theyremovingit

Maybe the reason they called it "X" is because it specifically features Shostakovich 10??? It's silly to just assume that they're going to abstractly elaborate on the idea of the superficial number 10. Why would it be unusual to name it "X" to simply represent the symphony rather than a different theme? Like when Crown performed "A Second Chance" and featured famous works that are listed second in their respective catalogues. It's not an attempt to convey or represent something abstract. It's merely an abstract title that opens up the opportunity to exhibit a set of musical selections that otherwise have little to no connection if it were not for the the title. In other words, it's called a variety show.

I think many corps' staff still do this at finals, but nowadays they get criticized for doing it. There's nothing wrong with getting hyped about something you personally put effort into.

I personally like most of those shows. Besides, the output of an arranger/designer really depends on the administration of the corps more than some may think. From what I have heard actually from a friend who personally knows Scott, his work for Spirit of Atlanta was mostly just complying to the design wishes of the director rather than being able to make free creative designs. The same could have happened for that period of time for Madison. And even still, the brass charts he's put out for Spirit have been pretty great IMO regardless!

I'm not sure whether or not Madison will move up or down the ranks due to their new staff. In one case, the new design and instructional staff may have a year of getting used to eachother's work and therefore design would not be great and affect Madison's GE and they'll move down. In another case, the new staff are skilled in setting up the members for success with drill and music that compliments to their expected talent pool and they move up. Judging by the new staff and what I have heard about them, I think this may be the case. Especially Scott Boerma and the new drum guy. Drums were a problem for the Scouts last year and I think their new writer and instructor(can't remember his name for the life of me) will definitely enhance their program. Brass was good in Madison's case last year. If only Scott were their caption head as well and they'd really soar!

I'm not a particular fan of BD '14 either, but there was something about that show that, while I don't really like it, I can't hate it either. I feel like there's a level humanity in that show that BD has been commonly devoid of in recent years. The music selection too. When reading their rep list I didn't particularly recognize anything but throughout the whole show I was thinking to myself "I know have heard this before, it sounds so familiar, but I don't know where I've heard it from!" It was like half nerve-wracking because I couldn't put my finger on the source and half nice because it was at least familiar to extent.

I have always wondered what the transposition from G horns to Bb/F horns and what the difference in range are. Madison Scouts' '88 rendition of Malaguena got me asking this as the mellophones screamed high concert Ab's at the end which, from an F tuned mellphone player's perspective, is CRAZY! Could anybody enlighten me about the range differences and transposition between G and Bb/F Horns? Thanks

They should pull out those classic uniforms from the '90s and put 'EM to use!

1988 was one hell of a competitive season. I believe that the major reason Suncoast placed no higher than 10th was because of the white hot competition going on between the whole top 12. Put that show in any average year and it would place significantly higher.

Oh wow I never knew that. I knew Jim Prime had written the brass book for that show but I had no idea Zingali was also involved!

As I've stated before in other threads, I'd really enjoy an all Franz Liszt show. Sounds like something Phantom could do. I'd especially love to hear a rousing arrangement of this Liszt work: http://youtu.be/KJbg9V2KnD8 It'd require one hell of hornline but it's not impossible.

A lot of that "processed" sound might actually be coming from synth patches in the pit. However, the fact that the hornline consists of basically the same instrument just at different pitch ranges, the sound they make when playing a chorale like tune like Hymn of Acxiom sounds very similar to the sonority of a choir, with tightly woven voices moving together in harmony. Whoever is arranging for Coats is doing a gold standard job at it.

You know, even though it's just a bunch hopeful speculation, a Part Tres of A Drum Corps Fan's Dream would actually be a great idea on the design team's part. Just look at the facts. It will be 19 years since Part Dos this summer, and 20 years since Part Uno. The shows are titled in a way that allows multiple parts, so a Part Tres wouldn't be considered a rehash of old stuff(so long as the design team keeps things fresh and introduces new ideas rather than defaulting to generic Spanish Phrygian Mode jams). Plus, Madison is in need of a revival of its image and the way younger audiences view them. A ########, balls to the wall, unforgettable show that reflects Madison's old identity while bringing new things to the table would definitely spark new interest in them. Just some thoughts I had. I'm sure whatever this new design team chooses to do will be awesome anyways.

Are we talking something along the lines of arranging?

I believe DCI might consider a harmonica a woodwind instrument since it uses reeds, actually. A crazy great idea nonetheless!

I've been curious about the same thing, except with Mellophone mouthpieces. Do corps usually use specifically Mellophone mouthpieces, or might they use trumpet mouthpieces for them as well?

I think the competition for the top 4 is going get tighter and tighter over the next couple seasons. Cadets, Coats, Crown, SCV, and BD all fighting for as high a spot as possible. Cavies might even get thrown in that mix with the improvement they've shown over the past few seasons.

I'm mostly just hoping they get their show design game together for once, especially in brass arranging. Whoever is arranging for them now is not very good at all and really doesn't do Phantom's brass justice.

Just fully realized the coming season is 2015. Good occasion for a 20th anniversary, amirite?

What do you think is prompting the Cadets to announce their production so early after the last season?

I think this has potential to be innovative. Shostakovich is untamed territory for the Cadets, meaning it could either be game-changing and awesome, or it could just fall flat.

I want to see at least any drum corps take up the challenge of successfully performing music that is seemingly impossible to transfer to or to envision in the drum corps medium. Keyboard/Piano music is like this. The very technical piano works of Bach, Beethoven, and Liszt are difficult to imagine a drum corps playing, let alone actually attempting to arrange them. But if somebody really put their mind to arrange it and a corps pulls it off, it would be INCREDIBLE.

In response to your title: If you do make the Coats snare line, you won't be the second 16 year old snare player currently in DCI's World Class. I'm fairly sure there are many other 16 year old members on world class snare lines, as well as a ton of 16 year old members in general. The reason everyone made a big deal about that 16 year-old kid in the BD snare line was not because he's in a world class corps, but because he's a member of the Blue Devils. THE Blue Devils, the corps that hasn't been below 4th place since 1975, which, uncoincidentally, currently has and has had one of the best percussion sections ever.

Robert Smith was good at Madison but really could not pull off that "Madison Vibe". Boerma is one of my favorite arrangers in the business and I absolutely cannot wait to see what he and the rest of the new staff bring!!

I am excited to see a new era for the Madison Scouts! I think they can figure out a way to revisit some of nuances of their past. I'd love to have them blast my face off again with another Latin show.

I wish Madison's front ensemble still wore the hats too. It made the whole group look much cooler