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Livewire Q&A With George Hopkins


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The Crossmen and Cadets are of the same family. We hope that this marriage can someday lead to two fabulous organizations.

Funny, I thought they were already two fabulous organizations.

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Funny, I thought they were already two fabulous organizations.

Shot............and a goal.

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I'll take my bow here before I ruin the performance.

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Funny, I thought they were already two fabulous organizations.

I don't think we can disclaim the fact that one seems to be more "fabulous" than the other on a consistent basis. And this goes farther than scores...staff, show design, administrative, busses, fundraising, let's not twist facts here.

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Your comments clearly exhibit the schizophrenia of the problem. You stated, "The number of corps will not grow! They are too expensive to manage and fuel costs will over time, make our current model impossible to maintain." Then later you state, "But, we need to allow for all of humanity to taste the joy of this activity. It is such a wonderful life experience, I just do not know how we can leave someone on the outside looking in!" You want as many people as possible to "taste the joy of this activity" and yet you admit that "The number of corps will not grow".

It's impossible to expand the joy of this activity without expanding the number of corps! Why? Because the "joy" comes from the experiences of the youths within the corps' themselves and the interaction between the performers and the audience

It is unrealistic to think that the rate of growth will continue in Drum Corps. The cost of instruments is growing at the same rate that it has been for the past 2 decades. The cost of food has risen at a much higher rate due to production and transportation cost of that product. The transportation industry has had (of course) a fantastic increase in cost just over the last 10 weeks, let alone a year or five years.

That said drum corps fees and or financial growth, in comparrison, is upside down to say the least. To charge what is needed to give a student the quality of health and logistics needed for that student, the cost is simply prohibative. When I was going to bring Eklipse out on a full summer tour, for a small Div. III corps, would have cost each student over $1,500. That is so that student could eat right EVERY meal of EVERY day. Travel on good buses. Have strong reliable transportation for all staff and equipment. This was BEFORE the fuel increase of this hurricane season.

I love drum corps as much as anyone....heck I even started my own and ran it for a summer. But I have to be realistic....this isn't about saxaphones or flutes...it's about money. The current DCI model will collapse, eventually, under it's own weight and success (the more successful a corps gets the more they need to travel, the more they need to travel the more exepnsive it becomes to stay successful and so on and so on ...). Therefore there must be a serious look at the future of the activity and understand that when gas gets over $3 and stays there and then moves higher (fuel in england is over $5 US/gallon) drum corps will come to a screeching halt. There is a future for this activity, but for it to exist the ENTIRE community has to think "outside The Zone".

Just my 4.7 cents (adjusted due to inflation)

Brad

Edited by Eklipse
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No it's just backing up opinions.

If I say, "Debussy Sucks!"

all people are going to respond is... so what???

he doesnt suck, ask Phantom

:P

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The current DCI model will collapse, eventually, under it's own weight and success (the more successful a corps gets the more they need to travel, the more they need to travel the more exepnsive it becomes to stay successful and so on and so on ...). Therefore there must be a serious look at the future of the activity and understand that when gas gets over $3 and stays there and then moves higher (fuel in england is over $5 US/gallon) drum corps will come to a screeching halt. There is a future for this activity, but for it to exist the ENTIRE community has to think "outside The Zone".

Good points.

Seems to me that the solution is one that has floated around on these boards before... the rebirth of a more regional flavor to the circuits. After all, building the regions with strong Division I corps would only serve to grow more units (who could then afford the regional touring schedule) and keep costs down.

Perhaps this is the aim of the "regional Division I" idea DCI has.

Hopefully, it could be win-win for everyone. :)

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he doesnt suck, ask Phantom

:P

Of course I would never say that. Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum = My Favorite Piano Piece.

I play it daily.

But anyway Hopkins did give some refreshing answers to those questions.

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