acolli17

At this point, I'm not even sure how to properly react to news of this magnitude. I'm in shock.

Holy crap.

For the record, I don't believe that their show this past year really strayed too far from the base values of the Troopers. America's Corps playing arguably the most influential American composer's music doesn't stray far from the homeland, in my mind. I understand it didn't work. But I still think there was an effort to maintain the history while trying to take the corps in a new direction.

I think of it in another way: Pop music, along with rock, hip-hop, r&b, country, and a few other genres are pretty original (with exceptions, or course), because they try to create new music and interesting pieces of art to listen to. On the other hand, "Classical music, and symphony orchestras don't necessarily do the same thing. How many times has any given Beethoven symphony been performed by any number of orchestras, ranging from the mediocre high school, all the way up to the most professional of ensembles? Now they didn't write that." "But they're offering new interpretations to a piece, making it completely new each and every time!" "Isn't drum corps doing that, but even more so?" I would like to make a case that drum corps is as original, if not more original of ideas, than any genre of music. You're taking something that's been done numerous times before, and putting it in a completely different light, one that's obviously never been done before. So what if West Side Story's been done 29 times in the last 15 years? How many times have different orchestras played the same symphony? So, by your definition, classical symphonies aren't an art form, because they're not necessarily a source for ideas, other than the new interpretations. And I'd be hard pressed to find someone who believes any symphony isn't art. I also know that modern composers have differing views on it. Maslanka flat out refuses to let anyone touch his music, because the way he interpreted it is the way that he believes it to be performed, and he obviously trumps anyone who feels differently. On the other hand, if you look at composers like Whitacre, and Mackey, both of whom have perennial appearances in the activity, they love seeing their music performed. But to ask that all corps go out and make their own, home-grown music is a lot like asking symphony orchestras to do the same. Is it plausible? Yes. Is it practical? No. And I also have to respectfully disagree with your definition of Art. For drum corps to be art, it needs to be a living place of inspiration for ideas. For that, I am sure that drum corps is an art. To make art, it's not about the source, but the inspirations you draw from it.

Reading VanDoren's bio, he's worked as staff advisor with the Blue Stars since 2005. This is very obviously speculation, but do you think there's any chance Aungst's leaving Blue Stars and going to Troopers? Also wishful thinking...

Dear God, let's hope that happens.

From the Troopers website: The Troopers are extremely pleased to announce the return of Donnie VanDoren to the Troopers family, as Program and Staff Consultant.

Don't tell 08 Phantom (Regiment). On a completely different thought, did everyone know Andrew Lloyd Webber did a sequel to Phantom, called Love Never Dies? Now that would be funny.

To tie the "BD wins it all" talk back in to the topic at hand, I think what we're all trying to say is that the Blue Devils have a very unique, and effective way of creating a successful program. In the documentary about the 07 Troopers, you can see Fred Morris say "you can't run these things from the kitchen table anymore. Every corps out there is a business" (I paraphrase). And shouldn't we also talk about the money aspect? The Yankees (usually) do well (and a lot of people dislike them), because they have so much money. They use that money to buy the team they think is going to win. Just like paying the best staff an organization can afford, it's finding the most expensive puzzle pieces to make the best overall picture. The Blue Devils can afford the best staff because their organization is so large. And just look at Star of Indiana. I'm not saying that corps buy wins. But you can't deny that it plays a defining factor, right?

I mean I agree with you, I never said it wasn't that...

In regards to the BD successes, I really think (this is just my speculation) that it goes beyond the "A" corps staff. Blue Devils have created a massive organization, by drum corps standards, and they use it to their full advantage. Starting with the "C" corps, they breed their own talent, and do so in a manner that keeps the members interested and willing to stay. This way, by the time the members are of age and talent level for the "A" corps, they already have a thorough understanding of what it takes to be a quality member of the top organization, because they've grown in to it. It's genius, really. Start them young, and keep them interested. Does anyone know the percentage of members of the "A" corps that marched in a lower class group of the same organization beforehand? Just so no one misinterprets, my comments are of the utmost praise of the Blue Devils' organization. I think they have it figured out, and they have it figured out well.

Regardless of anyone's opinion of Kevin's teaching styles, he's a great human being, and always had the best of intentions at heart. No one can deny he didn't devote himself entirely to the group while he was with them. From a position of working with him as a member of the organization, he'll always have my respect as a person and instructor.

I respect your opinion as both a fan and music educator, since I am also a Troopers Alum, avid fan, and aspiring music educator myself. But my worry is that your "hot to trot" comment deserves as much validity as the opinion to which you are replying. Everyone knows that there is a huge number of variables that affect any particular season, including, but not limited to, staff selection, and show design. Yes, there may be a biased opinion from someone who has seen the inner workings of the staff, and has personal relationships with many of them. But I think it's fair to say there are as many, if not more, bias' coming from someone who is the exact opposite, in that they know no one personally, and has never seen the day-to-day inner workings of the organization. I understand the theory of creating entertaining shows. Having marched 2010, I know we were all baffled as to what we were being told by the judges, because how could they not get it? We all understood it. But sometimes it's just an arrow off target, and you miss the bullseye. If you asked me which show I preferred to perform, 2008 or 2010, I would, without reservation, tell you 2010, because I connected with it more, and it challenged me much more than 2008 did. But I'm sure you know that's not how it was viewed by the audience. When I read about this year's show concept back in March, I was excited to see what they were going to do with the steampunk genre, because it was an unexplored area with a lot of possibilities. It just didn't turn out the way I'm sure a lot of the people, myself included, wanted to. I also know that the most important thing for the Troopers, and a perennial theme is the importance of family and brotherhood over the idea of scores. I got 16th and 15th place, and I don't have any recollection of the final scores I had. But I will forever cherish the friends I've made, and the lessons I've learned from the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps, and that I make a conscious effort to abide by "Honor, Loyalty, and Dedication" no matter where I am. My edit to this post is only to emphasize that I'm not coming at this from a hostile point, nor do I take your comment from a perspective of hostility. I hope you don't take mine that way, I don't mean to come across in that manner.

Why is Dan Potter announcing, and not Brandt Crocker? Is he just doing pre-show stuff and I'm freaking out over nothing?

Troop's show is more difficult than I remember it being. They added a new opener, right? When I saw it live, I remember it being very flat. I don't remember anything after watching it the live feed.

I've been sitting here, reading through comments, and I'm not sure I can definitively place myself on one side of the tradition argument. On the one hand, you have a corps like Pioneer - VERY traditional in their style, and very loyal to the history of the irish heritage in their shows. I don't think it's a mystery to anyone that they're not doing well with this approach (if you're judging solely based from a devotion to tradition - not execution or show design). On the other hand, you have a corps like Phantom, who's shows are also incredibly loyal to their traditions of always playing classical music, and they are obviously doing well with this idea. Some may point out that these traditions that they have are too different for comparison, and that is going to be exactly my next point. When a tradition is so specific, it denies a corps expansion in to the greatest of the literature fitting in to that genre. Madison has done well because they've gone back to tradition, but what exactly is the title of that tradition? Old music that they used to play that they put a new spin on? That's a pretty wide tradition, in my opinion. Phantom can stay traditional, because their tradition is so expansive that there is a HUGE amount of material for them to choose from. Pioneer can only play the Holst Suites, and English Folk Song Suite so many times before it becomes stale and out of date. What I believe has happened is the Troopers HAVE tried to stay in their tradition in the last few years, but by doing it in a manner fresh and new - by using arguably the greatest American composer's lesser known works. If you approach it from this standpoint, the Troopers haven't swayed from tradition in the last two year, but they've embraced it. So I don't believe the Troopers' lack of success is about tradition. I do believe that it's about execution and show design. I marched the '10 show, and I can tell you how excited we all were during spring training, while creating the show. No one in the corps, even for a moment, believed that this was a bad show design. What I do believe is the execution of the show wasn't there. When you have Mitch Rogers standing on the tower, stating that he didn't hold back in writing the drill, it makes me wonder if the show was simply too far out of reach to be approachable from an audience standpoint. Let's try something here. Take Blue Devils' recent shows (Constantly Risking Absurdity, 1930, and The Beat My Heart Skipped), and give those shows to a corps in the 13-17 range. I think that it would be received with much the same criticism as Troopers received in 2010. Tacky, band-o, and over the top. I believe show design is less about creating a quality show, and more about creating the best show suitable to the corps at that time. Does this mean I support the Troopers' direction in recent years? No. I saw their show in Michigan City this year, and I had a meh reaction at best. It seemed very flat to me. But that doesn't mean that, with the proper instruction and devotion (which we know every corps has), they can't turn it in to a show suited for them.

From John Mackey's Facebook: John Mackey Santa Clara Vanguard has announced that their 2012 show will include my piece, Hymn to a Blue Hour. Hooray! Hymn to a Blue Hour ostimusic.com just in case you wanted further confirmation.

- Go to the site that shall not be named - Look up Troopers front ensemble 2011 - Click on the second video Now there's a dark show for you.

Holy ####.

Did anyone else notice Santa Clara broke the record for highest score ever? It's not even August yet!

Who's got the boxes? I can't tell from the high cam.

I don't know how closely you are related to the organization, but, at least for those associated with the corps, this is an incredibly emotional show. I have yet to talk to someone associated with the corps about the infinity chord at the end, and not hear them talking about crying, sobbing, or some variation of those words. Of course I know that this is not just about the "Troopers Family," that it's about everyone, but I imagine that that's what they're working on - making it as emotional for the masses as it is for the ones closest to them.

Recaps are up!