Chris Kilian joined the Bushwackers in 1996 as an assistant drum major and spent 14 of the next 15 years as a marching member, drum major, staff member, and administrator (sometimes several at once) with the corps. He is probably best known for being the longest tenured drum major in the history of the corps, having served 10 years in the role (96, 99-03, 05-07, 09). In 1999 Chris was the first recipient of the renamed “Scott Yuppa Memorial Bushwacker of the Year Award,” and he was inducted into the Bushwackers Hall of Fame in 2009.
Chris is an active composer and arranger, writing music for drum corps, marching bands, concert bands, and jazz ensembles around the country. He credits his Bushwacker family for helping him develop his passion for music and the marching activity. “Everyone who ever wore the magenta and blue or stood in front of the Bushwackers as a staff member or administrator has had an indelible impact on my life. They deserve all the credit in the world for taking a truck full of equipment and turning it into a championship caliber drum corps year after year. It was truly an honor and the thrill of a lifetime to stand in front of them and conduct for so many years.”
