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Bluecoats HBCU scholarship


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http://bluecoats.com/shop/scholarship-funds/hbcu-scholarship/

I hope that we can get some support for this on here. I had the idea to reach out to the HBCU community after seeing a lot of screaming trumpets and similar raw talent on HBCU YouTube videos. To me, this could be a win-win-win situation.

1. Drum corps is getting more and more expensive and therefore less diverse. This (as well as other scholarship fund opportunities on the link) helps combat this.

2. There are many talented musicians at these schools that I would like to encourage to audition for the Bluecoats by partially offsetting the costs. I think of it as "widening the net" to attract the most talent.

3. I think there needs to be more cooperation, outreach, and appreciation between show style marching arts and corps style marching arts.

So if you, are anyone you know, feel passionate about exposing and encouraging drum corps participation to a culture of band students who may not be familiar with our style, please contribute to the fund. Thanks.

Derek Gipson

Bluecoats brass caption head

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Interesting idea and I applaud your effort. I have a few questions and concerns about the scholarship, including overcoming objections, long term benefits and cost benefit. I think some of the approach isn't limited to HBCUs but any show band that plays popular music like Ohio State, Ohio University, and more.

- Why Bluecoats? The majority of HBCUs are down south or on the east coast so to cut down on travel costs and also provide a direct impact to the community wouldn't it be better to focus on local corps? For instance, a student from Howard, Norfolk State, or Virginia State may benefit from marching Cadets, or Jersey Surf as it reduces supporting costs.

- How do you plan to overcome common objections to DCI and plain corps style? - Music is not recognizable or interesting (from their point of view) ; Marching style is stiff and not exciting enough ; lack of diversity ; high cost and potential conflicts with HBCU high school / college band summer sessions and more?

- How to you approach the topic of Drum Corps with students and performers who don't consider it the top of the "game" or marching world and basically don't care about DCI? As in, due to the lack of DCI alumni staff in many high school and college HBCU programs; there isn't a widespread culture around the activity.

- What is your plan to make any potential HBCU auditionees comfortable in the DCI environment? As seen over the last few years, whenever DCI, Drum Line or Sound Sport post ANYTHING about HBCU style it becomes filled with the most arrogant comments that showcase the hubris of the fans and activity in the assumption that everyone should want or care to march DCI.

- Combined with the last of the predominately African-American corps dying with Spirit of Newark, Kips Bay Knights, New York Lancers, Cadets of Brooklyn/NYC and more; is there a long term plan to create a path to drum corps with many HBCUs?

I think you're on the right track and I know there are many HBCU members and staff at Bluecoats which is great. Perhaps, they could reach out to Central State in Ohio and perform a clinic, or have a localized audition and showcase the benefits of DCI in tandem with their HBCU style?

I think the approach should NOT be from the standpoint of DCI IS AWESOME AND YOU SHOULD WANT TO DO IT but instead working as partners to compliment the style and elevate members especially when you compare attendance at DCI Finals with that of Honda Battle of the Bands. Good luck and I look forward to seeing this program develop.

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- Why Bluecoats? The majority of HBCUs are down south or on the east coast so to cut down on travel costs and also provide a direct impact to the community wouldn't it be better to focus on local corps? For instance, a student from Howard, Norfolk State, or Virginia State may benefit from marching Cadets, or Jersey Surf as it reduces supporting costs.

...because he works for Bluecoats?

As for the rest; overthinking. This will help someone who already knows and wants to March but likely can't. It's not for attracting the entire HBCU community. How do you make them feel comfortable? The same way everyone else does it: "Reset."

Jeeze.

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Interesting idea and I applaud your effort. I have a few questions and concerns about the scholarship, including overcoming objections, long term benefits and cost benefit. I think some of the approach isn't limited to HBCUs but any show band that plays popular music like Ohio State, Ohio University, and more.

- Why Bluecoats? The majority of HBCUs are down south or on the east coast so to cut down on travel costs and also provide a direct impact to the community wouldn't it be better to focus on local corps? For instance, a student from Howard, Norfolk State, or Virginia State may benefit from marching Cadets, or Jersey Surf as it reduces supporting costs.

- How do you plan to overcome common objections to DCI and plain corps style? - Music is not recognizable or interesting (from their point of view) ; Marching style is stiff and not exciting enough ; lack of diversity ; high cost and potential conflicts with HBCU high school / college band summer sessions and more?

- How to you approach the topic of Drum Corps with students and performers who don't consider it the top of the "game" or marching world and basically don't care about DCI? As in, due to the lack of DCI alumni staff in many high school and college HBCU programs; there isn't a widespread culture around the activity.

- What is your plan to make any potential HBCU auditionees comfortable in the DCI environment? As seen over the last few years, whenever DCI, Drum Line or Sound Sport post ANYTHING about HBCU style it becomes filled with the most arrogant comments that showcase the hubris of the fans and activity in the assumption that everyone should want or care to march DCI.

- Combined with the last of the predominately African-American corps dying with Spirit of Newark, Kips Bay Knights, New York Lancers, Cadets of Brooklyn/NYC and more; is there a long term plan to create a path to drum corps with many HBCUs?

I think you're on the right track and I know there are many HBCU members and staff at Bluecoats which is great. Perhaps, they could reach out to Central State in Ohio and perform a clinic, or have a localized audition and showcase the benefits of DCI in tandem with their HBCU style?

I think the approach should NOT be from the standpoint of DCI IS AWESOME AND YOU SHOULD WANT TO DO IT but instead working as partners to compliment the style and elevate members especially when you compare attendance at DCI Finals with that of Honda Battle of the Bands. Good luck and I look forward to seeing this program develop.

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Interesting idea and I applaud your effort. I have a few questions and concerns about the scholarship, including overcoming objections, long term benefits and cost benefit. I think some of the approach isn't limited to HBCUs but any show band that plays popular music like Ohio State, Ohio University, and more.

- Why Bluecoats? The majority of HBCUs are down south or on the east coast so to cut down on travel costs and also provide a direct impact to the community wouldn't it be better to focus on local corps? For instance, a student from Howard, Norfolk State, or Virginia State may benefit from marching Cadets, or Jersey Surf as it reduces supporting costs.

- How do you plan to overcome common objections to DCI and plain corps style? - Music is not recognizable or interesting (from their point of view) ; Marching style is stiff and not exciting enough ; lack of diversity ; high cost and potential conflicts with HBCU high school / college band summer sessions and more?

- How to you approach the topic of Drum Corps with students and performers who don't consider it the top of the "game" or marching world and basically don't care about DCI? As in, due to the lack of DCI alumni staff in many high school and college HBCU programs; there isn't a widespread culture around the activity.

- What is your plan to make any potential HBCU auditionees comfortable in the DCI environment? As seen over the last few years, whenever DCI, Drum Line or Sound Sport post ANYTHING about HBCU style it becomes filled with the most arrogant comments that showcase the hubris of the fans and activity in the assumption that everyone should want or care to march DCI.

- Combined with the last of the predominately African-American corps dying with Spirit of Newark, Kips Bay Knights, New York Lancers, Cadets of Brooklyn/NYC and more; is there a long term plan to create a path to drum corps with many HBCUs?

I think you're on the right track and I know there are many HBCU members and staff at Bluecoats which is great. Perhaps, they could reach out to Central State in Ohio and perform a clinic, or have a localized audition and showcase the benefits of DCI in tandem with their HBCU style?

I think the approach should NOT be from the standpoint of DCI IS AWESOME AND YOU SHOULD WANT TO DO IT but instead working as partners to compliment the style and elevate members especially when you compare attendance at DCI Finals with that of Honda Battle of the Bands. Good luck and I look forward to seeing this program develop.

Sorry for the double post there.

As the previous post said, the biggest reason for the Bluecoats is because I work there. I'm selfish and I want the talent to come to my drum corps.

You make some good points especially around doing a localized clinic.

Around the issues that you brought up about dci being attractive. We have already recruited and partially funded through this scholarship a HBCU member. He's the soloist from the top of the show with the tilt and one of our screamers. It's already worked. And this guy both bleeds blue and loves his show band as well. And one of the members of the Bluecoats brass staff is a band director at a HBCU school. He brought his entire band to the Houston show last year and the report is that they loved the show especially Bluecoats and the Blue Devils. And he has other students interested but may not be able to afford it. In short, I'm not concerned about the recruiting side of this endeavor. I need more help on the funding side of the scholarship. This is why I have come here asking for support and drawing attention to the scholarship. My audience is adults that may want to spread the drum corps love. This is why I've framed it that way. The kids no matter what background, once they are exposed to drum corps, generally do like it.

You are right that there are some arrogant judgments regarding what is "better"--show or corps style--on YouTube threads and other places The negative comments are unfortunate. But these are usually rooted in ignorance. My view is that both styles are different and great. It sounds like you agree. This is one reason why I would love to see more understanding and appreciation from both sides. I definitely didn't want to give the impression that I thought one was better than the other.

Thanks again for your points.

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Sorry for the double post there.

As the previous post said, the biggest reason for the Bluecoats is because I work there. I'm selfish and I want the talent to come to my drum corps.

You make some good points especially around doing a localized clinic.

Around the issues that you brought up about dci being attractive. We have already recruited and partially funded through this scholarship a HBCU member. He's the soloist from the top of the show with the tilt and one of our screamers. It's already worked. And this guy both bleeds blue and loves his show band as well. And one of the members of the Bluecoats brass staff is a band director at a HBCU school. He brought his entire band to the Houston show last year and the report is that they loved the show especially Bluecoats and the Blue Devils. And he has other students interested but may not be able to afford it. In short, I'm not concerned about the recruiting side of this endeavor. I need more help on the funding side of the scholarship. This is why I have come here asking for support and drawing attention to the scholarship. My audience is adults that may want to spread the drum corps love. This is why I've framed it that way. The kids no matter what background, once they are exposed to drum corps, generally do like it.

You are right that there are some arrogant judgments regarding what is "better"--show or corps style--on YouTube threads and other places The negative comments are unfortunate. But these are usually rooted in ignorance. My view is that both styles are different and great. It sounds like you agree. This is one reason why I would love to see more understanding and appreciation from both sides. I definitely didn't want to give the impression that I thought one was better than the other.

Thanks again for your points.

I appreciate you responding and clarifying your interest for scholarship funding versus community educational enrichment and I'm happy to see the success of the soloist from Prairie View and the participation of the Asst Band Director on Bluecoats staff. Good luck!

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http://bluecoats.com/shop/scholarship-funds/hbcu-scholarship/

I hope that we can get some support for this on here. I had the idea to reach out to the HBCU community after seeing a lot of screaming trumpets and similar raw talent on HBCU YouTube videos. To me, this could be a win-win-win situation.

1. Drum corps is getting more and more expensive and therefore less diverse. This (as well as other scholarship fund opportunities on the link) helps combat this.

2. There are many talented musicians at these schools that I would like to encourage to audition for the Bluecoats by partially offsetting the costs. I think of it as "widening the net" to attract the most talent.

3. I think there needs to be more cooperation, outreach, and appreciation between show style marching arts and corps style marching arts.

So if you, are anyone you know, feel passionate about exposing and encouraging drum corps participation to a culture of band students who may not be familiar with our style, please contribute to the fund. Thanks.

Derek Gipson

Bluecoats brass caption head

I think it's a GREAT idea. I will be contributing.

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Awesome idea ! I think it's cool you want to "reach out" to expand opportunities and exposure to a portion of our activity where many would think their members would not want to participate in DCI. Not every member of the HBCU community will want to participate, but the fact that one of the best hornlines in the DCI activity is opening a door for at least ONE of their students to do so, is very cool !!

Good luck with it !

AA

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