Slim pickings for DCA corps in the South......

[MDempsey]

What with all the great corps style high school and college bands in the South, I find it hard to believe that there are so few all age corps below the Mason-Dixon line. Just about everything is up North and I mean way up there in the North. Why is that?

Lets see, we've got one corps each in Nashville, Dallas and Houston and two in Atlanta. That's it. I don't know if it's funding problems or lack of interest, but that needs to change. Maybe if there were more competitions down here, there would be more corps.

Who wants to ride a bus all the way up to Rochester, New York and back? Not me. Confederates need more choices closer to home......

You said it all

LSU=inbreds

Confederates=racists(jus sayin)

South of the Mason Dixon they caint read NOR writte

hows de gonna do drum corps???bubba?

aye garonnteee..dey is not capable of nonnodatt LOL

[gcsbaribc]

I don't know how much appeal a DCA corps would be to a college band member because if they are really good and have an interest in Drum Corps, they'll probably go the DCI junior corps route. Maybe go after the age outs who still want to march. Would you drive the 230 miles north to Ruston or the 280 miles west to Houston, where there's a larger and established DCA corps in Gulf Coast Sound..........

There are many many reasons to go either drum corps route. Not that I am echoing the majority view of my corps (or otherwise), I would encourage anyone with the means, desire and time to go to DCI and enjoy their youth while they can. One of the beautiful things about DCA is that it will always be there throughout your life, whenever (or wherever) you can jump on board.

Gary's Masquerade-rs are a very fine operation, and seem to a be very dedicated and serious group of performers. Lots of us down here in Texas are expecting huge things from this new group, as well as from the Austin Stars. Now, we are starting to have some excellent choices of who to "jump into" when you make the decision to perform in an all-age corps in this area.

Gulf Coast Sound is of course an excellent choice as well (yes, have some bias), and thanks for mentioning us. We are eager to continue to grow and improve and just produce the best performance possible. We have another great show concept in 2008 which reflects our style, and will also allow us to rock, have fun on the field and entertain audiences possibly better than we ever have before.

Rock On dude!

[sopranoman6000]

Sorry to hear that about your house, as mine in Metairie retained 3.5 feet of water from Lake Pontchatrain, and Orleans Parish, but it was not damaged enough to be demolished but after fighting with the insurance companies and rebuilding its 95% done.

Though I live in New Orleans I travel to Houston often performing with GCS as this coming season will be my 3rd with GCS. I'm one of the guys Mark T mentioned in a previous reply to this topic as the other GCS member Dylan was one of my percussion students from my short stint as an assistant band director with 'the Other Mike's' program...

Thomas, man you got a lot of dedication that I didn't know about.I mean coming from New Orleans to Houston and then bringing a student of yours with you, man that is what you call dedication. Look forward to seeing you guys at banquet and at open house, I got big news for the corps so catch you later man.

[BigDrum247]

I myself have re-enacted as a Confederate Marine, doesn't mean anything about me that most would stereotype me as. But in fact though, get your history right. Both union and confederate people had the same opinions back then. It was the governments who didn't agree on states rights vs one central power, later in the war slavery then became an issue.

But to defend those of us below the mason dixon line who travel up north, it's well worth it and if you think driving for 8 or 9 hours in car every weekend one way to be in the best is stupid, well I guess I should throw my 3 DCA championship medals away. but I do agree though, we do need more DCA corps down this way. Unfortunately a lot of bands down here start their season the same weekend as DCA finals, so that keeps a lot of potential members from joining as their band directors would never dream letting their kids miss a show, which there's nothing wrong with feeling that way.

Also, most people down here never make it up to see a Sr. Corps, so when the term Sr. Corps is thrown at them, they think of Sr. Corps as a "Joke". And I'm not saying this just to be saying it. This is right out of the mouth of kids and adults that have been approached about joining a DCA Corps. DCA needs to make more of a presence down here somehow. I know we have youtube these days to help, but it hasn't helped much from what I've seen.

Calm yourself. It was a joke! Geez, can't crack a joke anymore.

Besides, we don't care how you did it up north!! :P

[The Other Mike]

Sorry to hear that about your house, as mine in Metairie retained 3.5 feet of water from Lake Pontchatrain, and Orleans Parish, but it was not damaged enough to be demolished but after fighting with the insurance companies and rebuilding its 95% done.

Though I live in New Orleans I travel to Houston often performing with GCS as this coming season will be my 3rd with GCS. I'm one of the guys Mark T mentioned in a previous reply to this topic as the other GCS member Dylan was one of my percussion students from my short stint as an assistant band director with 'the Other Mike's' program...

Thomas,

I really think you should take Michael W this year as well. Maybe he will grow up a little.

Just think of driving with him back and forth to Houston. ( I'm sure Dylan would kill you )

As we were unloading last night Dylan was SCREAMING at Michael " just take the F-ing drum upstairs and stop being such an a hole "

But seriously, Nathan needs to march at least one summer. If he's going to major in music he needs some exposure to things other than me, his private teacher and playing in the youth symphony. ( plus he really needs to get out of his house and away from the family )

As long as you are marching DCA, I feel comfortable sending any of the kids with you there. Then later if they want to march DCI, so be it.

Dylan has become an amazing kid for his age and sometimes I forget he's just a kid.

Last night at the game some yah who from SJH came running down through the dance line screaming and yelling after the interception. I got in his face and told him not to go through the kids again ( it was a pretty rough group from the other team sitting above the dance line) so the idiot starts to go back up between the dance team and the drummers. He's three rows up when I grabbed him by the back of his jacket and yanked his butt back down ......as we are standing there toe to toe it dawns on me that I'm 52, fat, partially disabled.......and Thomas is not here to back me up........... :sos:

while I won ALOT of respect from the kids, I had to remind them that they are not just supposed to sit there and watch. It was a milestone that I explained to them that NOW, they are a family, they are playing well and like old drum corps, NOBODY crosses our ranks.............

By the way, I bought a 3rd set of 14 / 16 / 18 tim toms and I'm going to break the quads down to triples for the JR high kids to learn on.

I've got 10 snares at the lower school and every day a different group of 10 3rd graders come for 1/2 hour class. I also have some small triples coming in for the kids to "earrn the chance" to play them.

I need some basic exercises to work with these kids besides 8 on a hand and paradiddles and triplets.

As a brass guy I usually don't play much that has more than 8 notes to a measure

Someone help me here. all the rythem band stuff I had is so " 1st grade to them" now.

[The Other Mike]

Uh oh, I have an idea.

Lets say ( just for discussion sake ) that I had all my band members do a summer band thing. All the woodwinds would play in the pit so that it's all multi key brass on the field. I could open it up to kids in other schools to march brass spots that in the fall would be woodwind spots.

Could said goup be able to compete in DCA South shows ? Or would it be exibition only ?

Would there be a future in having a " junior class" of DCA that say would be kids 18 and younger ?

I think a larger number of kids would be interested in marching "weekend warrior" style than doing the DCI thing.

How many band directors would like to get a jump on the fall "band" circut by starting in the summer ?

Yes, I know many bands DO compete in the summer in band circuts...............but what the heck.

I use all brass horns, not silver plated, is THAT an issue ?

I remember in the early 70's marching corps when there were some mixed band / corps shows with bands like the Dundee Scotts. They had seperate sheets and scores because they were bands with woodwinds etc. but it was a "mixed show".

Right now I could put a full brass " bell front" horn line on the field except for the sousaphones.

To compete would I have to use tubas shoulder mounted ? ( oh hell, I do have 2 old 3/4 size covertable tubas, I just remembered )

What a way to get more involvement. I'd have band camp in June, learn the show, attend DCA shows in either exibition or competition and be ready to take superiors in the first marching band festival of the fall.

As kids age out ( graduate) then they can go on to march either DCI if they are willing to give up their whole summer, or DCA so they can keep competing and keep a job.

For me, I teach at a private school and we just bought our first "charter bus" so travel for a small size group would be inexpensive and covered under the school insurance just as the truck and other vehicles would be. And what a recruiting tool for my band. I could also work it out that it's a credit as in summer school band.

Well, you guys wanted ideas......................

Talk to me

[I.R. Baritone]

Uh oh, I have an idea.

Lets say ( just for discussion sake ) that I had all my band members do a summer band thing. All the woodwinds would play in the pit so that it's all multi key brass on the field. I could open it up to kids in other schools to march brass spots that in the fall would be woodwind spots.

Could said goup be able to compete in DCA South shows ? Or would it be exibition only ?

Would there be a future in having a " junior class" of DCA that say would be kids 18 and younger ?

I think a larger number of kids would be interested in marching "weekend warrior" style than doing the DCI thing.

How many band directors would like to get a jump on the fall "band" circut by starting in the summer ?

Yes, I know many bands DO compete in the summer in band circuts...............but what the heck.

I use all brass horns, not silver plated, is THAT an issue ?

I remember in the early 70's marching corps when there were some mixed band / corps shows with bands like the Dundee Scotts. They had seperate sheets and scores because they were bands with woodwinds etc. but it was a "mixed show".

Right now I could put a full brass " bell front" horn line on the field except for the sousaphones.

To compete would I have to use tubas shoulder mounted ? ( oh hell, I do have 2 old 3/4 size covertable tubas, I just remembered )

What a way to get more involvement. I'd have band camp in June, learn the show, attend DCA shows in either exibition or competition and be ready to take superiors in the first marching band festival of the fall.

As kids age out ( graduate) then they can go on to march either DCI if they are willing to give up their whole summer, or DCA so they can keep competing and keep a job.

For me, I teach at a private school and we just bought our first "charter bus" so travel for a small size group would be inexpensive and covered under the school insurance just as the truck and other vehicles would be. And what a recruiting tool for my band. I could also work it out that it's a credit as in summer school band.

Well, you guys wanted ideas......................

Talk to me

Well, you're one of those band directors that are knowledgeable and sympathetic to drum corps. Not all band directors are.

In this area, they don't even know what drum corps is and tend to be a bit protective(read: territorial) of their students. The band director for Bluefield High School is the same person that directs the Intermediate (starts in 5th grade) and Middle school bands (my son is in the Intermediate band. I tried to get him to play drums, but alas, he's playing sax. Granted, it's MY old sax, but a woodwind none the same.). For someone that has that kind of control of the teaching of their students, I wouldn't blame him for not wanting any outside interference. Whether it be beneficial or not.

Don't get me wrong, Mike, I think you have the right idea and that it would most definitely be beneficial for them. I'm just saying that that would be the attitude you would be facing.

[The Other Mike]

Well, you're one of those band directors that are knowledgeable and sympathetic to drum corps. Not all band directors are.

In this area, they don't even know what drum corps is and tend to be a bit protective(read: territorial) of their students. The band director for Bluefield High School is the same person that directs the Intermediate (starts in 5th grade) and Middle school bands (my son is in the Intermediate band. I tried to get him to play drums, but alas, he's playing sax. Granted, it's MY old sax, but a woodwind none the same.). For someone that has that kind of control of the teaching of their students, I wouldn't blame him for not wanting any outside interference. Whether it be beneficial or not.

Don't get me wrong, Mike, I think you have the right idea and that it would most definitely be beneficial for them. I'm just saying that that would be the attitude you would be facing.

Well since I was involved in corps ( and saw both the best and worst sides of different corps ) I'm pretty flexable with kids marching. My biggest problem is that we start school before Labor Day and I can't excuse too many kids from the football game that Friday night.

Here's what I do for the elementary school kids.

I explain that if they want to play drums they only come once a week and take woodwinds 2 days a week their choice of clarinet or flute and I supply it ). I explain that in concert band in high school I need woodwinds and since only a few "drummers" from the marching band are needed they must be able to play something else. IF they want to just play drums, they play drums once a week and bells twice a week.

Besides, by the time my 4th graders are ready to start band, most of them can read and play eight note patterns and are pretty bored with the beginner drum book.

For the most part this works fine

And since the 2nd grade song flute class plays for chairs and can challenge once a month, the classes get pretty interesting. If someone gloats over beating someone for a higher chair they get busted back to last chair and have to work their way back up again. When I first started this a few years back I wasn't sure how it would work out. I thought kids would cry etc. but not only do they bust their butts to learn, they end up helping the kids that don't have a clue as to whats going on.

But, I digress..........

[5drumsweeps]

Thomas,

I really think you should take Michael W this year as well. Maybe he will grow up a little.

Just think of driving with him back and forth to Houston. ( I'm sure Dylan would kill you )

As we were unloading last night Dylan was SCREAMING at Michael " just take the F-ing drum upstairs and stop being such an a hole "

But seriously, Nathan needs to march at least one summer. If he's going to major in music he needs some exposure to things other than me, his private teacher and playing in the youth symphony. ( plus he really needs to get out of his house and away from the family )

As long as you are marching DCA, I feel comfortable sending any of the kids with you there. Then later if they want to march DCI, so be it.

Dylan has become an amazing kid for his age and sometimes I forget he's just a kid.

Last night at the game some yah who from SJH came running down through the dance line screaming and yelling after the interception. I got in his face and told him not to go through the kids again ( it was a pretty rough group from the other team sitting above the dance line) so the idiot starts to go back up between the dance team and the drummers. He's three rows up when I grabbed him by the back of his jacket and yanked his butt ba ck down ......as we are standing there toe to toe it dawns on me that I'm 52, fat, partially disabled.......and Thomas is not here to back me up........... :sos:

while I won ALOT of respect from the kids, I had to remind them that they are not just supposed to sit there and watch. It was a milestone that I explained to them that NOW, they are a family, they are playing well and like old drum corps, NOBODY crosses our ranks.............

By the way, I bought a 3rd set of 14 / 16 / 18 tim toms and I'm going to break the quads down to triples for the JR high kids to learn on.

I've got 10 snares at the lower school and every day a different group of 10 3rd graders come for 1/2 hour class. I also have some small triples coming in for the kids to "earrn the chance" to play them.

I need some basic exercises to work with these kids besides 8 on a hand and paradiddles and triplets.

As a brass guy I usually don't play much that has more than 8 notes to a measure

Someone help me here. all the rythem band stuff I had is so " 1st grade to them" now.

I'll take Michael, Dylan, and Nathan pending the approval of Michael's 'guardian'. Michael has tremendous potential from what I've gathered from teaching him private lessons he's just a bit to goofy but at least he has character and thats MUCH needed as a performer especially within Drum & Bugle Corps.. GCS in particular.

Dylan (and I've told him IN Rochester), was/IS an absolute honor to perform beside him this past season in DCA. I had tears in my eyes after we played our last note for our concert we did for Music City Legend in Rochester 'cause it was overwhelming not only because the '07 season was over, but because I was able to perform on the same level with someone I taught rudimentary percussion from scratch. He's a very intelligent and mature individual and like you said.. you do forget he's just a kid.. more so a young man. As for basic exercises for percussion Dylan has a lot of basic rudimentary exercises in his binder which he usually keeps at school. Anything from "8 on a hand","8-7-6", roll exercises for 16th and 8th notes, tap/accent exercises, etc.. and he has just a few exercises for concert percussion (though he might have ditched those from his binder considering he dislikes concert), he has a lot and he can explain the purpose of each exercise. Also I have a slew of basic exercises for beginners I can pass onto you. Also there is the book Modern School For Snare Drumming by Morris Goldenberg http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/store/smp_de...ts+Item-_-Title

This book is great for beginners with exercises in counting, establishing a good concert drum roll, and duets easy enough for even the most ill-rhythmic band director to play. I've taught Dylan, and Michael briefly out of that book, but its a book not to complicated for elementary music students as long as they can read and follow directions. Also the book defines a wide array of ethnic percussion providing pictures, brief history of the instrument, and detailed descriptions.. definitely a book worth having. I have a copy of it but Emma has had that book since summer 06. Hopefully she's learning out of it.

This past Friday after learning WE lost I contacted Dylan to get the gist of what could have/went down at the game when he told me a disrespectful fan from the opposing team was climbing through the ranks of the band and danceline and that you ended up yanking this individual from within. I burst into laughter then replied "#### I wish I were there" 'cause it would have most likely been me ripping him out of the stands before you realized what happened. Though that situation could have turned pretty ugly considering the time of days we're living in (that and after reading the ignorance on the prep f'ball forum from 'those' fans) things could have gotten REAL ignorant. Thank goodness no one was hurt. Less we learn from the Southern Univ. vs. Prairie View A&M game of the late 90's which resulted in an all out brawl between both bands because one band broke the other's ranks marching off the field after half time.

10 snares? 3rd graders on 10 snares? Must be some good pain medication they have you on to withstand all of that. I can't do that with my 3rd graders yet 'cause of discipline issues I'm working on with them, but my 2nd graders.. have already learned basic rhythm and have already moved on to tone.

Edited October 29, 2007 by 5drumsweeps

[5drumsweeps]

Thomas, man you got a lot of dedication that I didn't know about.I mean coming from New Orleans to Houston and then bringing a student of yours with you, man that is what you call dedication. Look forward to seeing you guys at banquet and at open house, I got big news for the corps so catch you later man.

See Josh, there is more to me than just the flowered shorts, funky GCS t-shirt, calf high blk socks, and Dinkles. GCS best dressed baby! ...as for your surprise.. hmmm... I can only imagine what you have in store.. love you bro.

Tool is better than Slipknot