What is the difference between BOA & DCI?

[Mickk3]

both will be having their finals in Indianapolis, Indiana.

[critter]

There's a lot of instructors in the activity who are equally immersed in both; it's their gig.

Since I've got a kid who does both, I'd have to say that when pressed, all of the corps would enjoy the type of excellent support that BOA bands get from parent/booster orgs.

Just one example... the BOA bands go on the field surrounded by a squadron of able-bodied dads who make sure the pit instruments get unloaded (then reloaded) correctly after a performance. Except for a few staff members, the front ensemble musicians in corps are on their own. BOA bands, conversely, have to arrange logistics and management based on what all parents know... there's about a million years of difference between age 13 and age 17. A lot of those kids are still young enough to truly need more adults to help them out and be a safety net.

It's kind of a complementary thing. One activity complements the other, and there's no reason they ought to even try to be the same. It's okay that they're different. It's kind of like shoes. You need athletic shoes, but you need dress shoes and flipflops, too. It's all good.

Using a whole gob of props in DCI is a tall order, because it's hard to build stuff out of plywood and what-have-you that will survive all those loadings & unloadings and make it through so many shows without falling apart. BOA has less shows to "aim" at, so the design staff can tailor the show accordingly.

People who've been around drum corps a really long time tell me that parent booster orgs for corps used to be a more important factor, but as my hubby is fond of noting, drum corps really changed big-time when the airlines were deregulated.

Great post. I personally think that the logistical problems associated with props in DCI will also keep woodwinds out. Who would really want to deal with bent keys, missing corks, bad reed moments because of changing weather in Iowa during the summer? The instrument maintenance issue is the biggest because of the difficulty accessing instrument technicians.

[djrick]

Matt,

Good to see you posting on here. It's been a while. I agree with ya. Broken Arrow & L.D. Bell both had incredible shows last year. BA's climax from 'Time to Say Goodbye" was chilling. And, L.D. Bell's ending just did it for me. The emotional content of Bell's show was surreal. Just in case anyone is wondering about repertoires from the shows:

Broken Arrow HS, OK - "Aqua"

Harrison's Dream (Peter Graham)

Time to Say Goodbye (Andrea Bocelli)

Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (Benjamin Britten)

Music Compositions & Arrangements: Aaron Guidry

L.D. Bell HS, TX - "The Remaining"

Hound of Heaven (James Syler)

Ballet Dracula (Phillip Feeney)

Beautiful from the 'King Kong' soundtrack (James Newton Howard)

Music from the 'A Beautiful Mind' soundtrack (James Horner)

Music Arrangements: Don Hill & Aaron Guidry

Drill Designers: Myron Rosander & Brian Youngblood

If you're a fan of Myron Rosander, I highly recommend checking out his design for L.D. Bell 2005 & 2006. One of his best designs.

2 of my fav shows from 2006. :) :)

[07-Socks]

L.D. Bell's "Remaining" show had my attention the whole time.

I'm still amazed by it, when I watch it on DVD.

Quite possibly one of the most entertaining HS shows I have ever seen.

[dccorpsfan]

I'm constantly amazed at the amount of "band hate" that goes on from 'corps people'. I just assume that these are the type of people that went to a crappy HS program and excelled in spite of it and have never been to a BoA Grand Nats.

I'd never try and 'compare' the two actvitities but suffice it to say there's a huge place in my heart for shows such as L.D. Bell's show last year. And now that DCI is moving to Indy I'll be making two annual trips to the mid-west for each activitiy's "Championships" instead of just Grand Nats. Well, I don't even count WGI Finals as a 'big mid-west trip' since it's in the mighy city of Dayton, OH :) But oh the good times I've had at the Holiday Inn there haha.

I think the most amazing thing is that some of the biggest drum corps fans out there are band kids like me. We idolize you guys and our brass/percussion people take a lot of pointers from corps.

[sburstall]

I'm constantly amazed at the amount of "band hate" that goes on from 'corps people'. I just assume that these are the type of people that went to a crappy HS program and excelled in spite of it and have never been to a BoA Grand Nats.

I'd never try and 'compare' the two actvitities but suffice it to say there's a huge place in my heart for shows such as L.D. Bell's show last year. And now that DCI is moving to Indy I'll be making two annual trips to the mid-west for each activitiy's "Championships" instead of just Grand Nats. Well, I don't even count WGI Finals as a 'big mid-west trip' since it's in the mighy city of Dayton, OH :) But oh the good times I've had at the Holiday Inn there haha.

There isn't a hate between the two because most people here have done both. It's that many people here want to keep the identity that made drum corps completely seperate from marching bands. Sadly, there are people both in the drum corps community that want to drum corps to become just a "professional" marching band, with the only difference is that "drum corps" will be the summer version of BOA.

[drumcorps00]

I think people here are afraid to admit that Drum corps is marching band.

It is whereabout 98% of the membership comes from.

Mike

[BWEAR]

I think people here are afraid to admit that Drum corps is marching band.

It is whereabout 98% of the membership comes from.

Mike

Pardon me Mike, but there are droves of drum corps vets who would like to throw you off a bridge about now. About 98% of people in graduate school came from elementary school. That doesn't make it the same.

Now back to the question what is the difference between BOA and DCI. Not much. DCI and BOA are both governing bodies that deal with marching music competitions. That is the simplest answer I feel.

Bands and drum corps however, are or were very different. Not so much any more given that BOA and DCI have both pushed its competitors into the same corner. My opinion is just that, but I feel that neither organization is supporting the fan's right to be heard. They want to educate us as to what we should want to see and hear.

This has been a discussion for several years in my circle of marching friends and I have stated on several occassions that "I believe" DCI and BOA will have some type of official merging before 2012. The move to Indy for DCI is only the first step. I hope I'm wrong.

For shear entertainment that doesn't need to be explained before the show DCA STILL ROCKS BABY!!!!

Edited August 24, 2007 by BWEAR

[Einstein On The Beach]

Seriously..everyone in this thread....meow meow

[MikeD]

Pardon me Mike, but there are droves of drum corps vets who would like to throw you off a bridge about now. About 98% of people in graduate school came from elementary school. That doesn't make it the same.

Now back to the question what is the difference between BOA and DCI. Not much. DCI and BOA are both governing bodies that deal with marching music competitions. That is the simplest answer I feel.

Bands and drum corps however, are or were very different. Not so much any more given that BOA and DCI have both pushed its competitors into the same corner. My opinion is just that, but I feel that neither organization is supporting the fan's right to be heard. They want to educate us as to what we should want to see and hear.

Fans do not decide what is to be seen and heard, outside of not attending or supporting either activity financially. Fans and audience members do not have a 'right to be heard'.

The drum corps vets who want to thrwo Mike off a bridge are wrong. Corps is, and always has been, a form of band. To think otherwise is just some sort of phony elitism.