cfirwin3

We have long been at the point where working with young people requires that absolutely every interaction be strictly about business. As a public school music teacher, I can tell you that this is the only safe policy. There is simply no room for anything else but the lesson. So long as this is not acceptable (and it isn't for many), no amount of training and policy will help. Music, marching... these are the topics. All analogous teaching and interaction must flow from there. Making things 'fun' requires a smile on one's face and an affable approach... but there can be no room for any outside influence (social, political, or remotely off-color). Awful as this may seem to many... I promise you, it is a wonderful model for teaching and learning. It wasn't like that when I was at Bluecoats over 20 years ago. While there was nothing bad going on that I could see, there was plenty that could have been problematic, provided a minor shift of perspective. It's probably still like this most places (and obviously downright horrible in some, as we hear frequently).

You're right. There's no hope for cost cutting.

Sure... But, condense the pit. Desperate measures, and such. (Which isn't all that desperate, really... as a group can still sound phenomenal with far less).

You don't think that they are overspending on materials and resources for their shows? (Replacing equipment, horns and uniforms too frequently; quadrupled transportation needs; expanding specialized staff; frequent long haul trips to attend competitive shows, etc.) Running out of cash with the fees that they are charging means that they are over spending on the thing that they are doing... which is the show, and the resources that they put into it.

It sounds like the 90s-2010. Last I checked, those were some hot programs... by today's 'standards'. My corps, at the turn of the century, had 2 trucks. Our program wasn't easier... it was just designed to the regulations of the time. But what's wrong with 'parade corps', if it means being active and relevant while the organization gets stabilized? What's wrong with 'Brass Theater'? Being active has many forms, known and unknown.

Never, because corps at the so-called 'bottom' exist. See another post I replied to in the thread. There are not just 5, or 10, or 14 drumcorps out there. There isn't even just 1 association for drumcorps. Kids that want to march will march where they can.

One for horns, flags and unis and one for chow. Gotta have 2... but I contend that a working drumcorps needs no more than 2. But they have to settle for a traditional program rather than a contemporary one.

Bloo spent decades in the black long before they were winning medals. Kids that don't get in the contending corps want to march where they can rather than not march at all. It's not like they have a lot of opportunity to finally get in where they want. Most kids don't march because they can't afford it, not because they can afford it and they choose not too. No 20 year old that wants to do DCI is selective enough not to march when they can't get a spot in BD, Bloo, Crown, Boston, Cavaliers... they will ultimately get in where they can (and they are often called based on camp lists). I got called by Kiwanis when I couldn't make subsequent camps at Bloo in the 90s. I was 16, and didn't have the necessary independence to commit at that time. It wasn't about selectivity... and it wasn't about talent (because Bloo wanted me). While we often equate this activity to the NFL, it isn't the NFL. And among music achievements, it's a great experience, but true elitism resides with conservatories and academic institutions. Getting into BD is walk in the park compared to getting into Eastman, for example.

I understand. But the bottom line doesn't lie. Plenty corps exist outside of the top 4-5 perennial contenders, and they do just fine not winning the big show. Bluecoats, for example, had a very strong business model for decades without even a glimmer of championship success. If anything, it's the drive for championship success that is most likely to threaten their financial stability today... that's a high bill to pay, year after year.

That's part of the cutting loss. They will have membership, but they will absolutely lose some top talent. But, they will "be". They might even make a point in doing so. I suspect that a number of folks that may be shut out elsewhere would love a chance to be in 'Vanguard' or to be a 'Cadet' regardless of the circumstance. What good is a fear of status that ultimately causes one's total demise? I suspect that the hope will be to survive to recruit top talent another day... but I also suspect that day will be hard to attain once everyone is comfortably placed elsewhere. Who will want to take the risk?

I think it's obvious that organizations are operating on an assumption of competitive standing. If they don't have the financial backing to pay for the attributes that they feel will lead to competitive standing, then they conclude that they cannot operate. I don't mean to be absurdly reductive... but there are few reasons why a drumcorps cannot operate on a more traditional design approach (less material overhead and transport requirements), later start date, fewer performances (less travel) and still be a stellar performing group (even with 'second tier' staffing). THE reason not to pursue this route is simply because groups choose not to re: the presumption of competitive standing. The obsession over the "subgenre" of the product (CONTEMPORARY drumcorps) can be self-limiting. I'd rather see any drumcorps start the first week of July, with cheap uniforms, and no accessories beyond a good music and drill book than not see that same drumcorps at all. If you can't pay for all of it... then just buy some of it, and buy it a little cheaper. Budgeting 101.

Looks to me like the reduced number of tour shows and the gaining of performance scores to content are paying off. I hate to say that performing a little less means achieving a little more... but it often does. I wouldn't jump to any conclusions, as the introduction of BAC and Crown have thrown the line-up into a blender on a given night... but Bloo has had a point boost coming to them with some of the others scoring much tighter than them in perf. v. cont. across the board so far.

When I marched, the East show was in Philly... it was awkward. There was a sense of doom throughout the 'lot' warm-up (which took place in a sketchy overgrown embankment under an overpass). We did not find Jimmy Hoffa... but we were fairly certain he was there. As a Rochesterian, I can confirm that Buffalo is a far better venue... but also a very poor drumcorps atmosphere in both towns. For a state with so many historical drumcorps, NY does NOT know the activity like folks in Pa or Oh do. The vibe of the event would be totally dependent on traveling fans, and the venue staff would be pushing popcorn and peanuts loudly during every balad. The Buffalo show was always a real drag, with few fans and mostly intrigued locals. Buffalo does have a couple of nice stadiums though, and Highmark (formerly Ralph Wilson) Stadium has a ton of space and nearby housing for corps.

My retrospective critique... Brass book needs a few more 'runs'. That kind of technicality reads better in proficiency and GE than timing and syncopation focused material (even when the timing and syncopation stuff is more difficult and better executed). That's all. It's going to be another highly competitive season. Bloo!

With... ehem... 'art'... it's never actually 'cutting edge' and innovative... not really. It's just messaging. Either it's aesthetic pleasing, coherent, both or neither. And to some or many, it is indeed just weird, over the top stuff. For me... the entire activity is and has ALWAYS been just weird and over the top stuff (and I'm good with that, most of the time). My question is "when does it become pretentious?" 🤔

Just saw a run through online. It looks more aggressive in multiple captions than what they usually do, while not sacrificing the happy Bloo vibe, and I can't ask for more than that. We'll see how it all stacks up, but I am fairly pleased with what seems to be (early on) a greater focus on a more classic visual design and technical playing than what they typically field. It's a good thing too... because... Boston Crusaders and Blue Devils. Shows just have to be tougher these days! Hopefully their advances in drums and their strength in GE holds up. Brass and marching visual sounds/looks more technically competitive, and that's saying a lot, given how good they have been for quite some time. 2 thumbs up, Bloo!

Late to the party here... But I also have had the 2 dreams that I don't know the drill, and the one where I am back in drumcorps and realize "what am I doing here?! I'm too old for this stuff" right before I wake. A more rare one is the dream about being late to the field for rehearsal (never happened to me, but it was a common fear in drumcorps). But to be fair, I still have those dreams about having to take a test in Jr. High that I haven't studied for (and Jr. High was a VERY long time ago). I think the brain pulls on these memories at points of moderate stress, when one is preparing for something and feeling subconsciously overwhelmed. I've also had the occasional positive dream where I am just performing in a drumcorps show or a rehearsal and we're 'throwing down'.

I think this is my first post for the season! Looking forward to the next few months checking in here and talking to all of you fine folks. For me, I see every show (performance) as fairly unique, given the millions of variables across thousands of moments performed by a hundred+ people. "Perspective" is a strange thing as well. Some are looking at the brass performance, some are looking at the visual and even more specifically at the guard, some are focused on the field percussion, and very very very few people are both equipped enough and willing enough to give an accurate, full appraisal in the moment of a performance. That's why there is a panel of judges and that's also why these sorts of judgments are delivered after a repeat video viewing. I recall nights, as a performer, exiting the field, feeling like the show was whacked out and then being told that the run was superb, and visa versa. I remember one night where the field drums were convinced that we had a rock solid run and the horns universally felt that there was some pretty persistent ensemble music tearing going on... the staff was completely neutral, and they didn't mention anything unusual one way or the other. At the same time, championship shows are pretty darn consistent. Really, the differences from night to night at any point in the season (excusing any program changes that are done) are really specific and fairly minor at that level. I think that fans put a lot of weight in fairly small, but obvious issues. But that isn't really how a judging panel sees the picture (by design). Ultimately, drumcorps remains like "Who's Line is it Anyway?" where everything is made up and the points don't matter... but at the same time the adjudication does make a valiant effort to be focused and consistent, with such small point values between competitors. I think that they do tend to award the 'season winner' on finals night, but not by conspiracy. I think it is inevitable, given the above, that even very close scoring competitors will settle into their places, regardless of the minor variances (as obvious as they may be to fans). And for the same reasons, sometimes there are surprise winners on the last night. I remember one night, the week before finals (might have been 97) where the Cadets had a major collapse in the drill (multiple falls and tumbles in a domino effect). By all measure, THAT was a bad night. But the scores and the placement tracked exactly where they had been when they were announced! The fact of the matter is that a plus-value adjudication system isn't overly focused on strange occurrences and unusually snowballing, eyesore (earsore) problems. Adjudication is concerned with bigger picture matters that should be apparent... do these kids sound like they miss-align this phrasing regularly, or is this clearly a unique manifestation, caused by something else that might have happened? We did something similar at an RCA Dome morning regional show, where a section of the field looked like a brass instrument accessory yard sale at one point! But we still managed to win the event and jump several places for the evening lineup. The staff told us "Judges aren't here to dwell on that stuff. They are looking at bigger, more meaningful things within their captions". All of that to say... Are some higher-scoring, winning finals performance observably not as good as lower scoring prelims or semis performances? Yes, but I don't think it matters to the design of the adjudication, and I'm okay with that.

I don't think so, at least not on the most consequential elements. Corps are going to need to manage the exorbitant costs of inflation (particularly on goods, gas, food, etc.), but I would imagine that the issues related to tour costs are merely the final nail in a coffin that was only 1 nail short of a tight seal, re: their 2023 plan. There's no indication (that I have seen) that cost overages are a systemic problem across the board. Corps tend to have fairly diverse financial programs and many have made a habit of doing more with less. I am concerned for the talent there. Sure, there is time, but there may not be good proximity to enough programs of that caliber for many of their past and potential members. They can't all be Blue Devils, etc. Some of them (especially in the field drums, as I understand it) have been well connected outside of the corps. Now that element of the experience will have to be dismantled. It's a 'shame', but I don't think it's a 'sign'.

Yes, it was a traditional application, as I understand it. But those bugles weren't supposed to play Copland and Stan Kenton. The horns evolved with the desired repertoire needs and the key became an artifact rather than a feature.

Ehh. That minor third drop brought the horn capabilities down far enough for brass players to play in the range appropriate for the music. Of course, they didn't need to use G... and perhaps there was a wide availability of these horns at the beginning... but the G horns in limited valve configurations were self-justified until enough valves were present to make the key of G pointless for the instruments. Playing a valve and rotor or 2 valves on the literature that they wanted required the key of G in order to make it work, etc. If the horns were in D (if such a 2 valves musical animal existed), then the players (particularly the soprano voices) would be pushed out of a comfortable, accessible chromatic range. G players and Bb players essentially top out in the same frequencies, with shared mouthpiece equipment. G lines maxed out and hovered in Concert G and the Bb lines do the same today in Concert F (due to a favoritism of key signatures that settle in the open valve combinations). That's merely 1 step difference between the typical Bb transposition written "A" screaming notes of the G era and the written "G" screaming notes of the Bb era. The reasons for having G may be economical, but the necessity for the Key was required by the desire to play chromatic material. I.E. if 2 valves / then G and if G / then 2 valves. THEN, if 3 valves / then why G?... enter in the Bb/F horns. It makes sense.

Rumba for Roomba eh?

That's also around when they stopped needing to be in G. The extra headroom started becoming unnecessary.

Preach.

I give up.