Fran Haring Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Drum corps programming now is designed to take as little risk as possible in order to max out some check boxes for upstairs. I would love to see a corps do a no-ballad show. Or two ballads... to begin and end the show. Or a show with no breaks in the programming whatsoever... nonstop brass and percussion. Or a "live request" show. A corps gives the audience, say, three choices for an opening tune, then plays the tune that gets the most response (response/feedback could be as simple as audience applause). Then three more choices for a second tune, and so forth. Live by request. Or perhaps not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 The comment that drum corps is about 50 years behind the rest of the artistic world caught my interest because in 2010, I wrote in my DCI.org blogs that Bob Graettinger's "City of Glass" came out in 1956, over 50 years earlier, and many drum corps fans were still not ready for it. (I pointed out that I was totally enraptured by the show and it remains one of my favorite musical books ever. It perhaps helps that the "City of Glass" CD is one I listen to more often than most my other CDs and I always find it fresh and stimulating.) For some things in drum corps, fifty years just isn't enough time. I'm not saying that to be critical, but to recognize a reality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickhaltsforlife Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I would love to see a corps do a no-ballad show. Or two ballads... to begin and end the show. Or a show with no breaks in the programming whatsoever... nonstop brass and percussion. Or a "live request" show. A corps gives the audience, say, three choices for an opening tune, then plays the tune that gets the most response (response/feedback could be as simple as audience applause). Then three more choices for a second tune, and so forth. Live by request. Or perhaps not. Or how about 3... and watch Phantom from a year ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 On that, we agree. I have a better idea....how 'bout letting those corps decide for themselves? Evidently, not enough to keep those summer youth band programs going. And that's the thing....there is no genuine interest in a DCI summer band activity. I favor any instruments, but I agree that it is up to the corps to decide, as always. What about when they do decide to add WW? Will that be OK with you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Is this the future of drum corps? No more than Kronos is the future of classical music. Classical music really has no future, doesn't even really have a present. The entire medium is resurrectionist. Name one genuine innovation in the orchestra since Stravinsky? That was 100 years ago! It has been more than 50 years since anything great was written for the medium... last great works were from guys like Bernstein, Copland, great.... but definitely not innovative. The orchestra is dead... stopped moving... stopped breathing on its own, and is now on some sad apparatus designed only to maintain the basic functions. Why? The orchestra became static... too defined as something too specific. Creators migrated to forms much less specific that were less political in terms of getting their work performed. Drum corps needs to be less specific about defining what it is, not more specific. What it was in the past doesn't necessarily mean that is what it should be in the future. Like it is rumored to be with some sharks, if it stops moving, it will die. Again, time marches on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 . . .and there it will stay, forever, as an activity. Why? . . .because it only knows how to borrow from others. Pastiche isn't an art form, it's an homage. The Blue Devils do nothing more than crib from WGI, as does most of DCI. They borrow liberally from wind band music and BOA/WGI. That's what the activity is now, more or less. Fully agree. Drum corps is now often following bands and WGI, with groups many times doing stuff already trial ballooned in the winter or fall. As much as legacy fans bemoan the fact that drum corps is evolving too quickly, it is trying to remain inclusive of this segment that caused it to fall behind bands and WGI in terms of innovation, Drum corps programming now is designed to take as little risk as possible in order to max out some check boxes for upstairs. Which is odd... since it is just some guys' opinion. Tell you what, Daniel, why don't we get Hop, Gibbs et al to actually take some risks with what they have now instead of tilting at windmills with woodwinds?No? I say no rules... and practical reality will simply determine what is actually used (well... at least for corps other than Cadets :-)). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flammaster Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I envision a show about sampling narration; the act of sampling the narration would then be narrated and sampled for playback effect. It would be the first recursive drum corps show. I would then write about writing about it. I think Beavis said he wanted a tattoo of a butt with a tattoo of a butt on it. hee hee...Cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flammaster Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Classical music really has no future, doesn't even really have a present. The entire medium is resurrectionist. Name one genuine innovation in the orchestra since Stravinsky? That was 100 years ago! ummmm Ever listen to Ensemble Modern playing The Yellow Shark? Ninja please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72Bach Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Why does everyone continue to blame Hopkins for all of these changes in DCI? Don't you people know that other directors had vote these changes in? Apparently all the other corps directors felt the changes would benefit the activity, otherwise they wouldn't have voted for it. Seriously, you "Hopkins is ruining drum corps" people need to chill out and find a new topic to complain about. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Some do...some do not...on both of the above. Goes to disprove your assertion. who in DCI does live vocals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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