My take from the front row at the Rose Bowl 2007

[MikeD]

You are comparing apples to oranges: "they" are not the same people who run things now and "they" are not the same performers/musicians.

Back to my point: I am analyzing our activity; not using it or others as a target. I am interested in continuous improvement not change just because we can.

I think we need to focus on the audience and the performers. I think "management" (i.e., directors, music instructors, etc.) is there to serve these two different types of entertainment customers. I am advocating we move our focus off what the judges want and on to what the audience likes.

:)

As it is neither now, how would that happen. The focus is and should be on creating a show that will first and foremost provide the best experience for the members. The judges come next followed by the audience. BTW...even pre-DCI we were doing everything we could to please the judges. The audience was a byproduct of that effort. Shows were changed around...parts were watered or beefed up...entire numbers replaced...in an effort to improve our scores. No different in 2007 than it was in 1972 in that regard.

[gfpstudios]

As to your "...first and foremost provide the best experience for the members. The judges come next followed by the audience." comment.

I think you are in error about the order. Without the audience drum corps will cease to exist. The fans provide the resources (money); they are the most important customer. Next by providing a proper challenge and resources(including talented managers, music composers, etc. ) for the performers you give them the opportunity or allow them to achieve excellence: this is also good for the fans as well as the performers.

The judges are an adjunct which provides a service, a third party only there to give the activity perspective. The quality of the corps is already present by the time the show starts. The judges will not change that. On the other hand, we cannot expect to please two masters in this regard, i.e. the biblical notion of "...for either we will love one and hate the other..." applies here as well.

To perform to the judges only is to turn the corps into a point machine designed to influence a very limited number of singular humans according to some pattern. This leaves out the fans, parents, friends, enthusiasts, and all the others who make drum corps possible. Never forget that without the funding our corps will stay put in their home cities. The audience is the one who makes the activity mobile and possible. If we tick them off we all lose.

[Liam]

As to your "...first and foremost provide the best experience for the members. The judges come next followed by the audience." comment.

I think you are in error about the order. Without the audience drum corps will cease to exist. The fans provide the resources (money); they are the most important customer. Next by providing a proper challenge and resources(including talented managers, music composers, etc. ) for the performers you give them the opportunity or allow them to achieve excellence: this is also good for the fans as well as the performers.

The judges are an adjunct which provides a service, a third party only there to give the activity perspective. The quality of the corps is already present by the time the show starts. The judges will not change that. On the other hand, we cannot expect to please two masters in this regard, i.e. the biblical notion of "...for either we will love one and hate the other..." applies here as well.

To perform to the judges only is to turn the corps into a point machine designed to influence a very limited number of singular humans according to some pattern. This leaves out the fans, parents, friends, enthusiasts, and all the others who make drum corps possible. Never forget that without the funding our corps will stay put in their home cities. The audience is the one who makes the activity mobile and possible. If we tick them off we all lose.

Are you referring to the way it IS, or the way it SHOULD BE?? If you're talking about the way it is, then I have to respectfully disagree -- I think MikeD has the order right about how it currently (and in the past!!) actually is. Now if you're talking about how it should be .... well that's another discussion entirely :)

[atlvalet]

Coming up with a show that is pleasing to the members first and foremost is kind of self-serving. That's like letting the inmates run the asylum.

Personally, as a performer, I always enjoyed getting a crowd reaction. That always trumped scores for me. However, I still used to be "score obsessed." But then I taught a high school marching band with some Madison staff, and the whole Madison approach grew on me. Scores are secondary to crowd reaction/interaction. Execution, though, is always important.

In the end, scores are kind of trivial. I know everyone remembers Madison '95. The thing is, off the top of my head, I can't remember who won that year. Madison, now that I remember.

[Liam]

Coming up with a show that is pleasing to the members first and foremost is kind of self-serving. That's like letting the inmates run the asylum.

Personally, as a performer, I always enjoyed getting a crowd reaction. That always trumped scores for me. However, I still used to be "score obsessed." But then I taught a high school marching band with some Madison staff, and the whole Madison approach grew on me. Scores are secondary to crowd reaction/interaction. Execution, though, is always important.

In the end, scores are kind of trivial. I know everyone remembers Madison '95. The thing is, off the top of my head, I can't remember who won that year. Madison, now that I remember.

Not so sure that "pleasing" to the members is the right term. What's important is that it is properly challenging to the members, provides them the best experience in terms of learning, pushing for achievement, etc. Doesn't mean that they will find it pleasing necessarily, but they should be satisfied/proud with the experience.

[gfpstudios]

Not so sure that "pleasing" to the members is the right term. What's important is that it is properly challenging to the members, provides them the best experience in terms of learning, pushing for achievement, etc. Doesn't mean that they will find it pleasing necessarily, but they should be satisfied/proud with the experience.

That's what I'm talkin' about. :)

[gfpstudios]

Coming up with a show that is pleasing to the members first and foremost is kind of self-serving. That's like letting the inmates run the asylum.

Personally, as a performer, I always enjoyed getting a crowd reaction. That always trumped scores for me. However, I still used to be "score obsessed." But then I taught a high school marching band with some Madison staff, and the whole Madison approach grew on me. Scores are secondary to crowd reaction/interaction. Execution, though, is always important.

In the end, scores are kind of trivial. I know everyone remembers Madison '95. The thing is, off the top of my head, I can't remember who won that year. Madison, now that I remember.

I think we are all getting it now.

[DrillmanSop06]

Blahblahblah, blahblahblahblah the activity needs me blah blah blah. Silly, silly, silly. Sorry your seats sucked, gfp.

[Einstein On The Beach]

Coming up with a show that is pleasing to the members first and foremost is kind of self-serving. That's like letting the inmates run the asylum.

Personally, as a performer, I always enjoyed getting a crowd reaction. That always trumped scores for me. However, I still used to be "score obsessed." But then I taught a high school marching band with some Madison staff, and the whole Madison approach grew on me. Scores are secondary to crowd reaction/interaction. Execution, though, is always important.

In the end, scores are kind of trivial. I know everyone remembers Madison '95. The thing is, off the top of my head, I can't remember who won that year. Madison, now that I remember.

The Cavaliers won, with a much better show

That's right, I like Cavies 95 more than Madison (or any Madison show at that). I hope that doesn't shake anyone up too much...

[gfpstudios]

Blahblahblah, blahblahblahblah the activity needs me blah blah blah. Silly, silly, silly. Sorry your seats sucked, gfp.

I am sure glad you cleared this up for me. :|