EricWillie

Southwind's first percussion audition is this Saturday, November 18. This audition will be held at: Sapulpa High School 3 South Mission Sapulpa, OK 74066 Registration opens at 11:30 AM, orientation will begin at 12:30 PM and auditions will start at 1:00 PM. You can visit the corp's web site (www.southwind.org) for more information and audition materials. If you have any questions that cannot be answered on the web site, feel free to contact me at percussion@southwind.org. Eric Willie

Southwind has posted Percussion Audition Materials on the corp's web site (www.southwind.org). Click on the "Percussion Audition Music Available" tab from the home page and download as you like. We are excited about the upcoming season and wanted to let everyone know about the new Percussion Staff. They are: -Eric Willie, Caption Head & Percussion Arranger -Shane Gwaltney, Show Designer & Percussion Arranger (Music City Mystique Designer & Arranger, Perc. Director at Choctawhatchee High School) -Joe Hobbs, Snare Tech (2003 DCI Snare Champion, Cavaliers, Southwind) -Jason Palmer, Quad Tech (Santa Clara Vanguard, MCM) -Josh Nelson, Bass Tech (Crossmen, Bluecoats, Blue Knights, Director of MCM) -Rob Elston (Southwind), Craig Loeffler (Bluecoats, Americanos, MCM) & Rob Pastor (Blue Devils, Cavaliers, MCM) will be teaching the Front Ensemble. -Seth Dahm, Cymbals (Carolina Crown, UNT) If you have questions about auditions, feel free to send them to me at percussion@southwind.org. Otherwise, we look forward to seeing some of you at auditions. -Eric Willie

Dear Chuck, As a designer for the Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps, I am sorry to hear that your lack of interest in our show is found here. I find it disturbing that you were very critical of our show and I hope that after an additional hearing, your views will change. First, have you analyzed Debussy's "Clair de Lune"? I would love to get your thoughts on the "whole-tone quality we expect from Debussy." If you listen to the parts chosen for our arrangement, you will notice that the majority of the composition centers around an alternation between Db and F minor. Once again, I would love to gain some of your insights on the "whole-tone quality we expect from Debussy" and how it relates to "Clair de Lune." Secondly, you mention that the "Pit is under-utilized in general." As the arranger for the front ensemble, I find this comment extremely confusing. For almost two minutes, the pit carries the show with its arrangement of "Clair de Lune." I would like to hear exact points in which they are "under-utilized." This is a very general statement without any supporting information. Lastly, your comment, "It [i am assuming this is referring to the front ensemble] could really be enhanced by more exposure of the woods and warmer sounds. Currently it is brittle. . . dry -- perhaps they'll be adding sustained metallic or cymbal voices later?" is vague. If you listen to the opening and closing productions, there are distinct conversations from metals to woods, from side one to side two and a diversity of instruments exploring a metal vs. wood idea (cajones, thundersheets, djembe, riq). During the second production (Clair de Lune), there are plenty of opportunties to focus on the conversation from warm wood sounds to sustained metallic voices. Chuck, I am not writing to argue your personal, subjective opinions, rather I am trying to assist you so that your next viewing of the Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps will be a more pleasing performance. If you feel the need to post comments on any shows this summer (performed by any Drum and Bugle Corps), I would hope that they would have something beneficial to offer the performers and instructors instead of negating their work. Eric Willie, Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps