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All time favorite "Drum Corps Moment".


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It's a toss up between having a very famous percussion instructor from a very famous DCI corps ask you, "what are you doing next year?" or... marching the exit piece my age-out year allowing myself for a moment to glance up at the very excited crowd and smile during the performance with tears in my eyes. (We were back field). This was NEVER done before.

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As an instructor..

My first year teaching the Blue Devils (1982) and at the Lynn Manning Bowl SHow (Boston my home town) two things happened. First, running up the stands to watch the performance, I run into the legendary Ed Denon who was judging that night and who taught me first in 1963 through 1971 and was a father figure, sees me, gives me a bear hug that only he could and says he heard I was teaching BD and was looking forward to the performance. And afer the performance I turned to him to seek approval (we were great that night) and he had tears in his eyes and said, "they're wonderful." This from a man who produced the brilliant Boston Crusader corps of the 1960s.

That same night in critique, talking to Frank Morris and opening with the question, "So Frank what do you think?" he replies John, I gave you a 15! What do you mean what do I think?" And I say, "yea but where can we improve, talk to me: and he says, "Listen, I don't believe in giving 15s. In fact, I tried for the last two minutes of the show to get you in to the 14s and I couldn't do it, your corps wouldn't let me. There were no ticks out there. I have never seen anything like it"

And I was back in Boston. Pretty good night for me.

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As an instructor......

Nothing special while you were a Drum Major?

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'83

Playing that last descending scale in Old Man River, putting that brass contra on the ground, taking a picture of it all and realizing that this season was finally OVER!

'84

Making finals at Whitewater and again at Atlanta.

'85

Taking 9th at DCI East in Allentown.

'86

Playing that final push in Great Gate of Kiev and watching the stands explode everytime! :blink:

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As an instructor..

My first year teaching the Blue Devils (1982) and at the Lynn Manning Bowl SHow (Boston my home town) two things happened. First, running up the stands to watch the performance, I run into the legendary Ed Denon who was judging that night and who taught me first in 1963 through 1971 and was a father figure, sees me, gives me a bear hug that only he could and says he heard I was teaching BD and was looking forward to the performance. And afer the performance I turned to him to seek approval (we were great that night) and he had tears in his eyes and said, "they're wonderful." This from a man who produced the brilliant Boston Crusader corps of the 1960s.

That same night in critique, talking to Frank Morris and opening with the question, "So Frank what do you think?" he replies John, I gave you a 15! What do you mean what do I think?" And I say, "yea but where can we improve, talk to me: and he says, "Listen, I don't believe in giving 15s. In fact, I tried for the last two minutes of the show to get you in to the 14s and I couldn't do it, your corps wouldn't let me. There were no ticks out there. I have never seen anything like it"

And I was back in Boston. Pretty good night for me.

This night would be the opposite for me. I stood on the front sideline for that performance with two other members. After Devs finished the opener, we turned to each other with jaws dropped and mouths open, knowing that we were NOT going to beat that show this year. I was blown away by that incredible hornline. Man what a sound. What a humbling feeling to know that all the work you put in for the last year will not be enough.

Kevin

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As an instructor..

My first year teaching the Blue Devils (1982) and at the Lynn Manning Bowl SHow (Boston my home town) two things happened. First, running up the stands to watch the performance, I run into the legendary Ed Denon who was judging that night and who taught me first in 1963 through 1971 and was a father figure, sees me, gives me a bear hug that only he could and says he heard I was teaching BD and was looking forward to the performance. And afer the performance I turned to him to seek approval (we were great that night) and he had tears in his eyes and said, "they're wonderful." This from a man who produced the brilliant Boston Crusader corps of the 1960s.

That same night in critique, talking to Frank Morris and opening with the question, "So Frank what do you think?" he replies John, I gave you a 15! What do you mean what do I think?" And I say, "yea but where can we improve, talk to me: and he says, "Listen, I don't believe in giving 15s. In fact, I tried for the last two minutes of the show to get you in to the 14s and I couldn't do it, your corps wouldn't let me. There were no ticks out there. I have never seen anything like it"

And I was back in Boston. Pretty good night for me.

Oh My God!!! John O Scott O Pedi Teret Osano!

John How are you? I haven't seen you since 1983! I hope you are doing well... PM me and we will catch up!

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1983, Denver: my first year in Nighthawks, and I had never even seen a drum corps show before marching. I saw SCV for the first time. I was riveted, awed, amazed and thoroughly in love by the end of that show.

1985: Taking the field for finals - hearing the crowd going ape-#### before we even got near the field.

1988: Having instructors from several top tier corps come up to the pit and tell the 4 of us that we were playing our ###es off out there and how impressed they were with the whole corps, even though we were small. It helped me realize what this whole activity is about, despite the bellyaching and the rivalries and the tensions (whether created or imagined).

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I was with my husband (who started this thread) when he met George Bonfiglio. A few days later, I had a nice conversation about the evolution of drum corps. Having marched back when DCI was very young and now becoming back involved with it again, it was a great conversation and an honor to chat with him!

My favorite marching moment was winning DCI my last 2 years marching!

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as a member:

86-well nothing much memorable about Regiment that year LOL except drinking the beer garden in Montreal dry with 27 on our free day :)

87-Tieing Cadets for the title at DCI Canada, Winning the US Open when it still meant something, finishing 3rd at prelims even though we bombed at finals

88-mediocre but fun year, loved the ensemble part of our closer

89-going undefeated most of the season, playing with the KC orchestra, our finals run. winning the final drilldown :) on the lighter side, our batman battle with Madison to see who could get the most batman crap on the field at retreat. ended when Spaz got a dead bat in a ziploc onto the field.

90-loved bacchanale

As an instructor

92 spirit- had fun, but nothing mkuch memorable

94 Nite Express - probably my most fun summer ever. what a great bunch of kids. finishing 2nd at Div II finals

95 Blue Knights - those #### DOTS!

96 Regiment - Being a part of Regiments first title

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