Dan English Trophy Winners (Snare Drum)

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. The Senior trophy lasted until 1988.

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.

One might debate whether the Dan English 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.

Junior Division • Senior Division
 

Data compiled by Rick Beckham.

If you notice any errors or have additional information to add, please send a message through the Contact page.