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Hello! I'm new here on this forum and I was just wondering... how are the auditions like for The Blue Devils and how is tour life in the corps? any advice or tips would be great!! Thank you

Free Color Guard Workshop January 12, 2014, 1pm to 5pm at California State University Dominguez Hills (Register in parking lot 4A when you arrive) www.City-Sound.org http://www.worldofpageantry.com/forums/download/file.php?id=485

I was just glancing at the live blog of the Bands of America grand nationals, held earlier this evening, and noticed Michael Boo's report that Marcus (TX) High School's show "Charmed" featured a serpent, the instrument that more or less preceded the tuba, having been used from the mid-16th through early-19th centuries. This appearance tickles me because in my youth, I performed in a Medieval/Renaissance instrument band, though never on serpent (we didn't have one), but sometimes, falteringly, on its cousins, the cornett and lizard. (From time to time, I have argued that if any woodwind instrument is to be permitted in drum corps, it must be the shawm, which needs no amplification.) Every now and again, one sees a serpent (or perhaps an ophliceide or a bombardon) at TubaChristmas events, along with more common novelties like helicon tubas and double-belled euphoniums. Would such an instrument be permitted in DCI? In addition to percussion and electronic instruments (ugh), DCI's rules permit any bell-front brass instruments (in all keys) except trombones and sousaphones. From this Wikipedia article (see also the wonderful illustrations on this page) it appears that there were some serpents with front-facing bells. But does "brass" in DCI's terms refer to the so-called "brass family" of instruments, or is it understood that such instruments must be metallic? Serpents are typically made of wood encased in leather. And would it be loud enough to be heard without amplification? (Michael: was tonight's serpent miked or acoustic?) Oh, and while I'm on the subject of the BoA live blog, last year I asked whether DCI was missing a good promotional opportunity by not advertising in the souvenir program at the Ohio Music Education Association state championships, where approximately 120 bands with 12,000 students perform and thousands of parents also are in attendance. (Bands of America does advertise in the OMEA program.) Responses here were mixed, but several people said there'd be no point, because all the attendees are surely familiar with DCI. Well, well, well ... it turns out that even people who follow the supposedly more elite bands in BoA, whose championships are conducted in the same venue as DCI's, aren't as well-informed as you might guess. Members of the Cavaliers drumline performed as the bands filed out for the awards, and in the blog I read: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Guest: "Who are the Cavaliers?" Michael Boo: "The Cavaliers are a drum and bugle corps from a suburb of Chicago. Drum and bugle corps is a summer activity. They have members from around the country. Their drum line gave a clinic earlier today at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention across the street from the stadium." ... (Different) Guest: "Gonna be weird till one year later. (no competition)." Michael Boo: "Do you know about WGI Winter Guard and WGI Indoor Marching Percussion events? It will help you get through you withdrawal. And then there's drum corps in the summer!" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The BOA winner this year, so I read, was The Woodlands High School, also from Texas, with "Crossing Boundaries". From a bad youtube video of their BOA regional performance a week or two ago, they do appear to have had a pretty good show, and not too heavy on the electronics, which I always appreciate. Congratulations to them.

ALLIANCE Drum & Bugle Corps in Atlanta, GA has just released our 2014 production entitled: "DOOMSDAY" We are a DCA all-age corps and pride ourselves on being a greatly satisfying alternative to DCI for the following individuals: those who cannot commit the time and/or money to a full DCI summer tour those who aspire to march with a DCI corps, but may need a stepping stone before they make the leap those who have recently aged out of DCI and are looking to reconnect with a DCI-like environment and show design We also welcome those who have never marched drum corps at all, but have an interest in the activity and would like to begin a new chapter in their marching career! Over the past 4 seasons, more than 25 ALLIANCE alumni have gone on to march with over 10 DCI World Class drum corps, including Crown, BD, Bluecoats, The Cavaliers, The Cadets, Phantom, Spirit of Atlanta, and others. In 2012 and 2013, each of the DCI World Champion corps had an ALLIANCE alumnus as a member! If ALLIANCE sounds like a good fit for you or someone you know, we'd love to see you at our Open House Camp on December 15, 2013 at River Ridge High School in Woodstock, GA! Please view our exciting 2014 promo video below and visit our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/alliancedrumcorps for more info. Thanks for your time,

Lately I saw a high school marching band do quite a credible job with one of my favorite pieces of music, Maurice Ravel's Pavane pour une infante defunte ("Pavane for a Dead Princess"). Thus was I reminded that this song is supposedly part of the repertoire of the Blue Stars' 2008 show "Le Tour: Every Second Counts". While I adore that show and have listened to it a couple dozen times, at least, I've never been able to pick out that particular tune in their mix. (This work should not be confused with Gabriel Faure's lovely Pavane that was used in the Stars' preshow that year.) Did they in fact play Ravel's Pavane, or was it announced but not used? If it's in there, can anyone tell me at which point I should be listening for it? (FYI, those with DCA Fan Network subscriptions can hear a corps play this piece: the Yokohama Inspires senior corps took fifth place at DCA Finals in 2002 with a program that included Ravel's mournful ditty.)

Hello Everyone! My name is Juan and I'm a music education major at HCC. Last summer I had the opportunity to march contra with the Boston Crusaders. It was one of the best experiences of my life! This upcoming summer will be my last chance to march with the Boston Crusaders ever because I will be aging out. This year's tuition fee is $3,500 and this is very hard to pay being a full time college student. I really need all of your help to make my age out year a reality. I wish nothing more that to have the opportunity to age out with such an amazing organization doing what I love most. Anything you can give will help tremendously!! THANK YOU! You can help me out at: https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/2deXa/ab/61Bat0? Email: jd412007@yahoo.com

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT from the Jim Ott Brass Ensemble: http://jimottbrass.org/2013/11/01/jim-ott-brass-ensemble-plans-for-dci-2015/

Have any of you ever toured with a mental illness? If so, what helped you through the summer? My first two summers of drum corps were really awful, I had hallucinations, disorganized thoughts, mood swings, paranoia, etc. I took a summer off and I finally got diagnosed and medicated so I'm doing much better. I'm wondering if any of you have advice for touring with mental illnesses. Any tips or thoughts will be appreciated! (:

Nicely done, DCI. But couldn't you find a Rich Man, Poor Man, Beggar Man, or Thief? At least you included a Sailor.

http://www.arizonaacademy.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=452:announcing-the-2014-design-team&catid=37:news&Itemid=94 Anybody take a look at their staff this year? Their design team alone is already killer. Crown's main designer and their music arranger, and one of the Blue Devils drill writers. That alone is a great start. They have a great visual staff coming in, brass staff is almost identical to previous years so the technique should be the same. Most of the perc staff is coming back, which means Ike is returning for his 3rd year, should be AWESOME! And the new guard staff looks very promising. I really hope they can bounce back from this previous season, the main excuse for the scores last year was the design, looks like the problem should be solved now. How do you guys think they will do in 2014?

I was excited to see that we are getting closer to the 2013 merchandise becoming available, what I was not excited to see was what looked like a huge price increase. It seems to me that the CD/DVDs are substantially more expensive than any previous recent year; $43.00 for an audio CD? Are you kidding me, and $132.00 for a Blu-ray two disc set? DCI, the price of the storage media is becoming cheaper every year and I know what the replies are going to be, the licensing fees are expensive, but this is becoming a bit much you think? I am not an economics major, but to me the costs to produce are fixed, now you want to sell the merchandise to make back the money and perhaps a profit. You will sell a quite a few less at $132 than say $99 or $109, correct? Whoever decided on this new price needs to start looking for a new job!

I'm in my third year marching top bass at my high school's marching band, and because of my worsening scoliosis, I'm moving to the pit next year to play rack percussion. I'm hoping that this year off will benefit and strengthen my back so that I can come back after high school to march bass for Minnesota Brass and then hopefully DCI. But if this doesn't work out, I would definitely consider auditioning for rack/timpani/drum set for drum corps. Any advice from past or current rack/timpani/drum set players in the drum corps circuit? What are auditions like and how do they differ from the keyboard mallet auditions in the pit? Thanks so much! I was going to put this post in percussion, but I felt like it would be viewed more widely in this forum.