StarContra4-85 Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Son, the choice is yours, it's either 16 hours/day on a field and having the time of your life performing in front of thousands of cheering fans or 8 hrs/day flipping burgers in addition to mowing the lawn, paying rent and taking out the trash. Seriously though, if anyone is even close to being on the fence, go watch the Colts practice and take time to meet their staff. It truly is a family-based organization. If I had kids and they were considering marching, Dubuque would be one of the first places that I'd drive them to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrinkingclarinet1991 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Oh, the Colts is a corps I want to audition for next season. Too bad I don't play tuba or trumpet and therefore would be of no help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dciguy01 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 (edited) Oh, the Colts is a corps I want to audition for next season. Too bad I don't play tuba or trumpet and therefore would be of no help. Never say never. I was a trombone player throughout high school and college, but converted to baritone for corps. In 2004, we had a need for strong contra/tuba players and I volunteered to switch over. I discovered that all brass instruments have the exact same principles. Sure some have bigger mouth pieces than others and you may have to adjust your embochure, but it really isn't that difficult to do. I would say I was better than the vast majority of the section purely because of my brass experience; nothing to do with my lack of direct instrument experience. As you can tell by my signature, I ended up playing baritone that year (back problem), but I was fully capable of playing that thing. If you want it bad enough, I say go for it. Trust me, this is something you do not want to pass up for even one year. Edited June 13, 2008 by dciguy01 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrinkingclarinet1991 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Never say never. I was a trombone player throughout high school and college, but converted to baritone for corps. In 2004, we had a need for strong contra/tuba players and I volunteered to switch over. I discovered that all brass instruments have the exact same principles. Sure some have bigger mouth pieces than others and you may have to adjust your embochure, but it really isn't that difficult to do. I would say I was better than the vast majority of the section purely because of my brass experience; nothing to do with my lack of direct instrument experience. As you can tell by my signature, I ended up playing baritone that year (back problem), but I was fully capable of playing that thing.If you want it bad enough, I say go for it. Trust me, this is something you do not want to pass up for even one year. Thanks for the advice, but I'm not a true brass player anyhow, and I still haven't made the complete switch from WW to brass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrillmanSop06 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 If you're looking to march, the Colts is a class act. From day one. The difference between auditioning for the first time there and at other places is what made me forget all about wanting to be in that "dream corps" and made me realize that EVERY drum corps, regardless of their petty placement, is a home to many, a family to all, and not something to pass up if given the opportunity. I almost went home after I missed the cut at another corps. Going to Iowa was the best choice I've ever made in my entire life. If you want to march, if you want to be a part of it, if you want to be a ____ but can't, if you want to be a Colt; go for it. Marching with this corps is something that you won't ever regret. In fact, you might just find that your home was there all along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColtsMelloDad Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 My son is in his 3rd season with the Colts. He was a clarinet player that started learning mello at the beginning of his senior year in high school. (he took some lessons from one of the brass guys on the HS MB staff, and practiced his butt off.) At his 1st Colts audition in Dec of that year his prepared audition piece was on the clarinet (Colts allows you to do this). When he walked into the audition room they asked him, "What's that?" "Contraband," he replied. His musicianship and mello playing were good enough to get asked back the next month. They were very pleased with the mello progress and he was (and still is) in. As others have said, Colts really is a family. It's a great organization. I think that when my son started this experience he was thinking that after marching Colts for a year or two he might try to get into Phantom or Cavaliers, but he decided that his was his drum corps home. They took a chance on a clarinet player that wanted to work, and he wants to repay that with his loyalty. I'll never forget the day his first contract came in the mail. I was a work and a photo was sent to my cell phone. It was a picture of the contract. I'm rambling, but I just wanted to echo the good words about the Colts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no_itsnotadash Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 If you need a euph or bari, PM. I'd be ready to go at any point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeventyTimes7 Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Go Colts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumaw Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Son, the choice is yours, it's either 16 hours/day on a field and having the time of your life performing in front of thousands of cheering fans or 8 hrs/day flipping burgers in addition to mowing the lawn, paying rent and taking out the trash.Seriously though, if anyone is even close to being on the fence, go watch the Colts practice and take time to meet their staff. It truly is a family-based organization. If I had kids and they were considering marching, Dubuque would be one of the first places that I'd drive them to. They are so awesome. I honestly believe that they are the friendliest corps around. There si just something different about them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumaw Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 My son is in his 3rd season with the Colts. He was a clarinet player that started learning mello at the beginning of his senior year in high school. (he took some lessons from one of the brass guys on the HS MB staff, and practiced his butt off.) At his 1st Colts audition in Dec of that year his prepared audition piece was on the clarinet (Colts allows you to do this). When he walked into the audition room they asked him, "What's that?" "Contraband," he replied. His musicianship and mello playing were good enough to get asked back the next month. They were very pleased with the mello progress and he was (and still is) in. As others have said, Colts really is a family. It's a great organization. I think that when my son started this experience he was thinking that after marching Colts for a year or two he might try to get into Phantom or Cavaliers, but he decided that his was his drum corps home. They took a chance on a clarinet player that wanted to work, and he wants to repay that with his loyalty. I'll never forget the day his first contract came in the mail. I was a work and a photo was sent to my cell phone. It was a picture of the contract. I'm rambling, but I just wanted to echo the good words about the Colts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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