George Zingali

George Zingari was a drill designer for drum & bugle corps and marching bands. He was a native of New York City, attended New York University and Boston College. He won several awards for his work desiging the routines of color guards and marching bands, among them the champion Quasar and Erte bands of Revere, MA. He choreographed the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY.

Mr. Zingali attended the Actors and Directors Laboratory in New York from 1983 to 1986 and acted in several plays. His last performance was in “The Shadow Box” in 1990.

When one thinks of the visual progress the drum corps activity has made in the 1970s and 1980s, one naturally thinks of George Zingali. His name was synonymous with high-quality, innovative drill designs.

He began his illustrious career with his hometown corps, the 27th Lancers, where he brought color guard work to new levels. From rifle tosses while lying down to presentations on the 50-yard line, Zingali had the guard do it all. Zingali then joined The Cadets Drum And Bugle Corps (Cadets of Bergen County), where, with his assistance, they won four of their Drum Corps International (DCl) World Championship titles in 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1987.

Zingali also worked with Star Of Indiana and the The Blue Knights Drum And Bugle Corps. One needs only to recall the fast-paced series of stars at the end of Star's program in 1990 to picture what Zingali has done for the activity. He was also well known for the creation of the "Z Pull." George Zingali passed away on March 6, 1992.

George was inducted into the The Blue Knights Drum And Bugle Corps Hall of Fame in 1991.