Old Ghosts After aging out of the Santa Clara Vanguard in 1998, I soon married and moved far from home. While visiting my home town recently I was astounded when I realized that I had not been to the Vanguard Hall in five years. Amazing how time passes. I decided to pay a visit to […]
Drum Corps International: Building a Strategic Partnership for Success Most people associated with drum corps are finely tuned into ‘on the field’ decisions being made for the upcoming 2008 season (such as amplification) or the number of seats on the Drum Corps International Board of Directors. However, others are focused on ‘off the field’ issues […]
From Murder to Music They are the kids better left unseen. They have performed acts of violence that would raise the ire of any person with a conscience. They have lived a life void of hope, kindness, true friendship, or direction. I began doing therapy with these former gang members as an intern at a […]
Welcome back to the land of “All Things Brass.” This installment of Brass Advantage is Part 2 of “Making a Good Sound on the Trumpet” or for that matter, any brass instrument. If you haven’t read Part 1 I would encourage you to do so now. You’ll find it here. A Model of Good ToneTo […]
So, does anyone get the amplification thing right? Well, sort of, but not really. It’s almost impossible, and here’s why: 1) Current logistics promote (virtually guarantee) frequent failure. Performers will routinely take an hour or so off stage to warm up, tune and stretch but are then allotted about 180 seconds to access power, place […]
Tour Event Partners: Working to make tour great Thousands of people have experienced the drum corps activity at one time or another. Some of them are still around and continue to support the activity as directors, instructors, tour managers, board members, sponsors, volunteers or drivers. These people play a key role in helping drum corps […]
DCI – Back to Basics “As the audition dates grow near and you’re having doubts, go for it! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Nothing is impossible.” Irina GonzalezSo…you’ve been to the shows and competitions, you’ve tracked your favorite Corps all over the States and beyond and you have decided that this […]
To begin with, full disclosure: some of this is my fault. In 1977, Rich DeCola and I heard Joel Kaye’s New York Neophonic Orchestra (a kind of Kenton-meets-Maynard group) perform “I Don’t Know How to Love Him”, the signature ballad from Jesus Christ Superstar. It rocked, and seemed a natural for Garfield’s book as we […]
It was late May of his age out year. Ray Valarde was marching his second year in the Vanguard snare line. His identical twin brother, Art, was the top bass drummer. Art and Ray were inseparable, living a drum corps dream they never thought possible back in their days with the Sound Machine Youth Marching […]
Welcome back to the land of “All Things Brass.” This installment of Brass Advantage is titled “Making a Good Sound on the Trumpet” or for that matter, any brass instrument. If your trumpet players are having trouble playing in tune the problem may be related to tone. A shrill or nasal tone is easily confused […]
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