Future Corps
| Company type | Entertainment ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music, Entertainment |
| Founded | 1982-12-01 |
| Defunct | 2000-05 |
| Headquarters | Orlando, Florida , United States |
| Products | Live musical performances, album "The Future of Corps" |
The Future Corps was an ensemble specializing in brass and percussion, known for delivering dynamic instrumental performances inspired by the modern drum and bugle corps tradition. Their primary venue was the Epcot theme park at Walt Disney World. Comprised mainly of musicians with competitive drum corps backgrounds, the group utilized instruments provided by Disney, while their futuristic costumes—including special holiday-themed outfits—were created by Disney’s costume department. A counterpart group called Magic Kingdom Korps performed in a similar fashion at Disneyland.
History
The Future Corps made its first appearance on December 1, 1982, and went on to perform as many as seven shows daily, five days each week, for nearly 18 years until May 2000. The ensemble was disbanded due to extensive entertainment staff reductions. A Disney executive remarked that the group's run exceeded that of Cats. It succeeded the Future World Brass as Epcot’s second brass and percussion ensemble.
The ensemble’s name, Future Corps, merges Epcot’s Future World with the term Drum Corps. When performing outside Disney properties, they adopted the name Encorps. Their only album, titled The Future of Corps, reflected their trademarked name rather than suggesting an influence on the broader drum corps community.
At times, Future Corps expanded its lineup to include mallet percussion instruments, a four-member color guard, an eleven-person cymbal section, full pit percussion ensembles, additional brass players for special events such as the Indycar race, and keyboard, guitar, and electric bass elements for unique occasions like the Disney Ambassador ceremony and Goofy Games.
Future Corps gained international exposure through appearances on Japanese New Year television specials and served as the house band for two episodes of "Live" with Regis and Kathy Lee filmed at Epcot. They were also featured on Good Morning America. Their competitive participation included DCI Championships in 1983, 1992, and from 1994 to 1998. The group performed multiple times at the Music Educators National Convention as well as at conventions hosted by the International Association of Jazz Educators and the Percussive Arts Society. Notably, they performed alongside other Disney musical groups during the world premiere event for Pocahontas in Central Park, New York City. In 1997, Future Corps toured Japan as guest artists for Dynasty Music Products, presenting concerts in Okayama, Yokohama, Kyoto, and Tokyo Disney. Their only reunion took place in October 2000 in Okayama, Japan—six months following their disbandment.
Discography
- Future of Corps (1991), Encorps Production. Recorded at James Madison University