Land_Surfer

PR’s ‘23 show details has only generated two pages of discussions, since being announced 4 days ago, while the “BOA bans ensemble amplification…” has generated 46 pages of discussion since being posted 6 days ago. Thought PR’s announcement of their new musical direction might stir more discussion. Apparently, amplification is a concern after all.

You mean “real” drum corps.

Google: “1989 Star of Indiana”. It was a British themed show with works by Doyle, Holst and Walton, whose Crown Imperial was the closer. Still a very memorable show.

Wonder how many brass arrangers will be trying to arrange this. A very unique Kyrie Ellison. Flawless performance by Bryn Terfel. I bet it was the best music for, and performed at the coronation, at least during the 15 mins I watched it while up feeding the dog. https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2023-05-06/the-welsh-music-at-the-heart-of-the-kings-coronation

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NvPoBr9fliM

Mandalorian theme may be a bit soft for a warm-up. Choose something that gets the blood pumping and excites the members, staff and audience as well as puts fear into the ears of the competition.

Nothing wrong with adding a little nostalgia / tradition. Nation wide tours should be common.

While I agree in the complimentary aspects of helmets, hats, etc., let’s start with getting rid of electronic instruments and amplification first. Unplugged!

Never really considered ALW’s Phantom of the Opera as a possibility for PR. But, recently I loaded Colm Wilkinson’s channel onto my Pandora list and I’m really liking his sound. It’s darker, has more depth than Michael Crawford. He also does a variation (in album: The Essential Colm Wilkinson) on the Phantom of the Opera theme song that really puts a different sound to it. Big brass sound, minimal electronics compared to musical version. Listening to his versions make me think there is a possibility for PR to do PotO in their own sound.

“Russian Christmas” it is. There’s no duplicating the sound and it’s arousal at 1:09 either. This opener probably made more die hard drum corps fans than any of the rest of the ‘87 corps combined. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=n33KOXXRYDk

Correct

Correct

What famous, goosebump activating show opener was based off the tune being sung in the link below? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aOFhzIpAYD0

How can production costs be more predictable than travel and housing?

I’m glad most (if not all) posting about housing procurement and their fees are not corps affiliates. Talk about complicating matters and trying to frighten. I hope no one is taking most of your posts serious.

Can’t / shouldn’t reduce the amount of off-season training, it’s key to being competitive. There was a time when drum corps was compared to the competitiveness and athleticism of D1 collegiate athletics, and it certainly wasn’t from money as much as it was from long hours of focused training of exceptionally gifted and determined members.

Default back to 128 members with an age range of 17 to 21 to ensure maturity and turnover/opportunity. This would require fewer busses, less food and uniforms, etc. and a possible reduction in costly support staff. Corps are working exponentially harder today just to maintain compared to 10+ years ago, and to what end? 154 over 128, 26 is nothing more than an added complication vs. potential. Revert back to brass and percussion only. Electronic instruments and sound systems are extremely expensive, quickly become obsolete and always require expensive personnel to support. They also create a type of “keeping up with the Joneses” negative competitive situation that many corps just can’t afford, but feel they need to in order to be competitive and further increasing financial stress. The quality of electronics technology has a huge impact on the overall quality of the corps’ sound, which should be a kick in the teeth to a quality brass / percussionist who spends an excessive amount of resources, that most do not have, just to only be as good as the sound system and/or sound engineer the corps could afford.?.? The problem with DCI/drum corps’ today is they feel a need “to be all things to all people” and that’s just too expensive and compromises creative and educational focus. The value is always in the niche!

The “Softly As I Leave You” era is never coming back.

BOA ideas on a DCI field, what a joke. There was a grand time when every BOA wished they could be like a DCI corps. But, DCI corps caved to status quo and lost their edge.

What’s wrong with Appalachian Spring?

I’d pay to watch Appalachian Spring be performed on the 100 yard stage again.

“Dark, foreboding, broody, lush,” yup, until the electronic instruments chime in and the amplifiers begin regurgitating their flat bellows that only a humpback whale could love.

A great corps director did that.

Should we be happy?