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2015. Who to audition for?


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Hello,

I am a trombone player/sophomore in high school and I am planning to audition for drum

Corps in 2015. I have been playing trombone for 4-1/2 years and have one year of marching band experience. I am a slightly below average marcher who can look the same as everyone else on the field, but cannot stand out as one of the best. Despite this, I am a slightly above average player. I wouldn't call myself good yet, but I know what I'm doing and can play with total control of the music. Make a long story short, I'm

an average band member who isn't close to ready for a finalist corps, but still really wants to march in dci. with all of that said, who should I audition for?

Edited by Madisonscoutsfan
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Hello,

I am a trombone player/sophomore in high school and I am planning to audition for drum

Corps in 2015. I have been playing trombone for 4-1/2 years and have one year of marching band experience. I am a slightly below average marcher who can look the same as everyone else on the field, but cannot stand out as one of the best. Despite this, I am a slightly above average player. I wouldn't call myself good yet, but I know what I'm doing and can play with total control of the music. Make a long story short, I'm

an average band member who isn't close to ready for a finalist corps, but still really wants to march in dci. with all of that said, who should I audition for?

Try out for an Open Class Corps, or a DCA Corps if there is one near you. That'll give you the Drum Corps experience that World Class Div. DCI Corps tend to like when its you and another of equal audition evaluation, but you've done Drum Corps already. Who knows, you might like that 1st Corps you join and decide to stay with them too. The top Corps don't have a lock on member's levels of degree of personal satisfaction over the others simply by virtue of their placements. Good luck to you.. and 'hope to see you out on the field one of these days, no matter what you ultimately decide !

Edited by BRASSO
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Have you marched in open class?

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Have you marched in open class?

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Have you marched in open class?

Yes, all levels,ie lower levels, higher levels, military levels, DCA levels, Alumni levels.

Start off auditioning with a Corps thats as geographically close to you as possible. That'd be my singular piece of advice to one with no Drum Corps marching experience and is 15.

Edited by BRASSO
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If I marched a season with an open class corps would that make me ready for a finalist?

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If I marched a season with an open class corps would that make me ready for a finalist?

Thats like asking me : " if I spend time in the Minor Leagues of baseball, will I make it to their Major Leagues " ?

This is an unknowable question right now, Madisonscoutsfan. But, on the whole, participating in an Open Class Corps ( or a DCA Corps ) in a summer tour, even a modified one,, all other things being equal, gives you some edge at camp over an equally talented auditioneer that has had no Drum Corps competition performing experience. ' Hope this helps, and good luck to you whatever you ultimately decide to do.

Edited by BRASSO
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Open Class is a great way to feel if Drum Corps is a 'thing' for you, I marched my first season with the Colt Cadets last season and gained a lot of experience and basics to hopefully build upon as I march with the Colts this season! Open Class is definitely a cheaper alternative for the same activity without 'too much' of a time constraint, and less travel! To say you NEED to start with an Open Class corps is not at all mandatory, but it is helpful nonetheless. Go to a camp for a corps you find will best suit you (currently), whether it is world or open class is completely up to you, and learn a lot and practice a lot, if you show large amounts of improvement, and commitment you shouldn't be surprised if you get a contract!

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If I marched a season with an open class corps would that make me ready for a finalist?

As Brasso said, he can't really answer that for you, but I would say it definitely can't hurt your chances. I auditioned for a finalist corps and was callbacked but was ultimately cut and they told me to go get experience somewhere which is just what I am doing now...just keep practicing and with a lot of hard work and dedication you'll succeed somewhere.

Edited by Jluke897
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Being a Low Brass/Euphonium major, one thing also had to have me think- How much are you working to transition yourself in two ways- 1: Being comfortable with valves and with the different bore, resistance, and tone quality as well as intonation issues a Baritone or Euphonium gives as compared to a trombone? I started on Euphonium and learned Trombone around your age, and there is a difference in a lot of the technical approaches- legato playing, etc. And don't think Trombonists can't learn these things-- Three of the Lead Baris I played with and still play with 2 of them in alumni corps were Trombonists, I was the exception.

2: I do know BITD it was also an advantage to be fluent in Treble as well as Bass Clef, and to be honest, lead parts are a lot easier to read in TC than because of the ledger lines. It may not hurt you to be agile in that way.

Other good people have said much the same thing I'll say now-- Find a place where you feel like you fit in and belong and are valued as a member and comrade in crime. As I have said many times here, find a place like I did and have. They keep the seat on the end for me at alumni corps, they remembered 30 years later that was where I always sat (Mike and John preferred to be 'inside' the section and felt more comfortable listening across the section that way, Bruce and I didn't care). That is the kind of place where you want to be.

Edited by BigW
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