument, but one cannot debate the top-notch caliber of rudimental excellence of the winners.

Dan English Senior Division • Dan Mullen Senior Division
 

Data compiled by Rick Beckham.

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