txorchdork013

QUOTE (pearlsnaredrummer77 @ Jul 2 2009, 02:42 PM) I would have to believe that the popularity has decreased. We have less corps, less people going through the drum corps experience (I don't believe marching band and drum corps is a comparable experience), less shows, less alumni, less community involvement, less people being exposed to drum corps in general. I am not sure I agree completely with this statement. I think it has more to do with the state of music education in our country right now. Local bands orchestras and choirs are suffering greatly because they are not considered a necessary or valuable part of a school curriculum. Look at how many schools nationwide, do not offer any music program on their schedule. Less kids exposed to music education, less kids in school programs and corps. It is a snowball effect. I never marched corps because we lived in a part of Texas that made it to far and too expensive for me or any of my friends to even consider auditioning. But, my high school band had 350 or so members in it with school enrollment under 1000 students. We were one of the top bands in Texas and had one of the top jazz bands in the country. This was in the '80s during the height of drum corps. My daughter just graduated from that same high school. Their band program is down to 120 give or take. And this is Texas where band and football rule. Her band program is one of the best in the city and went to state two years ago. The school has about 2000 kids in it. The school enrollment has doubled yet the numbers have dropped (and this is a competitve program). Why? Back to the lack of importance placed on music education. I teach in one of the middle schools that feed the high school. Many of the kids that get into my orchestra class have minimals musical skills if any because many come from elementary schools that have absolutely no music programs and the homeroom teacher won't even do karoeke with them. So the kids get to me in the middle school and are encouraged to forego music classed in lieu of classes that give them a high school credit. Students are pulled from their electives if they need remediation or have failed a state mandated test. Once they get to high school, they don't take instrumental music because they don't have any musical background and can't play a musical instrument. It would be like walking onto the varsity team never having played football (even though the directors would obviously work with them). If our country doesn't start to see the importance of all these musical activities, we will all get to witness a generation of kids who don't get to learn any of those things we learned from being in our music programs, self-discipline, creativity, teamwork, the joy of seeing something through, being able to look at something from many viewpoints, to evaluate, and the pure adrenaline rush from giving a great performance

Scores are subjective...but also make it all so interesting. These scores just leave me wondering what they will be like at Finals. Will it be like Pi...a continuos stream of decimal places (because the top three corps all hit 99.####) all to see who gets the gold in Indy?

Absolutely fantastic pictures :o)

I have always been a sucker for the underdog and every year kind of hope that the Sacramento Mandarins will make it to the semi's. Usually, I think their shows are OK...or at least they make sense. This year, the guard pulls out all these air mattresses. They are so visually distracting sitting on the side line and even more so when they are on the field. What is their purpose in this show? Did the Mandarins gain sponsorship from Aerobed? Is anyone else confused by this prop?

I agree...definitely not loud and in your face during the opener. They do have a fantastic OMG moment during the Shaker Hymn towards the end...and that is definitely worth the loud and in your face moment, but then the show ended rather quietly. Nice show musically. Great arrangement of Copeland.

I have had the opportunity to see the SCV show from their first two performances at Precision West and SCV family night and then in Stockton. Musically the show is tremendous. They have an awesome arrangement and in MY opinion, the marching fits the character of the music well. I am looking forward to seeing where they take it as the season progresses. I feel this show is definitely going to be a crowd pleaser (the company front is very cool). The crowd gave them a long standing O during the company front. I think this years Vangard has a lot to say and they are going to do just that. This is going to be a very interesting season. I look forward to see the final results of everyone's endeavors in Indy.

Blue Devils 90.125

I would like to see more white. I can't remember when it became the standard to wear so much black, i.e. pants, shoes, gloves. I would also love to see the drum majors conduct (and maybe this is too old school) with more passion. They don't have to go back to marking time while they conduct but it would be great to see more body motions especially when the corps crescendo and decrescendo and in their beat patterns. Amongst the fans (including myself, because I have been known to go there too..LOL) I would like to see everyone just enjoy all the corps performances, both open and world class, and not get so...well you know...because all those young performers work very hard all season creating those riveting and sometimes controversial performances that keep it interesting.

Thanx - I'll try that

Me 2...

Thanx so very much...your pics are fabulous!!!