HockeyDad Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 The "Corps" itself, or the members of the corps? As a member, what I got out of it was: fun, hard work, making friends, being part of a group that was better as a whole than I could ever be alone, learning how to suffer fools, how to make the best of bad situations and of good ones..... I guess I learned lots of stuff. Everyone takes away something different. I'm not sure it's more than that, in the overall scheme of things. Does a drum corps have a bigger meaning to or function in a community? Or to a marching member - i.e. to "educate" you? I think that comes with it, but it's not the primary function. I don't see drum corps doing things in the community too much anymore. You're pretty busy with "practice....and more practice..." Seems to me then that the primary function is to make great music, and be competitive, and not go bankrupt in the process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ducttapedgerbil Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 I think the there is too much focus on "education" in Drum Corps nowadays. It was never discussed then I marched Jr. Corps yet I learned a lot in a short period of time and I am sure a lot of people would agree with that. A lot of what you learn in Drum Corps is based on the experience and not something you can present on a syllabus...it's based on learning to work in a group of 128 individuals with a common goal in a stressful environment. There are not many experiences in life that compare.... If you keep reminding me that I am being "educated" it doesn't mean that I am.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bedford Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 1. Education; a) music/performance b) life skills c)..... 2. Other Self Serving Interests (varied and numerous) 3. Community Service (when it was applicable) . . . . 4. Competition...... As a marching member, I liked the competition but it was dead last on the list of motivations. As a staff member, I had a love/hate with the the competitive aspects probably because it seemed to move up the priority list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 If you keep reminding me that I am being "educated" it doesn't mean that I am.... True -- but by the same token, just becuase we don't tell you that you're being educated, doesn't mean that you're not .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 I'm curious where folks come down on this issue. In the grand scheme of things, should the top priority be to provide a quality educational experience, or to win at all costs. Yes. ~though what constitutes "winning" is probably different for most corps~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legalhack Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 (edited) I think the there is too much focus on "education" in Drum Corps nowadays. It was never discussed then I marched Jr. Corps yet I learned a lot in a short period of time and I am sure a lot of people would agree with that. A lot of what you learn in Drum Corps is based on the experience and not something you can present on a syllabus...it's based on learning to work in a group of 128 individuals with a common goal in a stressful environment. There are not many experiences in life that compare....If you keep reminding me that I am being "educated" it doesn't mean that I am.... Maybe the stress on education stems from a perceived need to sell the activity to "helicopter parents," potential benefators (who are not members of the marching music-industrial complex) and the like. In the past, the parish priest could present drum corps as an alternative to idle time and perdition. Nowadays, the corps are trying to attract well-trained kids who can (or the parents of whom can) pay steep tour fees. These kids tend to have alternatives and corps may be hesitant to take the USMC approach of marketing the activity as a crucible that turns kids (and young adults) into better, tougher people who make life-long friends as the result of shared hardships. Edited May 12, 2008 by Legalhack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legalhack Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 I'm curious where folks come down on this issue. In the grand scheme of things, should the top priority be to provide a quality educational experience, or to win at all costs. Asking whether a corps's top priority "should" be "to win at all costs." Seems like a straw man since, even though you are asking for opinions, I doubt anyone is going to claim that a corps "should" try to win "at all costs" (i.e., try to win even if it requires fielding over-age members, spiking another corps gatorade, bribing judges and the like). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad_scotty Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Only a Sith speaks in absolutes. you solve kotor games in under the prescribed 24 hours, don't you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ducttapedgerbil Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Maybe the stress on education stems from a perceived need to sell the activity to "helicopter parents," potential benefators (who are not members of the marching music-industrial complex) and the like. In the past, the parish priest could present drum corps as an alternative to idle time and perdition. Nowadays, the corps are trying to attract well-trained kids who can (or the parents of whom can) pay steep tour fees. These kids tend to have alternatives and corps may be hesitant to take the USMC approach of marketing the activity as a crucible that turns kids (and young adults) into better, tougher people who make life-long friends as the result of shared hardships. Yes, but that USMC approach and its product is what so many of us miss from Drum Corps. DCI needs to seriously look into reducing budgets and costs for members if it is going to survive much longer....it saddens me to think that it is only an activity for rich kids anymore :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cainan Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Now see, I have always found this an interesting dilema. In my day, it was competition without a doubt. The players were already pretty good. Nowadays it seems that with the decline in numbers of corps out there the competition for the few remaining places is way more intense then back in the 80's and early 90's. That combined with the types of kids corps get today (perhaps better educated, more in shape and certainly more financially priveledged) they (the members) demand something more in return for their time and financial commitments. Back when I marched, probably 90% of our staff were alumni of our corps. Were they the best technical instructors out there? Probably not but they had passion and a sense of history. We connected with our staff with intense bonds. I think todays kids however (and this is not a dig) are only interested in being "taught" by the very best that money can buy. The reason I put taught in quotes though, is that with the level of musicianship that todays dci kids bring to the table, how much CAN they really BE taught? Flame on.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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