What have you done for the Activity

[Donny Drum Corps]

There are still plenty of opportunities to contribute to corps either in this area or on the road during the summer.

The alumni corps like St. Joes have a very relaxed schedule that anyone with an interest to still play and (march) LOL... could fit into their lives. We are always looking for membership to keep the corps alive. We still have many people travelling from your area that would carpool with you. I would love to see more members from the southern teir.

The area DCA corps would love to have volunteers for camps and weekends during the summer, I am sure. Contact Mike Linton (CRU) or David Bruni (ES) or the Amico's in Dansville.

I also stay involved with DCI in arranging and instrcting Pioneer from Wisconsin. In the summer months, cooking staff is always appreciated and needed. People to make airport rides and sew uniforms are on tour with the corps during the summer. I am sure there are other corps that would welcome volunteer staff for camps and summer tour, even if it was only for a week or two. I am sure that Roman would love to have you for a summer especially if you can drive a bus or truck!!!

Lastly, there are students looking for sponsorship help in order to fill a dream that we have already experienced...I realize that this is the part about opening the checkbook that you referred to, but that is a great way to help a young student looking to march for a season.

Donny

[dhawtho1]

It is a shame that more isnt done to foster the local scene. I can remember 20 years ago when there was a small town corps in every small community. These were mostly parade corps. Some of those corps who were stronger, moved to field corps. These field corps also kept a strong community parade presence in their areas which helped recruiting. It also provided great training for some who wished to eventually move into the big leagues.

That training ground is gone unless your school has a competative band program. My daughter is a wonderful trombone player who seems to show signs of interest in the drum corps experience, but has no training. Somehow I wish the days of local groups banging it out on the street would come back. More kids would get training and it might foster interest to move up the ranks.

It seems that everytime someone wants to start a corps, it is a field corps. The parades and community performances are mostly forgotten or take a back seat. I wonder if that was our downfall. When I was with the Eagles, a field corps that was started as a parade unit, did many local performances. We loved to bang heads with the Wampsville Grey Ghosts, the Canastota Saints, The Silver Bullets, Floyd Ridge Runners et al. These were drum corps withing a 5 mile radius of Verona NY. For us, that was just as much fun as competing against, Patriots, Firebirds,Ventures and a host of others.

I think if drum corps are to see a resurgence, the local scene is the way to go. Start having parade competitions.

[tradition]

I was hoping that this thread would start to generate some other folks getting involved. I know that there are alot of folks that post and read here that are not actively involved. I plan to do what I can to promote the activity and generally help the corps. I am sure there are other ways that we havent explored yet......

[BRASSO]

It has changed to the point that it is unrecognizable from the "activity" I/we took part in, and I agree Tom that it is the way of the world. I also agree that all of the benifits for current members are the same or similar to our experiences. In my 1st post I stated "I wish current members well and hope that they enjoy their hobby as much as I did mine." All I am saying is that "it sure aint drum corps!"

I 'll share a story I told on here a couple of years ago for some perspective on " Change ". It might bear telling once more :

I was at a Wedding Reception a few years back and met a fella there and we were chatting and he mentioned he was from Connecticut, and his hobby was " Drum Corps ". I immediately perked up when he said this, and I mentioned that I had been involved in " Drum Corps for years and years ". I asked him if he had heard of the Connecticut Hurricanes. He said Yes. He said he thought they were a good Corps but....." not my cup of tea ". I politely inquired as to why. He said to me " That's not pure Drum Corps ". I asked him what he meant. He said " Drum Corps was never meant to have Bugles. They're supposed to have Fifes, not Bugles ". He proceeded to tell me that he played " Snare Drum " in a " Drum Corps" and had for close to 20 years, and that he enjoyed " Drum Corps " but that it is not the same since " so many Drum Corps replaced the Fife with the Bugle ". He went on to tell me more about his Drum and Fife Corps from Connecticut and all the national and state competitions they've won over the years. He seemed rather friendly and non beligerant about it all, and I thought it prudent not to try and convince him that the Drum and Bugle Corps is better entertainment wise than his brand of " Drum Corps ". He was happy with his brand of " Drum Corps ". We then discussed what the " Drum Corps " experience has been, and we eventually found that despite the radical change in the instrumentation from the Fife to the Bugle ( can't get any more radical than that now can it ? ) we found that " Drum Corps " was a wonderful experience of camaraderie, competition, hard work, life long friendships, etc that FAR exceeded the changes in instrumentation that has taken place in " Drum Corps ". This guy wished all " Drum Corps " kept their fifes and their slow cadence drum beat and uniforms unchanged from 1776, etc. I was pleased to see the Fife replaced with the Bugle. Neither of us was about to " teach an old dog new tricks ". But I think I learned more from my conversation with him that day. I learned that " Drum Corps " did not begin when I picked up a bugle. But it did for me. And Drum Corps for this fella began when he picked up his " Snare Drum " to march " Drum Corps ". He found great joy in his " Drum Corps ", and still marches. I don't anymore. But his love for his style of " Drum Corps " , I'd never understand. And my love for the Drum and Bugle Corps, he can't fully understand I'm sure either. Our " Drum Corps " are different. Just as each new generations preference in " Drum Corps " is different as well. Who knows, maybe in 50 years, and we've experimented with all manner of instrumentation, " Drum Corps " will return to it's patriotic roots and we'll have the return of many " Drum Corps " with the purity of the good old fashioned " Drum and B.............Fife Corps " like we used to have. Should that happen, this fella I chatted with would no doubt be happy with a return of " Drum Corps " to" the good old days". For him" the good old days " are 1766- 1786. And for me 1966- 1986. And for this generation it's probably 1996- 2009. You see " Drum Corps " really began., for all of us,...... when we first put the uniform on, and stepped off to a cadence to play music and march with our friends in our brand of " Drum Corps".

Edited December 13, 2008 by BRASSO

[ripper]

BRASSO you are so right drum corps needed all the stuff in print at each of our particular time periods to make it happen but what each of us took away from the activity was DRUM CORPS

[ironlips]

What a great and instructive story. It made me think of Twyla Tharp's admonition to all artists to "earn your ancestors". This noteworthy choreographer, recent recipient of Kennedy Center Honors, spent thousands of hours studying the creative efforts of her predecessors, then evolved her unique style and revolutionized modern dance.

If we don't honor our own past, who will? And who will honor what we did, in the future?

Last night I was making a dub of the Auburn Purple Lancers, performing in 1974 at a show in Madison. This is a little Christmas present to my friend, Jerry Kelsey, who was their drum major and brass instructor. The corps was decades ahead of its time and that show (from a repertoire standpoint) would compare quite favorably in today's drum corps arena. But I'm fairly certain that most readers here have never heard it. That's a pity. It's your history, your ancestry, and you should be extremely proud of it.

There's a notable exception: Donny, who posted above, is quite familiar with that particular corps. He was their brilliant soloist. And the Purple Lancers were a "local" corps. We cool downstate cats used to refer to them as coming from "Nowhere, New York", that is, until they started whipping us good and proper.

What can you do for the activity? Pass it on however you can. Be proud of it, all of it, fifes included. It's a long continuous stream into which you stepped for a brief moment. Honor that moment by honoring all of it. Volunteer, start a cub scout corps, write a check, write your congressperson, buy a t-shirt, go to a show, organize a show...or just tell someone about drum corps. It all counts, and will insure the vitality of the activity into the future.

We owe it to our ancestors.

[Ray Priester]

What a great and instructive story. It made me think of Twyla Tharp's admonition to all artists to "earn your ancestors". This noteworthy choreographer, recent recipient of Kennedy Center Honors, spent thousands of hours studying the creative efforts of her predecessors, then evolved her unique style and revolutionized modern dance.

If we don't honor our own past, who will? And who will honor what we did, in the future?

Last night I was making a dub of the Auburn Purple Lancers, performing in 1974 at a show in Madison. This is a little Christmas present to my friend, Jerry Kelsey, who was their drum major and brass instructor. The corps was decades ahead of its time and that show (from a repertoire standpoint) would compare quite favorably in today's drum corps arena. But I'm fairly certain that most readers here have never heard it. That's a pity. It's your history, your ancestry, and you should be extremely proud of it.

There's a notable exception: Donny, who posted above, is quite familiar with that particular corps. He was their brilliant soloist. And the Purple Lancers were a "local" corps. We cool downstate cats used to refer to them as coming from "Nowhere, New York", that is, until they started whipping us good and proper.

What can you do for the activity? Pass it on however you can. Be proud of it, all of it, fifes included. It's a long continuous stream into which you stepped for a brief moment. Honor that moment by honoring all of it. Volunteer, start a cub scout corps, write a check, write your congressperson, buy a t-shirt, go to a show, organize a show...or just tell someone about drum corps. It all counts, and will insure the vitality of the activity into the future.

We owe it to our ancestors.

As one who was there with 'ironlips' back in the day when we literally got paid with pocket change, I concur. If we don't respect and remember those who poured the foundation, the whole structure collapses.

Hey Frank, whatever happened to Ada?? Is she still involved with corps at all?

Ray

[Shadow_7]

Unfortunately the best way I see to support corps is with the checkbook. Which isn't always writing a check. Donate your time and skills (souvie booth, equipment/member transportation, recording engineer, cheerleader, chef, water boy, .....). Donate old instruments collecting dust in your basement. Or just make them available for rent or purchase at or below costs. Hook them up with services they need, printing, mailing, signs, props, and other things. I doesn't always have to be cash, not even your cash. I generally partially sponsor a member in a corps. Sometimes two or more corps in a single year. You don't have to pay their entire way, just $100 can be the difference for someone to be on tour, or at home for the summer. Just knowing that they're not alone, is enough to help foster a positive community. And don't forget to say thank you on occasion. It really can be that simple.

[Fran Haring]

Unfortunately the best way I see to support corps is with the checkbook. Which isn't always writing a check. Donate your time and skills (souvie booth, equipment/member transportation, recording engineer, cheerleader, chef, water boy, .....). Donate old instruments collecting dust in your basement. Or just make them available for rent or purchase at or below costs. Hook them up with services they need, printing, mailing, signs, props, and other things. I doesn't always have to be cash, not even your cash. I generally partially sponsor a member in a corps. Sometimes two or more corps in a single year. You don't have to pay their entire way, just $100 can be the difference for someone to be on tour, or at home for the summer. Just knowing that they're not alone, is enough to help foster a positive community. And don't forget to say thank you on occasion. It really can be that simple.

Very good points.

Fran

[tradition]

Bump