Robert Kirby

To the points brought up by Mike Boo and Mike Davis (or Fred and Bob, to use her primary pseudonyms :hehe:/>/>/>/>/>/>/>), HS marching band really isn't a replacement for local drum corps. I'm not saying that the smaller corps of the 50s, 60s and early 70s gave a more enjoyable performance than today's HS bands, since enjoyment is entirely a matter of taste. Indeed, I think the enjoyment of the audience is well down on the list of reasons why one might wish that the state of play today was closer to that of 50 years ago. No, I'm talking about the experience of those who actually matter, the kids. In my school district, proportionally fewer kids have the competitive marching experience today than had that experience in the 1950s through, roughly speaking, 1980 or so. During that time all the HS in my district had competitive bands AND those kids were within 15 miles of small drum corps. The numbers of drum corps were small in the 20s and 30s, but after WWII rose quickly to 2 senior and 6 or 7 junior corps within 20 miles, all of which were active through the "Golden Age" of the 50s and 60s. Sadly, beginning in the early 70s those drum corps died off one by one. For lots of reasons, not all of which were the result of DCI. Many have remarked on the effect the Viet Nam era draft had on junior corps directly, and the effect the general post-Viet Nam culture had on support infrastructures that kept small corps going. I think both those observations are apt, but I have to observe that my junior corps, the last survivor of the "Golden Age" corps, was killed off by a new corps started by a guy who marched in a DCI World Champion corps, and who actively promoted his start-up as being the "World Class corps" our area deserved, as distinct from the "little corps" in town. That "little corps" had been good enough to make Class A finals in US Open and DCI, but that was still small potatoes. By the way, that "World Class corps" lasted four years. So, today there are no junior corps in my area. Those high school bands, which by your thesis are the modern version of community corps, aren't there for the kids. While all the bands in my county school system competed when I was in school, in recent years half to three-quarters have not competed. The next county over is just as bad. One third of the "County Schools" don't compete and half the "Independent Public" schools don't compete. In my area, as in much of the country, the county and independent public schools have geographically closed enrollment. And NONE of the private high schools in either county, to which parents have taken there children to escape the public schools, have competitive marching programs. Scratch that; none of them have ANY marching programs. The high school bands of today that are competitive aren't analogous to the small corps of our day: (1) A school band can become non-competitive at the sole discretion of the director, in some cases. (2) In other cases, the HS band is at the service of the football team first. Any provision for a competitive marching program is well down the list of priorities. (3) Often, I hear from kids that they don't want any more to do with their school than they have to. Representing the school by marching in the band is a total non-starter for those kids. I guess I would like some acknowledgement that it isn't just a matter of saying "Kids don't need and wouldn't use the Class A corps." Some of them do, and some of them would, and it makes me sad that they aren't around.

You can't march in a drum corps this summer because you can't give up an entire summer of woodshedding on the sax. Let me say that I think it is GREAT that you plan to put in that much time and effort! Music will stay with you for life and bring you great joy. However, you won't spend your entire summer practicing sax, not 14 hours every day. I'm not saying you lack the will to do so, just that it would be a lousy idea. :smile:/> Could you give up each weekend? Could you give up two hours on each weekday? This is not me being snarky, these are actual questions. Because if the answers are yes, you might find a DCA corps near enough to march. You will gain valuable experience and great friends. You will also gain references. When you DO audition for a junior corps this fall, the director at your "dream" junior corps will be able to call the director of your DCA corps, who he won a DCI title with back in 19 mumblety-mumble. Or the junior corps viz caption-head calls the DCA corps viz CH, who she judges with in WGI. Or the junior corps mello tech calls the DCA corps brass CH, who arranges for his high school program. If you step up and make the most of the experience, the good word will get spread. These cats all know each other, or at worst have a common friend who marched, taught or judged with them. Plus, you will get a Summer full of performing to STOOPIDLY enthusiastic audiences. :thumbup:/>

The Cincinnati Tradition has some very exciting news from the color guard! First we want to thank from the bottom of our hearts last season's guard choreographer, Christie Johnson. Her enthusiasm, wealth of knowledge and excitement were major contributing factors in our success and growth as a guard and a drum corps. Christie and family have embarked on a new chapter in their lives and while we are excited that she will still be involved with CT, (she will be consulting from afar) she will be missed by the entire organization. Thank you again for making a real difference Christie, we wish you all the best in your new life in the sunshine state. The next chapter for the 2013 CT guard begins with the introduction of our newest choreographer, Marcus Daniels. Marcus is the current choreographer and instructor for Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia. Marcus has over 20 years of performance and teaching experience in the field of performing arts, including 6 years of drum and bugle corps and 4 years of winter guard. He is a former member of Speakeasy Winter Guard in Aurora Colorado; Sundowners Winter Guard in Madison Wisconsin; PresenTense Dance Company of Madison Wisconsin and Madison Scouts. Marcus has also choreographed and instructed some of West Virginia's top Color Guards including James Monroe High School Color Guard, Huntington High School Color Guard, and Cabell Midland High School Color Guard. He has been a guest Choreographer/Instructor at Yvonne DeKay School of Dance in Ironton, Ohio, since 2005. His teaching career began in Denver, Colorado at Ponderosa High School (Color Guard Designer), Arapahoe High School (Winter Guard Designer), Eaglecrest High School (Visual Consultant), Rangeview High School, Northglenn High School (Visual Consultant/Weapons Tech), and Broomfield High School (Color Guard Designer). He was also Color Guard Designer for Nova Winter Guard of Denver Colorado in 1999. Locally, Marcus has also served as the Minford High School Color Guard Instructor, Guyan Valley High School Color Guard Instructor, Marshall University Auxiliary Coordinator 1997-2004; and Hurricane High School Color Guard Designer in 2004. He is also an experienced color guard adjudicator judging various festivals throughout the tri-state area, and serves on the board of trustees for Vertigo Indoor Pageantry Arts Association. Marcus is looking forward to another exciting season with Vertigo Winter Guard as choreographer. We couldn't be happier that he has chosen to join the 2013 Cincinnati Tradition family. Welcome Marcus!

Cincinnati Tradition is proud to announce the 2013 show titled “Breakdown.” The links are provided as examples and are in no way the actual arrangement. This year’s program delves into the darker psyche of mankind, tracing the uncontrollable spiral of emotions we face as we struggle to make sense of our place in this world. At times we are light-hearted and content with life; but we are all just a snapping point away from losing our grasp on reality, drowning in the abyss of disillusion. This distorts our hopes and dreams into confused obsession, which will ultimately lead to an untimely demise. The opening segment of the 2013 program is "Joy", featuring Joseph Curiale's “Joy” from Awakening. Part 2 of the show is "Disillusion" – represented by the tune “Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy” as performed by Barbra Streisand & Judy Garland. Just when you think things are going well, there’s a break from reality. A voice in your head makes you second guess whether you’re actually joyful or if that joy is just an illusion. Part 3 of the show is "Confusion" – represented by “Resistance” from Muse. Though you resist, the darkness begins to overwhelm, the light slips away, what is happening... I don’t want this... Part 4 of the show is "Depression" illustrated by the song “Creep” by Radiohead. Now stuck in the throes of depression hopelessness sets in... Part 5 of the show and the closer, "Self Destruction/Total Breakdown" is represented by “Welcome to the Masquerade” by Thousand Foot Krutch (TFK). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02BRnI3iUO4

Cincinnati Tradition is proud to announce our 2013 show titled “Breakdown.” This year’s program delves into the darker psyche of mankind, tracing the uncontrollable spiral of emotions we face as we struggle to make sense of our place in this world. At times we are light-hearted and content with life; but we are all just a snapping point away from losing our grasp on reality, drowning in the abyss of disillusion. This distorts our hopes and dreams into confused obsession, which will ultimately lead to an untimely demise. The opening segment of the 2013 program is “Joy” from Joseph Curiale's Awakening. More information regarding the rest of the show will be revealed in the coming weeks. Cincinnati Tradition is also pleased to announce Mr. Joe Wesche as our new brass arranger. A respected teacher, arranger, drill writer, and performer in the Cincinnati area, Wesche has been involved in drum corps since the mid 1990’s. We welcome him to the team and look forward to working together this year.

It came pre-crinkled... from the Renegades! Signed, The guy on the right

You are a sick, sick man my friend, and the world needs more of you. Robert

Funny you should mention Cedarville! We spoke with a family from Cedarville yesterday at the Lebanon Marching Band Invitational. Mom teaches at Cedarville University where the son is studying, but the University does not have a marching program. Several fine institutions in our area like that: Xavier University, Northern Kentucky University, Thomas More College. Robert Kirby

Most excellent! So many have been predicting this. Robert Kirby

My corps, Cincinnati Tradition all-age corps, performed at the Dayton Summer Classic. While all the open class junior corps performed admirably, I want to single out Les Stentors for recognition. The corps entertained the audience with great style, and the young people obviously enjoyed themselves while doing so. On behalf of Cincinnati Tradition, I would like to extend a special thank you to their corps director and staff, who generously offered the loan of a piece of equipment when our corps exhibited a need. Generosity has been a hallmark of what used to be referred to as the drum corps movement, and it is a pleasure to see yet another example of that same spirit. Mille fois merci, Les Stentors, and bonne chance! Robert Kirby

Fran, listening to Buccs brass exhale is one of the highlights of my DCA finals weekend. Robert Kirby

The thing that cracks me up, every time I see it, is "teams." I don't remember hearing or seeing that expression when I was in junior corps, but by the time I came back to drum corps in 2007 it was a common expression. Red team, cream team, yellow team... In some ways, I enjoy the Dayton show more than any other. It is a larger show, giving more time for the corps to mingle in the stands. Getting to meet the kids, kids who are living the reality of "Mom's not here to pick up after you," and spending time with the DM's before retreat last year has been tremendous. Robert Kirby

http://abc.daytonsnewssource.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wkef_vid_2176.shtml "Okay smart guy, if it's from the DCI show why are you posting it here?" Well..... Since we opened the show, we were the "background eye-candy" for the stand-up by the reporter. So we got some camera time and were mentioned by name. Who knew there could be a benefit to going on at 6:15? Robert Kirby

We are so psyched to be making the trip to Racine. All part of the growth of all-age corps here in the mid-west.

According to http://www.dci.org/scores/ Tuesday, July 5, 2011 Dublin, OH Emerald City Music Games 1 Cincinnati Tradition 57.550 Our opening salvo... Robert Kirby