Returning to high school band letdown

[FanLib]

I'm wondering how many of you out there experienced drum corps as a high schooler and how you dealt with your own marching band when you came back from drum corps. From what I can gather with the few people I know who've done drum corps some years ago while in high school, it was hard and they were critical of their band. How did you deal with it? How can you learn to enjoy performing again, albeit at a different level, flaws and all?

[KVG_DC]

I was a high school tenor sax player (true confessions!) so I never got marching in corps in the late 80s. But we had a number of folks who did. I recall one woman who simply picked up a mello and learned our show in a week while we were at the start of our season.

In conversation, she was enjoying it but said it was "super easy compared to my summer." (She marched Bluecoats). But she also filled her time with constructive criticism tips and a level of professionalism that raised the level of our marching, particularly our visual, that year. And she found a way to do it without being obnoxious or smug. We loved what she brought and worked to rise to a higher level.

[gak27]

My experience was similar to KVG's, only from the marching side. I marched in corps all 4 years of high school and until senior year, never made it to band camp due to Championship Week. My band director never had an issue with it, b/c I was able to quickly learn the show visuals and music (never needed the flip folder for my trumpet). My senior year, when I actually went to band camp, was great. We had several new members in the trumpet section and I tried to provide a positive role model for them regarding work ethic, etc. That year was one of the best for the brass section of our band - our band director also played trumpet and he was very happy with what he had to work with.

Regarding your question about the lower performance level, criticism, etc. - I still greatly enjoyed doing our shows. Being in corps made me a better player, smarter marcher, and more valuable asset to the band. Did I roll my eyes at a lot of what we did? Of course. Did I cringe at the sounds coming from all around me at various points in our show. Definitely. But the performance and comraderie were so worth it.

That, and the sparkly majorette unis.

[crownisking]

I've never marched with a corps, but I'll never forget the lead euphonium for my high school band that did. He was such a jerk about it that I won't even name the corps he marched with. This guy had the absolute worst attitude. It's a mystery why he even bothered to march since all he ever did was complain and say how much better everything was when he was with 'Corps X'.

[Trask]

I had friends who marched corps in high school who came back and absolutely hated the band. They were essentially made to be junior staff and spent our rehearsals yelling at people more than teaching / learning the show.

That kind of example is why my corps talks to us at the end of the season about returning to home programs and how to make a positive impact rather than be "the jerk who did drum corps"

[jbeatty89]

You just need to be mature enough to recognize that HS isn't the same beast as drumcorps. It can be difficult but if you do your best to be a leader by example as opposed to someone who constantly calls out other members ticks you will fair much better. It can be fun as long as you don't let stupid things bother you. You can't expect other marching band members to devote as much intensity to the activity that you do. Anyway I say this mostly because its the direct opposite of how I approached it until my senior year. I had fun that year because I didn't have high expectations for anybody but myself.

[FanLib]

I agree it could be an opportunity for leadership. Unfortunately, in the case I know about, the instructor is not that keen on it and doesn't seem to want her to lead anything. He's also been critical of her technique even though she's doing the technique taught to her in drum corps (this is a guard girl). I'd like to see the mood shift a bit to the positive. New instructor this year too doesn't help and even without drum corps experience, the quality of the group has slipped some, which is also disappointing.

[xandandl]

Not every corps is a medalist and not every medalist corps does so each year. It should be obvious then that even we drum corps folks in our search for excellence might not just be telling others how to do it but also learn something from others, if only to be a better player, marcher, member for next summer season. Openness to grow is a tremendous quality in and out of the marching activity.

Imagine doing a jazz style like Madison show this year, the Crown brass technique, the BD fluidity, and the Cadet's tradition and honor, all as possible opportunities you might ready yourself for.during the band season by being open to another approach.

I am sure the Bluecoats' rampers and pitchbenders, the Cavaliers' various limberings, and SCV's shift from Saigon to Paris to Arabia would not have been as well done if one held to such a rigid outlook that there was no more growth to achieve.

Good luck and enjoy it.

[xandandl]

Glad to see some non-dinosaurs adding perspectives and issues here on DCP. :-)

[MikeD]

I have read here that a lot of corps are providing some guidance to their members about returning to their bands. That is a good thing. The band I now work with had a few kids march corps in the late 80's, and their bad attitude when they got back to band tore the band apart, so much that the director jsut kicked them all out and in effect started over with his MB program. He never mentioned joining a corps to any of his members again.

The director we had the last three years marched in DCA and DCI (in that order) and was on staff with two corps...she did make the current band members aware of the opportunities in marching corps.