drilltech1

What a great post. Thank you for your honesty. Thank you to kcbari as well for a very realistic facet: where does the passion of music intersect with other parts of life like marriage, family children? I take from that post that many whose answers might have much merit have schedules that would limit their ability to post. But I think this has become a very good thread.

agreed, but with caution.

I hear the Wyoming air has done wonders for him!

[ If you're paying, I'll take it! I always find it funny on DCP that we in the activity which says it is so focused on excellence will write pages to distinguish A from A# but skip the rest of the basics of communication.:shutup:/>/>/>

start running your laps now and holding your weights in place.

Usually they still have to go out daily to get the tangibles of milk, bread, butter, and of course, more PB&J. Some day, a better article on DCI web might feature the real story of what it means when the Carrot Crew of the Food truck comes into a grocery store in some town along tour and wipes out the store's supply of bread, milk and cheese. The local reaction ain't always pretty. Been there, done that. The flip side of this (no pun plannned but discovered along the way) is how many on tour become open to new dining possibilites given the great recipes the food crews use, the soups and casseroles they make from the left-overs, or the unique approach someone takes to a usual favorite. i can't tell you how many kids who said they hated this or that veggie loved my meatloaf special recipe which always included those same. Never any left-overs there when we would pinch hit to give the food crew a night off..:rolleyes:/>/>

Nice theory but where are the jobs available? There are very few education positions available nationwide because of cutbacks, shifting demographics, the woeful economy forcing those presently in these positions to postpone retirement, and/or the various perspectives of what makes a good scholastic music program (eg. vertical teaching, comprehensive ensemble offerings, etc.) not just band. Music ed/music performance majors without additional licensing in ancillary subjects, particularly foundational subjects such as math. languages, special ed, and the sciences are not even being given the ed. interviews anymore in today's job market. "Because we want a good marching band!" no longer drives the hiring office or school boards. Only in a few "sunshine" states are there many open job positions usually given to those who graduate from local state university programs. Add to this the staggering long time statistic that almost HALF of all music ed/music performance majors who take teaching jobs leave education for other employment within five years. (cf. studies done by professional educational journals such as the Chronicle of Higher Education et al. for better citations for these statistics.) Usually the reason given includes one of these: need for fundraising when I just want to be a teacher, hassles with school board, hassles with dealing with the parents, I didn't want to get involved in budgets, school politics, and/or the fact that the students didn't have the same passion for the same importance for music education and skills as did the young educator. Fault sometimes lies with the college degree programs only sending student teachers to preferred, but not always realistic, experiences and failing to give realistic experiences in dealing with school administration hierarchy and priorities, budget restraints, and advanced skills in psychology and counselling to deal with the myriad personnel and family situations. Idealism is wonderful but it doesn't pay the college loans so many will have face upon getting the sheepskin. I've had to pick up too many fractured dreams from too many corps alumni and former students to support this without further planning and networking. I hope your experience is better.

Tekk, we searched the archives of the contra line, but no luck finding a photo of you at that age. But here's Mikey Terry, former Cadet soloist and now Troopers brass staffer, blowing the big one (circa 1993).

And of course, some of the top 12 corps do. SCV announced Les Mis early, Cadets previously announced WSS and Angels & Demons early, Madison as well, even PR. Interestingly the only two who never ever do are Crown and BD. Conclude as you wish.

Did Queen Joan proclaim, "Off with their heads!" ???

Interesting to note that this post implies next championship is back in Rochester. Sorry Jeff.

I did some checking about and this turns out not to be true. Mike Fanning, formerly of Cadets staff and most recently of the Oregon Crusaders staff (with other Cadet vets) seems to be the selected person. Interestingly, Fanning (also nicknamed by Mark Sylvester as "Fatty") is another Canadian like Thower and Vanderkoff. Maybe rather than Canton, Ohio, it will be from Canada, Ohio, ha, ha.

Not only is it a question of unending production to ready 800 meals per day, but that in ever changing venues and with little or no sleep, these volunteers produce such wonderful, nutritious and varied meals far beyond PB&J. Add the weather conditions and personalities (carnivores, vegens, vegetarians, chunky-only, smooth-only, strawberry, grape, allergic to nuts, allergic to people) and you see why I think the food crews should all be up for canonization!

Yes, Fred. My question was based on more than my own dire financial situation. Too many corps are in similar tough straits it seems and institutionally it may need a re-evaluation if the "old ways" are still the best ways. But let me continue. jkmummer deserves a response as well. Two of the units already mentioned are presumed to have some of the finest administrative support staffs and financing in the activity. The third does not and I am not sure of the other 3 units who sent requests to others but not to me. What I note is that 4 of the units are all within a not too long drive to the championships site. Even with the high price of fuel today, a tank fill-up is far below what the hotels are charging, even with the group discounts. The high price of food (whether homecooked or bought out) is also another searing price rise. Why would these units need so many of these hotel rooms, particularly (given the age group of the one corps) if the purpose of Championships is more than just getting together to kibbitz about the olden days and drink? With DCA no longer being Senior corps but All-Age, who is advocating for the younger members who make up so many of the DCA units today, not just one? Who is advocating for their family's costs and participation. Unfortunately, Fred, you have answered part of my questions. DCA is becoming only for the rich.

Will they have an advantage when dealing with the heat and humidity of Maryland? The Minnesotans have still not completely thawed out from last winter!!!

Others may hold their opinions, I don't agree with yours at all. "Cheated out" implies dishonesty, stealing, and conspiracy. Your profile shows your great allegiance to the Blue Devils in all forms. I don't think you are being objective. I have no connection with SCVC or anyone involved there. But I can see their progression over the course of the month leading into Open Class champships. Without the penalty for warming up in the Lucas Oil Stadium parking lot, SCVC would not only have won Open Class but also have scored higher than BDB and tied the Academy, World Class corps. Having more cluttering objects on the field does not mean better General Effect. Go back and study the DCI rule book, the interpretations on the back of the score sheets, and some of the training video tapes for judges. I respect your disappointment but do not respect your claim of dishonesty.

Why would he leave being caption head job of Cadets to take over caption head job of Canton?

which is why some of those per credit/smester tuitions are soooooooo different. Yale now about 50 thousand per year, no joke!

Wow! Another time I agree with Stu! And Charlie, the Blue Devils are being persecuted (?) !!! Give me a break. Playing the "victim" card is but being a poor sport and I thought they had grown past that when they congratulated Carolina Crown this August in Indy. That others find their shows recently not up to the Blue Devils of yore who were so respected is not persecution. It's a difference in artistic criticism. What is happening in Syria and Egypt right now is persecution with real victims, not mamby-pambies worried that their winning-the-championship-contract-bonuses won't be delivered this year. Get real.

With due respect to your most venerable stature on DCP, I wonder if bugles had valves and rotors when you marched? From my discussions and interviews with the current marching memberships, reading their essays as they apply for sponsorships, and being privy to a number of their journal postings from tour, my conclusion is that the kids today who are the performers PREFER the challenge of maximizing putting out great music while attempting visual difficulty rather than the staid park and bark which they can get with stage band, wind symphony, or jazz joint. Of course, there are occasional opportunities that they enjoy "letting loose", but to equate that to musical excellence on a marching field is not an automatic given. Yes the show is for the audience who pays the bills by buying the tickets and for the judges, but it is also for the performers who fork over huge amounts for the tuitions and costs to have the experience. They live at a fast pace in a fast world which is not retirement. This triad (performer, audience, and judges) is too often forgotten on many of the threads with various posters canonizing their own narcissisms of "I like this, I like that." I hold that all three sides of the triangle must be present and satiated for the best performance of excellence.

Today I received no less than 3 requests to help fund DCA corps for championships; I've included one of the requests here. As the economy is still suffering, and hotel/transportation costs have gone up dramatically and not decreased as economic news fluctuates, I and others are saying, not this year. The attached link by one corps speaks of DCA championships being a full 20 per cent minimum of the annual budget of the corps. Yikes! Because there is a 40 plus per cent chance of rain and 80 per cent humidity, I will watch the vids. While we are privileged to have been welcomed to the ranks of Drum Corps Associates, performing at Finals comes at a significant expense to the members and the organization, with the added cost of hotel accommodations. Championships alone represent nearly 20% of the entire budget for the corps each year!. Just wondering if the activity is slitting it's own throat by these awful "packages" DCA and DCI get themselves into, or is this becoming an activity only for the rich, the subsidized, and the retired who made their "fortunes" in better economies?

The very patient and engaging Cadet snare drummer is Elliott Wittstruck, a 2 year vet. He is just one of the realiy amazing persons in that line, on and off the field. Maybe it was last season or the one before, but under quad section lead Alex Beltran, who just aged out this summer, they all went during Spring training to a nearby special ed. facility and let the kids learn about the drums with hands on. Classy guys and one reason Alex was named a Cadet of the Year.

We don't know his heart so we don't judge his intentions, although his actions were imprudent and should remind the rest of us all to dot our eyes (i) and cross our tees (t's) rather than take any easy way. To be truthtul, this band has given the activity many, many great people. However, it has had a history of problems in some regards. cf. http://articles.chic...travel-expenses and http://articles.chic...fighting-illini Though these articles are dated, it shows not all is well and easy in the marching band world as in the drum corps world. We wish them the best for the future.

Oh, I thought the ADM meant Admininistration! Tim K seems more an Assistant Conductor (like at Phantom) sort of guy.