rootofthechord

Yes.

Mandarins have a chorale section from "Year of the Dragon", part 2 by Philip Sparke. Like the Crossmen's song, it doesn't have words, so we can't sing it. It's most commonly used in the lot as a loud, beautiful, reverent chorale that inspires each corps member to think about their purpose and identity. After completing our final rehearsal before quarters/prelims, the hornline surround the ageouts and plays Year of the Dragon for them. By the end, there are few dry eyes. (I'm not sure if this has been changed to semis now that 25 go on.) (edited for conciseness)

As a woodwind player, you're free to go whatever direction you want on brass. Playing alto will not help or hurt you at trumpet, mello, bari, euph, or tuba. Trombone isn't a step towards learning bari/euph; it's more like a detour or side trip. It is totally possible to learn bari/euph without ever going onto a trombone; the only similarity is the embouchure. If you want to learn trombone as a side trip, though, then by all means go for it. A concert euph will serve you perfectly well for learning how to play; getting a convertible would be entirely unnecessary. A set of 3 or 5 pound wrist weights (use only the left one, or put both weights on your left wrist) is a good start for learning how to hold it.

Open Class making a splash in Prelims and Semis. It's great to see them getting the respect and recognition they deserve. Seeing the Cascades this year was really inspiring for me. They've always seemed a bit rocky since their resurrection in '09, and I thought this year was a huge step in a good direction for them. I loved watching BD find their groove towards the end of the year. I wasn't sure how they were going to pull off the elevator music of Burt Bacharach, but they figured it out in most splendid fashion. I could not have guessed how much I enjoyed meeting up with my old Mandarins friends at DCI San Antonio. As sad as this will sound, I always seem to forget that the friends you make in corps last far beyond your marching years.

Holy smokes! SCV's 2008 show suddenly makes sense!

994.2 SCVC to 897.45 SCV. I wonder how much they'll drop on the World Class sheets, though.

Wow. Apparently score inflation isn't limited to just the A corps...

Excellent! Thank you x200 for that!

And, apparently, 190 people frantically hitting refresh on their browser windows. Anybody live at the show?

Prep step and toe halt are two major components of the Blue Devils' marching technique. Any corps that operates under the BD school (e.g. Mandarins and Academy) will march this way. *Note on prep step: It's not a step in the new direction; you keep moving in the old direction. For example, coming from a forward march to a right slide, count 8 would be straight in front but with your foot angled 45 degrees to the right.

Postmodernistic morals at their finest (At least I hope that's not what he meant)

This thread is probably the most civil (and productive) discussion I have ever seen on DCP. I am extremely impressed. Same goes to you, Grandpa - I really appreciate the way you kept an open mind coming into this, saw the shows, and gave reasonable opinions afterwards with good information to back them up. If only more people would think and argue like you...

If you watched '07 quarters backwards, you'd see Hopkins trying to throw off the Cavies by delaying their step-off time. Bridgemen '80 turns into the halftime show at a football game. '08 Glassmen had hundreds of balloons raining down from the sky. That must have been quite a sight. In 2010, the Cavaliers' show was so traumatizing that members were visibly shaken after performing it. Numerous Blue Knights shows over the past few years have had the effect of rousing people out of a deep sleep.

Highest ranking for an OC corps - I think that the top four OC corps will find themselves competing with Mandarins, Teal Sound, Cascades, and Pioneer for spots 19-27. The #1 Open Class corps could finish anywhere in there; my bet is that it will finish 20th or 21st. At this point, I only see three OC corps getting into Semis, with Spartans finishing 26th and Pioneer 27th. I do believe the OC winner will be the highest scoring corps in prelims. The best corps on Wednesday should also be the best corps on Thursday.

Mandarins - Stone Mountain Middle School, 709 W Emaus Ave, Lehigh, PA, 18103. About a 5-minute drive from the show site.

The Cascades have blown me away this season. Their show concept is extremely well-developed, and their corps plays with heart, soul, and meaning. It bums me to no end that they had to be the ones on the wrong end of a fender-bender. Phantom Regiment's hornline has one of the fullest hornline sounds I have ever heard. They literally filled up the Alamodome to the point where I could hear them at 50% volume on the goal line. The Cadets' show concept is pure brilliance. I can't wait to see what they add before Finals; the potential is out the roof. As much as people hate the Cavaliers' gimmicks, I really appreciate the way that they convey the show concept of "XtraordinarY". It is not ordinary for a drum and bugle corps to do some of the stunts they're pulling. The Blue Devils have been gathering their stride ever since San Antonio. I'm really glad to see them in the mix for 1st, as this show is proving progessively more worthy of it. I am super excited that three shows have a shot at 1st, and three shows have a shot at 12th. This speaks volumes to the strength of corps' programs this year, as none of these races can be qualified as "weak". The Boston Crusaders play their show with so much heart and soul. They are really intent on the idea of performing and "selling" their show. The same goes for Carolina Crown. I can't imagine how difficult it is to properly perform their show concept, and they are doing one heck of a job. Pioneer is doing an excellent job projecting a presence larger than their numbers would imply. My hat goes off to these guys. I really appreciate the way Teal Sound is establishing themselves as a rock-based corps. Forging an identity is not an easy thing to do, and these guys have found a niche that works really well for them. And, dipping into Open Class for a second here: I saw Genesis for the first time this year. I was amazed at the performance level and maturity of this corps. If this is where they're at in their second year, I can't wait to see where they're going to be five years from now.

...mmm, yeah. He's struggling to comprehend and appreciate a dark, confusing Glassmen show that has a lot of people scratching their heads similarly. Bias. Happens to everybody. I haven't ever met a person who likes, understands, and appreciates every show equally.

How did SCV still finish 6th with a score of 897!? I call judges' bias!

After experiencing San Antonio from the goal line, I'd prefer to see one or two local shows and get better seats. Same price, probably less traveling, and good enough seats that I can fully enjoy the 5-8 shows I see.

Specific examples, please?

Mandarins probably won't care if you audition on a Williams piece written for an F tuba on a BBb. They're going to be more concerned with technique and tone than the difficulty or complexity of your solo.

When: - You have an irresistible urge to fall asleep on the floor, wake up after a couple of hours, and make your way to bed - Peanut butter sandwiches are a daily part of your diet - You learn to recognize classical tunes because you heard them in corps shows - Your marching band directors are blown away after a mediocre basics block

16 euphs!? Jealous!

Mandarins - Avon Intermediate School West in Avon

Two words: funnel cakes.