Founded in the 1930s, the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps has incorporated female performers just three times in its storied 80-year history.

In 2018, there will be another.

Megan Hutera will not only be the first female brass player for the Madison, Wisconsin, corps, but she will also play a major role in the show as a flugelhorn soloist. The Madison Scouts, who have maintained their all-male status for decades, last had a female member in 2005.

"We are excited to involve Megan in our upcoming production," Madison Scouts executive director Chris Komnick said. "She certainly brings an element of intrigue to our show design along with the expected challenges to our long history. Megan has impressed us throughout the selection process and we are excited to have her join the Scouts."

Hutera hails from Rice Lake, Wisconsin, and is a music education major at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. While she is no rookie performer, this summer will mark her first in drum corps.

"I am ecstatic to be a featured performer in the Madison Scouts' 2018 production," Hutera said. "This opportunity to perform with the Scouts will hopefully open up many avenues for me to interact and collaborate with talented and dedicated people. I want to create music... that is why I play my instrument and what drives me every day."

Hutera will be a featured flugelhorn soloist throughout the 2018 production. Komnick said that the texture of the flugelhorn will stand out from the remaining brass sounds in a way that will allow the audience to follow every movement that Hutera will make during the show.

"In developing the 2018 production, we have dedicated ourselves to pushing the boundaries of the organization's identity while honing in on our long history of captivating the DCI community through performance," said Nick Monzi, the Scouts' program coordinator. "We see this role as an opportunity to improve the accessibility, intrigue, and entertainment value of the production while opening the Scouts family to another outstanding musician and person."

Elite Company Of Women

Hutera is joining what is probably the most exclusive group of female performers in the history of drum corps. She will be just the sixth female performer to take the field with the Madison Scouts, who were founded by local businessmen in partnership with the Boy Scouts and held their initial rehearsals in February 1938.

The group’s first female performer was Bonnie Howard, the daughter of then-director Bill Howard. In 1971, the Madison Scouts performed a show called “Alice In Wonderland.” Howard’s young daughter performed the role of Alice but simply stood on the field and did not play an instrument or spin equipment.

In 1980, the Scouts had just finished DCI World Championships and decided to compete in the VFW Nationals in Chicago while returning home to Madison. DCI had just removed the rule that required corps to have honor guards on the field. However, the VFW was still requiring honor guards.

While the Scouts were headed north from Alabama, the site of DCI World Championships, Karan Kaufman and Lori Skaife were hitching a ride home. Both of them were members of the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps.

When the Scouts arrived in Chicago to compete in the VFW contest, they asked Kaufman, Skaife, and Kristin Mathews, younger sister to a Madison Scouts snare drummer, to wear the tradition Madison uniform and become the honor guard for their performance. They even penciled in fake mustaches on the ladies so audience members wouldn't notice.

The most prominent female performer in Madison Scouts history was Rebecca Hershman Newcomb. In 2005, Newcomb played Carmen in the group’s show based around the popular opera and was the featured member of the guard throughout the season.

But after the 2018 season concludes, Megan Hutera will have forever etched her name in Madison Scouts' history and DCI history for that matter.

"I intend to soak up as much information, friendship, and musical growth as possible," Hutera said. "I have genuine curiosity surrounding everything that involves drum corps and I am excited to explore every aspect of the activity."