The Colts Drum and Bugle Corps, based in Dubuque, will perform at the Crestwood High School field at 7:30 p.m. June 5.
    There is no charge for the performance, which will be somewhat informal and will last approximately 30-45 minutes. A free will donation will be asked to help with travel expenses for the summer.
    The group will be in residence at Crestwood High School from midnight to 11 p.m. on Thursday for a one-day rehearsal stop. The group is on their pre-season ‘cornfield tour’, where the show is being learned and the group is learning to travel as well, starting out close to home.
    Crestwood Band Director Jason Dobbs is a Colts alumnus, and he has arranged for the invitation to be extended to the Colts.
    Colts Executive Director Greg Orwoll is a native of Decorah, and is the son of Dean and Coleen Orwoll.   
    The Colts are named “Iowa’s Ambassadors of Music” by Governor of Iowa Chester Culver, and are an elite competitive drum and bugle corps, currently ranked 10 in the world.
    There are 150 members in the group, and they are selected through an extensive audition process consisting of monthly weekend rehearsals in Dubuque from December through May. 
    Over 350 young people auditioned for the group this year, from 27 states and three countries.
    The Colts members who were selected are from 19 states plus Japan, England and Canada.
    Colts membership is an intensive, challenging and high achievement environment where life and leadership skills are taught, and the group attracts highly successful young people.     The average GPA in the Colts is over 3.5 and more than 95 percent of members in an average year are in college or college bound.
    Members of the Colts are between the ages of 15 and 21, and the average age is approximately 19 years old.   
    The Colts travel and perform throughout the summer, beginning Memorial Day weekend, and concluding the second weekend of August. 
    The Colts have ranked in the top 25 of all drum corps for the past 27 years, including top 12 international finalist status 8 of the past 15 years and 10th in 2007. 
    More information on the Colts can be found at www.colts.org.