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Looking for Start-Up help for a DCI corps in New York (Capital Region)


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Hello everyone!

My name is Hernan del Aguila. I grew up in Kingston, New York and just graduated from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland with a degree in International Relations. My drum corps experience includes being Drum Major for Capital Regiment (Columbus, OH) in 2006 and Backfield Conductor for Troopers (Casper, WY) in 2008. Right now, I'm living in Towson, Maryland and attending Towson University part-time.

While on tour in 2006, I joked about starting a drum corps. I thought it would just be an idea, a dream. This past summer, I found myself thinking more and more about this. I eventually bought a sketchbook and starting jotting down ideas. These ideas included the usual uniform design and name, but also included more intricate details, such as a plan to get to World-Class status and several business ventures to provide funding. I found myself talking to a couple of drum corps directors about my elaborate scheme and they seemed to like the idea. Why not have another drum corps in the activity?

I do not have a family right now, I can devote substantial time to this endeavor. And I will. I am 21 years old, fresh out of a great university and ready to take on the world. And I shall do just that, through the creation of a great drum corps in New York! Participating in drum corps is something that has truly changed how I look at not just music, but life. I want to create that feeling for others. For me, this won't be a "side project," this is what I'm focusing on. I'm determined and refuse to fail!

Now, I've reached a point where I need to rally support for my cause and recruit board members and general advisory help. I've drafted the Articles of Incorporation and have questions. Ideally, a lawyer and an accountant would be very useful to double-check the paperwork that I will be drafting. I don't mind doing the work, but multiple perspectives is a great tool for success. If you've tried to start a corps and it didn't work for any reason, please contact me. I want to know what the pitfalls where and why it didn't work. But truly, any help is immensely appreciated. Band directors, past corps directors, and even a local Joe, please help!

I look forward to talking with you about my endeavor and how you can help me turn it into a reality faster!

Thank you,

Hernan del Aguila

hernan.delaguila@gmail.com

Edited by dkproductions
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I commend your enthusiasm, but you need more than vim and vigor to launch a corps. I would suggest first thing you need is a list of 100 people willing to work equally hard as you in such an endeavor. Unless you have a great team of volunteers, supporters, etc, don't waste your time. Or anyone else's. And DCP might not be the right place to go shopping your wares, so to speak.

I have an MBA and am an experienced business professional, in addition to being a start-up hawk. And the first thing that stood out in your first post (welcome to the Planet, btw!) was your age. Being barely aged-out, you simply lack a lot of experience that people look for in ANY start-up.

Also, is your degree music or the arts? If so, don't bother. Also owning a music degree, I can attest that the two are radically different, you need the information a biz degree offers, and most of the reason that we have gone from 475 corps to 40 is because you literally have businesses (albeit, not-for-profit businesses) being run by musicians. Take a look at problems experienced with any of those corps that has gone away, and it will typically be due not to anything to do with on-the-field problems, but with financial and operational mismanagement at the top. No offense, but you don't even have the experience yet to know their mistakes.

Now, if that all sounds like a tongue-lashing, let me offer you some encouragement. What you are proposing is nothing new. I would guess that thousands of young folks, myself included in my day, have dreamed of the same thing as you. Want to start a corps? It won't be a World Class corps--DCI requires OC participation first anyways. So...

Get together a group of 20 young staffers who can teach the various captions. You can find these, I would imagine. There are at least the same number of folks who want to just teach a corps.

Get together with the band directors in your region and put together a partnership with as many of them as possible. Offer to have their students participate in a summer drum corps. Put together 60 maximum. Start small. World Class status is AT LEAST 4 years away. Start slow and small. You are 21. Shoot for a long-term plan, because short-term fails. See DCI history.

Put together this corps as a local thing only first two years. Two weeknight rehearsals with a Saturday rehearsal and local performance in the evening. Nothing is too small in terms of local performances. Friends and family is a success! And be positive with everybody. Staff, family...and especially members. Invite partner band directors to be staff members and/or to come and run part of a rehearsal--you need PARTNERS after all! I wouldn't even plan on marching first year. And uniforms should be t-shirts and khaki shorts. Don't even worry if the color of khaki matches. Give out member t-shirts so members have something to brag about. They are your best advertisements for year 2.

Charge $500 total for everything, payable in installments or by the week. Say, $200 up front and 6 weeks at $50 per week regardless of attendance. Don't be afraid of letting someone in three weeks into it. Another thing...staff better work cheap. And with evenings and Saturdays, a bunch of 20-somethings should be able to get off work to do this. Drum Corps doesn't pay much...get ready for that!

As for instruments, offer $2,000 to a local high school for the summer to rent theirs...I'll bet you can get everything you need. That's 4 members dues. Don't buy ANYTHING yet. Don't FINANCE anything yet. That will kill the deal faster than if you run off with all the money.

Hell, if you can get some of this started, I'll help you out. Don't waste my time. Get 20 of your fellow 20-somethings within 50 miles of home base and put together a list of every high school in that radius. Get contact info for all those band directors, and call all your old high school directors and band boosters, maybe your parents and a dozen others interested in putting something together and willing to help out for two years. 12-20 people, minimum. Look up any old drum corps that went under in your region and where you can contact their directors if they're still around. Look up any senior corps in the 50-mile area. Don't contact anyone at the bands or corps yet--just contact info.

If you can get this started, you're on your way. But you've got a lot to do still.

Also, look up Bill Cook's narrative on starting a drum corps. He says don't even try it. Just be prepared to be told "don't."

Then PM me if you're still going.

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I hate to burst your bubble, but there's already two corps in the Albany area. Granted, they are "all-age", but they will be competing with you for members. Both corps are established programs, and while the two operate with different missions, they are definitely sound organizations.

If I were you, before I got too far in debt trying to get things started, I do a market survey and find out if there is a demand for your program. Trust me, you will not draw members from outside the immediate area until the corps is established.

Something I've said for years, "Drum corps is a business, treat it like one."

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  • 3 months later...

Hello Hernan del Aguila.

I live in Baltimore,Md and I am very familiar with Towson State University,and i also share your passion for the Marching Arts.

your post mentions that you now currently live in Towson, MD.

Well Let me get straight to the point!!

I think you and I can help each other. :thumbup:

If you choose, check out some of the post i have posted here and you can see that i have begin to organize.

before I write more if you would like to start a discussion please respond. as I look forward to your response.

I am young myself, and with GOD'S blessings i have aquired and accomplished a lot to establishing a corps

silvertrombone is correct with many of his/her comments about experience and resources. But Please remember GOD is in control of all things!!!! :thumbup:

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