Pleasanton's Fife & Drum Band: "Flying Musical Patriots"

Pleasanton California may be the last place you would expect to see a troop of
young 1776-era Continental Army musicians roaming about. Still, you have probably seen them already. Pleasanton’s Young American Patriots Fife & Drum Corps (YAPs) has performed in many local parades, concerts and Tri Valley events. “Including our recent performance at Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, YAPs will have performed 38 times in the last three years,” says Jason Giaimo, the group’s Music Director and founder. 

The band turned three years old this month, and they celebrated in grand style. “We've had juggling clowns and magicians for the kids in the past, but this year's birthday celebration beat them all" says Giaimo. All current band members were invited to the iFLY indoor skydiving facility in Union City to celebrate YAPs third birthday as a group.  "The kids come to weekly music lessons and have many performances during the year, so they have earned this," says the group’s drum instructor Anna Cucciardo.

YAPs is a Colonial America-era, non-political fife & drum kids marching band based in Pleasanton. They play the music of 1776 on traditional wooden fifes
(like a flute) and rope-tensioned snare drums. For parades, the group wears
custom-made replica Continental Army uniforms.  "While we primarily teach kids
instrumental music (fife & drum), we are really teaching music, history and
leadership" says Mr. Giaimo, a three-time US fife champion originally from New
Jersey.

"For example, after music lessons recently we discussed & demonstrated the spy and cypher techniques used during the American Revolution." The YAPs kids have met politicians, famous American Idol musician Jason Castro, the CEO of a social media start-up, a movie producer, even a NASA astronaut. “I like YAPs because we get to go cool places and sometimes meet famous people” says Ashni, an 11 year old fife student in the group.

“What we are really doing is growing the next generation of leaders, and I hope more kids get involved” says Giaimo. We agree. California may be as far from Lexington & Concord as one might get, but in Pleasanton at least…the spirit of 1776 lives on!

Learn more about the group at www.YoungAmericanPatriots.com