musicteacher

1982's "Rocky Point" was a landmark achievement -- the dawn of contemporary concert band literature as a DCI programming force.

1984. Arranging perfection.

Ironlips, I was blown away by compositional artistry of this arrangement. Much ahead of his time.

Years ago I taught a corps that received a thunderous reception, complete with a stating O from a filled stadium. One judge's response, "This is not General Effect." Post-Cesario this doesn't happen.

Mr. Craig, thanks for your quick response. Another great season for BAC is in the bag, in a bag, in a bag...

Don does good work. Very much enjoyed his arrangements when I taught Glassmen.

Re: '64 Kevin's. Iron Lips, I couldn't agree more. It is fascinating to hear how Frank Bergdoll bobs and weaves to deal with the limitations of the instruments so creatively. The drum stuff is hip for the era, brass and percussion ensembles are squeaky clean and the French horns crackless -- a true accomplishment. "This Nearly Was Mine" has long been my favorite Kevins' thing. Bergdoll was certainly a pioneer. I don't think there are fighter fighters writing for top drum corps any more. We owe the pioneers a huge debt of gratitude.

How many horns they got?

Iron Lips is here spot-on.

Or his inability -- despite his talent -- to last anywhere long. I kinda wish he stayed. Mike and Tim: that would have been juicy.

This is a familiar pattern in this activity for him. Didn't last the winter with Colts a number of years ago and was out after a year as Boston's artistic director.

The roar of the crowd when the first view of red combining over the hill into the stadium was a thrill beyond words. By the time the corps assembled, you could barely hear the corps that was on the field. Fan love of the first order.

Craig's earlier analysis of the inspirations for this production are spot-on.

Best of luck, Tim. Fond memories of teaching you as a youngin'. My best to your dad. A great drum corps family.

I think the Jonathan to which you refer is Jonathan Schwartz.

Beyond Bones, who is writing vis for Academy? I thought Adamsons wrote for Academy last year. Is his being brass consultant constitute a demotion?

What Lab said.

New To Posting is absolutely right.

Jeff is exactly right. "Rocky Point Holiday" was a landmark moment in music programming, establishing the use of contemporary concert band literature followed successfully by so many others, including Cavies. And "Cuban Overture" brought a more sophisticated side of Gershwin to the activity. Prescient. This set the table for '83's "The Mass"/"Rocky Point."

DBC's referring to DCI as "summer marching band" is certainly pejorative and, at least to this reader, offensive.

There are many students who are music performance and ed majors. Ed students in particular benefit substantially in that they get to experience top-notch instruction in the marching arts and see how such organizations function -- the logistics involved with a traveling ensemble, the infrastructure involved, the dynamics of handling staff and volunteers. From my years of experience involved with World Class corps, what MikeN cites as the percentage of students majoring in music seems about right. Drum corps, for all its flaws, is an important training ground for music educators. The student involved appreciate that fact.

The soloist was Gerry Noonan. we lost him far too soon.

North Star was started, I think, in 1976. It was a merger of several Boston area corps, including the Danvers Blue Angels, Immaculate Conception Reveries (successor to the 27th Lancers) and Beverly Cardinals. They were briefly successful, making DCI finals 1978-80, placing as high as 9th. They fell out of finals by a small margin in 1981 and were gone after 1982. They were noted for their drum line, which was called the "Chrome Wall." Under Dave Vose, they were a pioneer in percussion education, doing winter percussion ensembles of non-field material before that became popular. They were a fan favorite, with tunes such as "This Masquerade" and "Sir Duke." They exist to this day as an alumni corps.

If you count it that way (very valid, I think), then Colts team has been intact for the past five years.