Aungst @ Blue Stars

[Michael Boo]

Ummm, just checking, but did you just refer to Tom Aungst as "the flavour of the week"?

Tom started marching with Buccaneers in 1979 before being a snare drummer with Garfield Cadets. He became snare tech for the corps in 1985 and took over programming four years later.

I agree with you that he isn't "the flavor of the week."

He's more like the flavor of the past 25 years.

[craiga]

I agree with you, but having been around the activity since 1977, I don't recall ever seeing so many high profile staff moving in one season, and for DIRECTORS to switch corps in the past few years would have been unheard of 10+ years ago.

Jim Jones switching to the Bridgemen? Gail Royer switching to the Blue Devils?

doubtful.....

Again, NOT referring to TA personally........but the activity in general.

Edited September 6, 2008 by craiga

[dstoleson]

I agree with you, but having been around the activity since 1977, I don't recall ever seeing so many high profile staff moving in one season, and for DIRECTORS to switch corps in the past few years would have been unheard of 10+ years ago.

Jim Jones switching to the Bridgemen? Gail Royer switching to the Blue Devils?

doubtful.....

Again, NOT referring to TA personally........but the activity in general.

Bobby Hoffman switching from the Kingsmen to the Blue Stars, from the Blue Stars to the Bridgemen. Yeah, something like that would have been crazy.

[Michael Boo]

I agree with you, but having been around the activity since 1977, I don't recall ever seeing so many high profile staff moving in one season, and for DIRECTORS to switch corps in the past few years would have been unheard of 10+ years ago.

Jim Jones switching to the Bridgemen? Gail Royer switching to the Blue Devils?

doubtful.....

Again, NOT referring to TA personally........but the activity in general.

I honestly don't remember if we had a year of so many high profile switches in the past. We might have, but it wasn't discussed as this year's events have been because we didn't have the luxury of a DCP (or even an Internet) to get out the word so quickly.

As for what I think might be a reference to Jeff Fiedler leaving The Cavaliers and going to the Santa Clara Vanguard organization, being in the Cavaliers Anniversary Corps (and having a camp the weekend Jeff's move was announced), monitoring the Cavaliers alumni sites and talking with many of my fellow alums in person, I can safely state that everyone with The Cavaliers was excited about his move and wished him and SCV that best of luck. We all were aware of how burned out he had gotten and no one wanted him to be lost to drum corps. Jeff was uniformly loved throughout the Cavaliers organization and membership and seeing him pop up on the west coast was vastly preferable to seeing him nowhere.

Forgive me if that wasn't what you were referencing.

[kerickson]

I honestly don't remember if we had a year of so many high profile switches in the past.

With regard to percussion, we haven't seen two high profile coordinators depart (Mac & Tom) at the top of their game since the post-1990 season departures of Ralph and the Floats from SCV and BD, respectively. Given the quicker turnaround of today's drum corps staffers, exceptions such as Tom Aungst and Scott Johnson are indeed rare (not to mention cats like Wayne Downey and Jay Murphy in their respective captions).

[BozzlyB]

Back on topic, I wonder how the new percussion star at Blue Stars will affect the kids currently in their line. Will Aungst's addition result in current BS kids losing spots to more experienced Cadets drummers who are "brand loyal" to Tom? That would be most unfortunate, imo.

No one is guaranteed a spot. Ever. Returning members know this and is part of the motivation to practice their ###es off in the off season. Should a new potential member with superior ability be able to take a spot away from a vet? Opinions vary. Loyalty should be rewarded, but you can’t ignore the goal of fielding the most talented corps possible either.

[steelpl8s]

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Edited September 6, 2008 by steelpl8s

[OMH]

What's important to note is that Tom Aungst will be a consultant.

I think this means he will be writing some parts (probably the solo) and MAYBE attending a camp or two to consult.

I see this as the same role Colin McNutt had last year.

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if McNutt asked Aungst to do this, since McNutt is essentially doing Aungst's job at the Cadets and would not be able to consult with Blue Stars this year.

This all fits the original Aungst statement about his wanting the spend more time with the family, etc...

Conspiracy theorists will be disappointed, I fear.

However, cattle mutilations ARE up.

[TerriTroop]

how often do consultants come around?

I'm betting it depends on the corps and the contract.

[contrajedi8]

So is this just a move to say "We have Tom Aungst on our staff and you should give us more points because of that" or what? I'm just wondering if it will have the kind of effect that the Blue Stars are hoping for. Bring on a huge name in the percussion world and be able to drop his name in critique. Lord knows it's been done before. Once again, buying competitive success. Understand, I have no mailce toward the BlueStars. They are one of drum corps great success stories lately. But this move just makes me wonder.

BTW, I doubt anyone would give up thier spot at the Cadets to make a move to the Blue Stars. I wouldn't.