Land_Surfer

Rockford is a tough market to be in. The East & West Coasts have a much greater pool to draw from for members and sponsors. It's not just Rockford either, Chicago and Madison are tough as well, as is anywhere in the Midwest. My personal opinion is; over the past 10 or so years it's been all about staff and how far they can push the limit to make a name for themselves. That's great if you're in a professional organization, but DCI is an amateur sport where most members aren't blessed with the resources to support a pro staff.

This seems to be a common theme mentioned in too many postings the past few years. I always thought the statement "the best corps to never win" was a rather honorable one when PR was setting the Summers on fire with anticipation, power and finesse performing shows that even the most novice DCI spectator could associate with and appreciate. Simplicity is the root of all complexity!

They hey should cut out everything before 2:03.

Might be different if there wasn't so much money and pride at stake.

I doubt we will see Finlandia, or anything else Sibelius, on the field in '17. Given how quiet PR is about this year's program, I doubt they let out any hints, especially anything with a title. The Sibelius score previously glimpsed most likely is a concert or warm-up piece. Your guess on Shostakovich is a good one. However, I have yet to read on this site any correct guess, by anyone, as to what any corps' upcoming show will be. The most likely choice of music selected by most corps are any pieces not mentioned in a discussion thread regarding "music that corps should do."

You never want to be staged at the end of one of these major parades. You'll be up against the network clocks every time, especially prior to a football bowl game, and all anyone will get is a glimpse at best, just like today. You always want to be staged in the mid-section of a parade for greatest televised opportunity.

What do you mean by "the modern age of drum corps"? All corps performing modern music in modern styles and techniques? If so, that would be kind of boring. Variety is key to DCI! There are corps who have always specialized in: jazz, classical, contemporary, modern and it works well for them. Consistency = Popularity = Longevity! Rarely does anyone remember crossover recoding artists as much as they do those who continue to write and perform in the style of music they originated in and made them successful. Regiment's specialty has always been music from the romantic and early contemporary periods, like jazz is to BD, contemporary to Cavies, etc., and there is a very large sector of drum corps enthusiasts, members and prospective members who enjoy listening to and performing this period of music.

SCV '92 "Fiddler On The Roof" was another unbelievably loud opener, with a great warm-up routine that I miss in today's DCI. The warm-up was total silent military precision / perfection that only SCV can do justice to. The video doesn't show all of it, but it was amazing. They were making a big, bold statement at finals that year. They stuck their nose up and finished the season "their way." When they finished their show, they won, no matter their placement. You had to be there.

I think it did sometimes, but not because of of the warm-up.

The pre-show warm-up is not part of, nor should be part of the show. It's simply a couple minutes of warm-up time to get the chops loose and blood pumping. Imagine an orchestra warming up before the start of a symphony, just louder.

, Change is inevitable, a natural progression. The problem is, as previously mentioned, when there is too much...or, if it's too complex or exotic. There seems to be too great of a push, by the more influential within DCI, to find the "next big thing" that will set them apart and leave the completion in the dust (both score wise and financial wise). This often results in not polishing or simply shelving the previous "big thing" as the spectators and some judges are still trying to wrap their arms around it, while the completion and/or less fortunate corps are over extending themselves too keep up with a select few spending their way into scoring bliss. While this may work to win, the competitive field will begin to diminish. I don't long for the olden days. I long for the innovation brought out by purity and simplicity. Cutting edge was arranging, drill writing, choreography and auditioning, unaided.

Warm-ups like that are what's missing from today's DCI! Gets the crowd, and the corps, pumped every time. There literally could've been playoffs to see which corps could get the crowd more pumped with its warm-up. I still get chills hearing the opening (haunting) chord of a warm-up progression. Brings back memories.

Both in 1988: Either, Madison Scouts opener (Concerto for Jazz guitar and Orchestra). Or, Star of Indiana's opener (Porgy and Bess) around 1:07 min. in. Both caused some major "structure damage" that year (the Scouts won DCI too) and both were hailed as being the loudest corps ever for a long time.

Back in the day the on-field warm-ups prior to the start of every show and post DCI championship activity in the parking lot was just as exciting as the shows themselves. So much so awards could've been designated for it. These sessions were recorded and distributed just like the shows. Nothing pumped the crowd (and performers) like the wall of sound created by massive chord progressions and power ballads. Those warm-ups always set the tone for the show... unbelievable confidence builder! We would be so pumped at the end of those warm-ups that we felt like we could take on the world, and the faces on the guard were proof! After DCI every corps would hit the parking lot and play their hearts out one last time to celebrate the season. Fans, staff and other corps would cheer on other corps. It was an unreal feeling. Those were some awesome sounds and motivators missing from today's drum corps.

FACT: The farther a corps strays from its roots the greater the challenges, especially when it starts trying to revert back.

Drum majors don't swing their arms when marching. When not conducting, etc., arms are to the side with hands closed (like holding a rope, with thumb resting on index finger) and thumbs aligned with the pant leg seam, or where the seams should be, and never swinging.

I have no doubt, if Stokowski were alive today he would be arranging for DCI. His modifications to, and re-arrangements of major orchestral works are really no different than what is done by DCI arrangers. I have recently gotten hooked on a Chandos recording (on Spotify) of Mussorgsky / Stokowski works including: Night on Bald Mtn., Boris Godunov and Pics @ an Exhibition, none of which are particular favorites of mine except for Stokowski's arrangements in this recoding. He breathes new life into them like SCV.

Because it would be too much work to set up all of the electronic keyboards, and related parafanalia just for a major crowd pleaser.

I'll take bagpipes on the field over electronic keyboards any day.

There is no such thing as a warm up in DCI anymore. It's now a segue. Warm ups, as a way to "warm-up" and pump up the performers and the crowd, aren't cool anymore.Heaven forbid a drum corps get a little over raucous and cause a little unnecessary pre-show excitement to get everyone's blood pumping. I remember when the goal of DCI corps wasn't to field a Broadway show, ballet, etc., it was a competition that had qualities and elements of a show, ballet, etc. and that really wasn't that long ago. It was like a football game between rivaling schools, but without pads and helmets. Although, sometimes they would have been nice to have. Somewhere along the line DCI became civilized.

What's cheesy about it? Dvorak's Symphony #9 "The New World Sympony" is his musical tale of his travels in the USA (a whole new world to him) in the late 1800's. The work is composed using many of the musical sounds, including folk music, that he heard during his stay in America. Jim Wren's '89 arrangement of "New World" is a fitting modern interpretation that fits any era... 1989 or 2016. I guarantee that PR's 1989 New World show, and it's music, would appeal to far more people today than most of the show selections of any of the top 10 corps over the last 5-7 years. If anyone thinks that the complexity of today's shows is favored by the majority of judges they are mistaken.

"Largo" from Regiment 1989. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4b3q0l6Hk8

Unless this discussion thread is officially sanctioned by DCP and its officials, I'm not so sure calling it "official" is the correct term to use. Consider replacing "official with "confirmed."

He is the program coordinator (the producer & the director), the one responsible for bringing all parts of the production together and responsible for its outcome. I too marched under Dan and remember very well how meticulous he was as music director / brass lead. He and Jim Wren, along with Dan Richardson have a synergy that truly is Phantom Regiment. I always refer back to the signature Regiment sound (Dark, Rich and Soulful) that Dan and Jim et. al. made famous in '89 after two strong seasons of rebuilding. PR is very fraternal. They are the Chicago Symphony Orchestra of DCI. Everyone knows what they do best. They may not be as avante garde as some, but they are innovative in their own way and have proven that avante garde isn't necessary to win. Doing it a little "old school" does just fine! Win the crowd! Win the show!

The only way Lincoln Portrait would work on a 100 yard stage is: #1 they spend $250,000 to upgrade their current auctioneer quality loud speaker for something that resembles stereo phonics #2 they hire James Earl Jones as the narrator