Hornhoser

What are we even talking about here? Last time I checked (about 5 mins ago) the corps was ranked in 7th place. While that would seem to suggest that they are not in medal contention this year, is being in the single digits really cause for such doom and gloom? I know a lot of other corps out there that would love to be in such an awful position. In fact, I think the corps is performing way better than this thread, which has already outlived its life expectancy.

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My question is why you are so concerned with how well the designers interview on a live broadcast? Some people are great at their chosen craft but not so great in an interview, especially in a live broadcast. After all designers and performers are often two very different kinds of people. Also, I was not comparing Pollock's singular act of work to a drum corps show. It was an analogy questioning the significance of the designer's ability to explain his thought process in an abstract non-traditional subject format, and asking if it matters. I was asking if the effectant result of the design isn't more important than what the intent of the artist may have been in creating that effect. I could have used Der Ring des Nibelungen, or Spider-Man: The Musical, if that works for you. So getting back to my original point...Isn't the result of the design more important than the designer's discussion of it?

Wow... While I agree with some of your points I am curious as to why you think that artist (ie. program coordinator/designer) equals great interview. Rather than judging programs on the merits of the interviewee why not judge them on the merits of the presentation of the program? I mean I couldn't tell you what the meaning behind much of Jackson Pollocks works but I know I like it and it moves me in some way that doesn't care what his explanation may be.

Imagine how very different the NFL would be if voting was limited only to those 12 teams who make the playoffs... - Competitive rules may be restructured so as to benefit those 12 teams, and to the detriment of the bottom 20 non-playoff teams. - Rules concerning finances may be skewed to benefit the top 12, and to the detriment of the bottom 20. - Rules concerning the draft (talent selection) may be changed to direct top talent to the top 12 and away from the bottom 20. - Talented players may steer themselves toward the top 12 and away from the bottom 20. - The scheduling of games (performances) may be structered to gain maximum exposure and profitability for the top 12, and away from the bottom 20. - The lion's share of revenues would go to the top 12 because of their ability to position their product, keeping the bottom 20 out of the game. - This would create an ongoing competitive dominance for the top 12 that would effectively shut the bottom 20 out of the game for good. - Some, if not all of the bottom 20 would likely shut down due to a combination of talent and finance issues, leaving a league that is essentially comprised of the top 12 organizations. Sound familiar?

Beddis is a great pickup for the corps! He should do some nice work with Chuck and Eddie.

Its the day after Throsday of course.

Not following the question. Can you clarify what you are looking for?

Often, band directors are musicians who believe themselves to be administrators, while drum corps directors are administrators who believe themselves to be musicians.

Malaguena, The Ballad???

Cymbals should be seen and not heard!

We may be heading toward more and more composed shows in order to keep the costs of licensing fees in check. HH

Noted.

With all due respect (and I really mean that) if you think the kids in any of these corps don't pay attention to DCP and what you, or anyone else has to say about their performances and their programs, then I think you may be the one who is misguided. After all it is you, the fan population, that they are doing this for. The adulation and adoration of the fan is what drives them to succeed. If you are familiar with the mind of a performer, you'll know that it is pretty common for them to be consumed with what people think of them. They do have smart phones on tour. They also have friends and family who are more than willing to tell them what people are saying about them. So yes, your support (and I did not mean you specifically but the fan population) really does count. And people who are so easily dismissive of a corps chances really does sting and become discouraging to kids who are working their butts off every day to get better. ESPECIALLY when tour is long, the weather is hot, the busses are getting that tour-stink about them, and the scores are going nowhere. Of course your fan support means something to them. That is what they do this for. HH

Just to clarify....My reference to Regiment was about how a corps can make significant changes in the last three weeks of a season and positively change their outcome. It was NOT about comparing the quality of the 2008 Regiment program to the 2010 Colts. If you (and by that I mean other posters as well) are telling me that a drum corps cannot make the performance and design improvements during the last three weeks of the season that are necessary to move up two or three places by the end of the season, then I have must have been watching drum corps in the parallel universe that BozzyB sarcastically referenced earlier. I am not talking about possibilities, probabilities or happenstance. This is not about how great Regiment was compared to how the Colts are. This is not about parallel universes, cold-spots, Chuppacabra or Bigfoot. It is about how a group of young people, when properly trained and motivated, and given the chance (by you), can have the ability to turn it on, tune it up and create the momentum that it takes to move up a couple places and a couple points (the actual difference between 15 and 12 right now btw). If you are telling me that this is not possible, then I am going to take up bowling for a hobby because I must have missed something. I have seen this happen many times over the years at many different levels of the activity. And ESPECIALLY at the level we are talking about where a great performance can seemingly come out of nowhere. Last time I looked, the best performing corps make finals. Please don't be so dismissive of the Colts, or any of the corps that are currently ranked below 12. Thats pretty insulting to these kids who are working so hard, and who have just as much a chance of making finals as anyone else given the right performance, the right panel, and your support. Your support could mean a lot to all of these "sub 12" corps right now. HH

Following this logic, we should take back the 2008 trophy from Regiment because BD and Cadets (and I think Cavs??) were too far ahead of them at this time of year for them to overcome. Please don't follow this biased logic Colts. Its NEVER over, until its over. Cleaning the product will overcome any issues. The best performing corps are also the ones who perform at finals. There's a reason for that. So clean it up. HH

No individual tarp can be larger than 60x90. If they had several tarps, all of them 60x90 or less, then they are okay.

In a related announcement, Youth Education in the Arts (YEA!) are proud to announce a multi-year partnership that will see the instruments of the nine-time World Champion Cadets Drum Corps being transported exclusively by General Motors Chevy trucks division...

The program coordinator usually has a great deal of influence on the direction AND design of the program. Since he is one of the top percussion arrangers in the activity, I am certain that he will be very involved with the music designers on the design of the program. If I were him, I would be. HH

I think the identity crisis is in thinking that picking Latin MUSIC = Madison identity. In looking at their winning programs, and if winning programs = identity, then... 1975 - Slaughter on 10th Avenue, MacArthur Park, Rhapsody in Blue, Dueling Banjos, The Way We Were. No Latin there. 1988 - Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra, Malaguena. Some Latin there. That's 50% with Latin and 50% without. In looking at their "successful" shows in the "modern era" of drum corps (80's or later), using 6th place or better as a measure of success... If success = identity, then... 2005 - 6th place - Carmen 1999 - 6th place - Jesus Christ Superstar 1998 - 6th place - Lupon-Swingin Pete Sweet-Remembrance 1997 - 6th place - The Pirates of Lake Mendota 1996 - 6th place - A Mis Abuelos-Barcelona-En Fuego-Malaguena. Some Latin here. 1995 - 5th place - El Toro Caliente-La Danza Pasillo-Malaga. Some Latin here. 1994 - 6th place - Santos-Cuban Overture-Malaga. Some Latin here. 1993 - 6th place - Numero Uno-Strawberry Soup-Encore 1992 - 5th place - City of Angels 1987 - 6th place - Captain Castille-American in Paris-Stars+Stripes 1985 - 4th place - Ballet in Brass-Rhapsody in Blue 1984 - 5th place - Ballet in Brass-Waltz of Mushroom Hunters-Memories 1983 - 5th place - Colas Breugnon, Strawberry Soup, Calico, Memories 1982 - 5th place - Slaughter 10th Ave-Strawberry Soup-Eyes of Love 1981 - 3rd place - Numero Uno-Malaguena-Down Wind-Through Eyes of Love. Some Latin here. 1980 - 6th place - They're Playing Our Song-Malaguena-New Country-Eyes of Love. Some Latin here. In looking at the above, only 5 of the 16 "successful" programs (only 31%) contained Latin pieces. The rest contained pieces that run the gamut...jazz, symphonic, orchestral, movie scores, Broadway, popular and fantasy pirate. So I think the idea of Madison identity = playing Latin music is something of a misnomer. There is a tendency to give a latin/jazz rhythmic feel to many of their pieces which gives a latin characteristic to the chart. But putting a Latin feel to Funny (for example) did not make it a Latin piece, it only gave it that flavor. I think some of the sop/trpt writing with "screaming" solos and lead parts also speaks of Latin or a latin/jazz style of arranging reminiscent of the Hawthorne Caballeros, or (ironically) the Muchachos. In a nutshell, I think Madison could play anything they darn want, so long at the style of the writing speaks of Madison in the arranging, particularly in the percussion and trumpet writing. HH

They're marching 142 and, barring any further illness or injury (knock on wood), all the holes you saw have been filled. So it is only a difference of 8 people. HH

The Colts also lost one of their own, just prior to last season in an auto accident. I think they may understand and appreciate, perhaps better than others, just how precious life can be and much we are truly connected to each other in this activity in spite of the different uniforms we may wear. HH

Easy... Gordon Ramsay!

This is about music we would like to see redone, but not necessarily by the SAME corps. So how about.... SCV - Night On Bald Mountain, Maria or Somewhere Cadets - Young Persons Guide or Claire de Lune BD - Strawberry Soup or MacArthurs Park Regiment - Russian Christmas Music, Rocky Point Holiday Madison - Autumn Leaves, Free or Devil Went Down To Georgia Cavaliers - Prelude, Fugue and Riffs, Dark Orchid or Bird and Bella I wonder how these would look and sound in different hands? Or is that too sacrilegious for us?