Meet Grayson Gunn | Assistant Director of Atlanta CV & Clinical Researcher

We had the good fortune of connecting with Grayson Gunn and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Grayson, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor to the success of Atlanta CV is the dedication of the membership, past and present. Drum corps is a physically and mentally demanding activity that combines fast paced drill moves with technically difficult musical and visual responsibilities. The members learn our competitive show outside in the Georgia heat from April through August, and rehearsal weekends run from 9 am on Saturday to 5 pm on Sunday. None of it is easy!
Our current members come from all across the Southeast (and sometimes beyond!) to pursue excellence every weekend. Veteran members have created a community and sense of family that draws in new membership and upholds the core values of CV. Our alumni base consistently support the membership and organization through donations and volunteerism. All of this time and effort stems from the dedication and drive that is instilled in every member of Atlanta CV.

What should our readers know about your business?
Atlanta CV is an all age drum and bugle corps based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Very simply put, drum corps is like professional marching band. CV’s members range in age from 14 to 65 and play brass and percussion instruments, or perform in the color guard. We produce a marching show every summer and travel around the southeast to compete. Our championships are every Labor Day in Rochester, New York.

Atlanta CV is different from other drum corps in the area because we compete in the DCA (Drum Corps Associates) circuit, which allows us to welcome a large and diverse membership. Other circuits and forms of drum corps have barriers to participation, such as age limits, an intense rehearsal schedule, or a high cost. We pride ourselves on being an accessible and affordable drum corps experience.

CV also differs from other drum corps in that we welcome people of all experience levels to march in our corps and we are primarily focused on the educational experience of the members. Members may be completely new to playing their instruments or come from a non-competitive marching program. Our wonderful staff makes sure that everyone is learning and having fun at every camp. In addition to music education, the skills taught in Atlanta CV (and all drum corps) extend far beyond playing a horn or spinning a flag. Members learn about dedication, grit, persistence, hard work, time management, team work and so much more.

CV began 26 years ago and, like all other corps, has faced many challenges along the way. Our most recent challenge was a large staff turnover from the 2021 to 2022 season. Over 75% of our staff left in the fall of 2021, including administrators and key leaders in the organization. Our new executive director, Russ Thompson, came on board in March 2022; that is extremely late in the season and the board of directors and remaining staff often asked if we should cancel the season all together. However, under Russ’s direction, we were able to have a competitive season and begin rebuilding and refreshing the corps. It was not an easy season, as it was both an anniversary season and a season of transition between administrations. We tried very hard to make sure that the members still had a good experience. Over the course of the season we learned many lessons and even came in second place in our class at championships.

Moving forward into the 2023 season, I am personally excited about so many aspects of CV. We are on track to have one of our largest groups in our history! The corps has set the brass and percussion already, and the brass have begun learning drill (the pictures they make on the field). The show theme centers on the story of King Henry VIII and his 6 wives, and features music from Queen. We have also partnered with Marching Health this year, a company that focuses on physically preparing our members for the season. I’m excited to see how this impacts the health and culture within our corps.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is a tough question, as Atlanta has too many cool spots to choose from! If my fiance, Matt, and I were hosting friends for a week, they would go home well fed! My dad jokes that Matt is a foodie. We would take our friends to eat at some of our favorite spots, such as Bone Garden, The Vortex, Tacos La Villa, Das BBQ, Heirloom BBQ, Fellinis Pizza, and really anywhere in the Battery.

In terms of activities, we enjoy going to any of the trails in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, the Atlanta History Center, the Atlanta Ballet, or walking around Georgia Tech or Emory’s campuses. Of course, we would top off the weekend by watching Atlanta CV rehearse at Cass HS on the weekends in the summer, as most of our friends are friends from marching band.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My success in life comes from my family, my partner, and participation in the marching arts! My family has always had my back and been a group of my loudest supporters. Thank you to Dad, Lady, all of my siblings, Pop and Bubby!

My partner Matt has always believed in me, even when I have not. Matt is my best friend, my cheerleader and my source of inspiration. He is truly the best.

My participation in the marching arts started in high school and extended to several independent organizations. Thank you to all of my past coaches and directors for teaching me the value of hard work, dedication, perseverance and grit.

Website: https://atlantacv.org/

Instagram: @cvdrumcorps

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AtlantaCorpsVets

Image Credits
Shawna Del Valle