The Fall marching band season may be right around the corner, but there's still a lot of WGI & DCI news hitting your timeline every day.

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Here are the top six Winter Guard International and Drum Corps International headlines that you may have missed over the last few weeks:

1. Inspire Guard is BACK for the 2027 WGI season

For the first time since the 2020 WGI season, Inspire Guard will return to the performance floor this WGI season. Here's a bit more information about the ensemble:

"Born from the Boston Crusaders legacy, Inspire Winter Guard is set to return to WGI’s World Class in 2027.

Inspire will perform in the Midwest’s IHSCGA, MEPA, and WGI circuits. Rehearsals and auditions will be held in Indiana beginning this fall."

2. Legendary DCI Brass Arranger JD Shaw Announces Retirement

JD Shaw has been a mainstay in the DCI space since the early 2000s, having arranged iconic brass books like Phantom Regiment's 2008 'Spartacus,' SCV's 2018 'Babylon,' and more. Most recently, Shaw has held a position at Phantom Regiment after short stints away from the activity or at different drum corps. Here's what PR has to say about Shaw's legacy on the ensemble:

“JD’s work is foundational to many of the most recognizable Phantom Regiment productions in the corps’ history,” said Dan Farrell, DCI and Phantom Regiment Hall of Famer. “JD’s arrangements and sound have shaped Phantom Regiment’s musical identity in the modern era of drum corps.” (source)

For more information about JD Shaw's retirement, click here. For more information about the 2027 Phantom Regiment caption head team, click here.

3. Elevate Announce the Introduction of Elevate Open for this 2027 WGI Season

Recent fan favorite ensemble, Elevate World, has some good news for WGI Guard participants: Elevate Open is coming our way for the 2027 WGI season! Here's what the ensemble had to say about its newest group:

Due to an increase in talent at Auditions, Elevate is excited to announce that we have made the judicious decision to field a World and Open group this season 🎉

4. Genesis Announce the Corps Will Go Inactive for the 2027 DCI Season

Citing increasing operational costs and the rising cost of tuition, Genesis Drum and Bugle Corps will go inactive for the 2027 DCI season. Most recently, Genesis finished 23rd at DCI World Championship Semifinals, achieving a score of 76.675 with their program titled, 'AbstRacT.'

Our members deserve more than our ability to simply make a season happen. They deserve an outstanding educational experience, strong instruction, appropriate resources, and an organization positioned for long-term success.

Being inactive for the 2027 season is incredibly difficult, but it gives us the opportunity to honestly evaluate where we are, what must change, and how we can build a stronger future for Genesis. (source)

5. Audio Theater Announce Hiatus from 2027 WGI Season

The heartbreak keeps coming, this time in the WGI space: Audio Theater, a Percussion Independent World ensemble based out of Clarksville, Tennessee, has made the difficult decision to "step away from competition for the 2027 WGI season." Last year, the ensemble competed at WGI Percussion/Winds World Championships and placed 14th at Prelims with a score of 83.850.