C.Holland

someone understands!! man. how many time can we say the same thing over and over and no one listens. Housing, food, travel. Travel and food rise and fall with supply chain costs. However housing is the thing that's constantly going up and facilities keep passing costs onto the corps. As schools switch up their operating calendar, and other activities lay claim to spaces and fields, this is the thing becoming more problematic every season. Heck, many corps have problems finding fields during finals because Indy schools are in session during this week.

there's no feeling like taking a bent piece of metal, a thing you bang on, some random piece of guard equipment and using these things to bring people to their feet. Its why many of us did the activity, and many perform onstage years after we've aged out.

im already seeing groups asking "anyone able to help us find housing in (insert city) from (date) to (date)" because without show sponsors providing housing, and schools still in session in June its going to get worse.

would it have survived by being sponsored by churches and vfw's high stepping symmetrical drill and playing simple tunes?

so if you have to take your entire staff to the bahamas to "train" them in your operational ways, just gotta equal zero at the end via putting that cash back into your org.

World class get a small payout for each appearance. Amount is based upon last seasons placement. Open Class get a smaller payout in shows which are mixed World and Open. Open Class get paid $0 in appearance fees for Open class shows. Appearance fees barely fill a diesel tank let alone offset the actual costs of drum corps.

My brother went there for two years... then decided it was too small a place to go to college. slimy pebble, greased brick, mucky boulder...

in the years 96-01. It was a welcome break from my home life in Pittsburgh. A place where musicians gave as much as I did to be great at their craft. It was a way to travel the states for a kid and family who had zero cash. But It was also a few years of turmoil, and change. It helped me grow up quickly and also formed relationships I still have today. There's no greater feeling than taking a bent piece of metal, a set of sticks, a piece of guard equipment and bring a crowd to its feet. That's a feeling i still love onstage and backstage today in my career. Instant gratification. Cool effect onstage, audience cheers. Great solo in the club, audience cheers. The adrenaline from sharing that craft is unable to be duplicated (at least legally). Problematically, this activity now feels like my daily career. My last few years as a staff member for both DCI and DCA became a chore. And its because what is on the field today, reminds me of what I see onstage in any venue I work in. It used to be a break for me from my daily grind. Instead every year in inches closer towards my life in entertainment. I still dig the activity, I love seeing the performers give it their all, I'm overly scrutinizing of design choices, but its still great to see it somehow making it happen in a world where much is against it.

where do most of the paying customers for drum corps live? (no... not those in the stands. Those who pay to do this.) That's right. Big BOA programs. Texas, Florida, Indiana...etc. Yes there's a few from PA, NJ, KY, CA, MN/WI, OH... but there's a reason BAC started having florida camps in 98/99. And Cavies in GA. and others in Texas. Bring the business to the customer. Most of the corps now have a Home office, but do everything else in other cities or states.

as everyone else has said. 1. save money. not just for tuition, but for travel to/from camps. Depending on where you are, where you audition, and the travel required, you may need upwards of $6000 to $10000 to cover tuition plus travel. Example, Open Class is often $1800-$3000. Plus travel back and forth. Some world class charge near $5000-6000, and you still need to get there and back. If you are driving distance, that's much cheaper than flying across the nation once a month for camp. 2. as a musician practice being musical. (technique is sometimes varied per corps, and each corps will have its own method book, but being musical and expressive on an instrument is really hard to teach) 3. dance and movement. understand how your body moves through space. basic ballet or dance class will be helpful. 4. physical fitness. be able to run a mile in 8-9 mins. and strech. alot. be flexible and limber. not only does this help for movement, but it prevents injury. Good luck.

they've all learned those lessons. The activity demands a different set of circumstances to exist right now. Which is incredibly hard to do. When it was truly a service activity (and had very few competitors for students) everything was free or very low cost. (rehearsal space, gyms, football fields..etc. ) And now... nothing is free. Or even close to free. And everyone is fighting for the same pools of grant money. (theatre, dance, opera, art camps, drum corps... etc etc etc) I dont know the answer to the situation. I do know that with the way the united states is, that all the lawyers, insurance agents, and all their suggested precautions to Cover One's Butt and prevent liability escalate the costs each year. Not just space, but operations, safety, health, etc.

I think it depends on the schedule of your own group, the schedule of the circuit they want to march, and the individual student. have a chat with them about managing expectations, attitude, and schedule. Some are not great about coming back to band and being humble, others manage it very well. Its all about managing expectations and attitude.

It’s not even ring chasers at this point. It’s driven by design staff saying “we need a performer who can do (skill set)”. If you don’t get that skill set at auditions, you go find it. You move part of your show budget into your “prorated tuition” budget to make it happen. and it doesn’t matter if it’s a corps expected in the top 3, or the top 16. It’s because the sheets are design driven, the activity is design driven, and it’s all about the product and the sold experience to potential members. you want the current seasons field performance to bring 200 more auditionees next season by having those “tiktok moments” that potential members gravitate to.

Oh? Bwahahahaahah. I’ve been on the staff side of the activity for too many years. I have had many a long talk and consult with caption managers, designers, boards, and the exec dirs for both DCI and DCA groups. if you think this is an educational activity at the top 12 level I have a bridge to sell you. At this point I’m happy to design someone’s set, the rest i'm retired. Mostly because of what the activity has become and how it mimics my daily career (live entertainment) and that it literally resembles life on broadway now, and partially because I’d just like to see my fam that I’ve neglected for it for so many years. This activity isn’t what you think it is anymore. Hasn’t been for many years. you can believe whatever you want. but as long as corps still put up "we need YOU to be this star role.." its still about the design first, and the student second. Otherwise they'd move up someone from the existing group and teach them.

right. and that all looks great on paper. and it was great in 19... 20... right. It looks great when you apply for grants. and if you can prove you somewhat do that, you'll get at least some of that grant. welcome to 2023. This is "marching music's major (insert pun)". Those ideas are GREAT for open class, and necessary. They may even be necessary for those who placed 17-xx. But that's not what's happening. Certainly not in the top 6, likely not in the top 10, and honestly, very rarely in the next 5-6 groups as depending how many showed up to auditions, can do the work, and can afford it. This is a touring experience sold to high level talent first, and educational programming second. Read the sheets, look at the ads corps place throughout the year. Its design driven, talent chasing, broadway on a fake grass field, aimed towards talented performers under the age of 22. The only differences between auditioning for a top 12 corps or auditioning for RWS entertainment (who staffs cruises, amusement parks..etc) is that one charges you to show up. And it needs you to show up and pay, or it ceases to exist.

ok. missions are great for applying for funding. but see again, unless the corps is in an incredible bind. 99.9% of the time they'll search for the talent before they truly have to move someone up an then water the part. this is that era of drum corps.

that's not how this works anymore. How many times do you see ads for "WE NEED A STAR (insert skillset)". Snare, Rifle, Dancer, Lead Trumpet... pick your poison. The higher talent level you have, the less time teaching the basics you need to do, and the more time you spend teaching the show.

just remember, in this era of drum corps, money talks, design drives the sheets. everything else is mostly superfluous.

well. some corps have been able to generate revenue, and yet still charge their members thousands for a "touring experience" instead of reducing fees. because they can. The fees paid to world class corps for appearances barely fills a diesel tank or two, let alone pays for their stay each night. Open class corps get paid $0 for a performance at an open class show. the customer is certainly the member paying to do this, not the person in the stands. If the customer was actually the people in the stands (that's not a kid the activity is trying to lure into paying to join) the show content, sheets, and operations would be very different.

this idea already works for a group of less than 10, who perform for the New York City Football Club. they perform pre game, at the break, and after. They're paid, they're fed. But again, its a couple of each of trumpets, mellos, baris, a tuba, and a couple drummers. We do this with brass bands in and around NYC. see also.. Tappan Zee Bridgemen. (a couple trumpets, flugels, trombones, a tuba, and a couple drummers) You can pay us to play your parade, festival, brewery...whatever. But its all great players, making money to perform. It really only works with a small group.

1. fix the sheets to be less designer influenced. less needs for "layered demand". 2. shorten the season to maximize participants 3. will both reduce costs and help bring in more of the "ticket buyer". note ticket buyers arent in the stands, its the people paying to march.

read a box (theoretically) and assign numbers to said box. back up numbers with jargon on a tape, and then ask "did you hear my tape" and not know how to respond to "do you remember your comments?" its not rocket science... its just all made up to compare apples and forks.

Drum corps Midwest used to have DCA groups in their shows. Some shows out east have a few DCA groups there. I think you need to time it right for the weekend to make it beneficial.

totally understood, and I'm sure this is all still in development, however I just find this not on par with even the DCA groups in the same region. While RHR's season costs more than this total, it feels like you get more for your money overall. And Columbus Saints cost half this. Which i think that those are the most comparable programs to this, and in the same region for understanding costs.

While I think this is a cool idea, I am a bit taken back at the cost. Granted, we havent seen a schedule, but Soundsport was intended to be affordable. Which also prompts the "what is affordable" in this day and age, but woof.