Marching for free

[year1buick]

.... the education provided by a good drum corps experience has in my life proven to be FAR MORE useful than BOTH of the degrees hanging on my wall, one of which is a doctorate. i think the best corps directors would realize this....

I have no doubt in my mind that my years spent in drum corps have given me experiences that will be invaluable as I move through D-school. I occasionally hear people complain about how picky and tough the professors are in what they expect of us. "Do it over" (or "fix this, this, this and..") is something you'll hear often after working for hours on a single project. Been there, done that...("One more time.") Too often in life, not much is expected of people--adequacy is all that is needed, and so we put forth a mediocre effort and still get a pat on the back. (We've all been there, myself included.) But it's cool to see what happens when the opposite is true, and we are pushed and pushed and pushed beyond our normal limits. That's what drum corps can give you and I'd put it up against 6 hours of summer college credit anytime.

However, I'm by no means saying people should march at all costs-- there's a time and a place for everything and it may not always be feasible (I certainly won't be dropping out of school to go march DCA this summer!) or fit in with what we've chosen as our top priorities. As others have said, that's part of life and being a grown-up. But people shouldn't be too quick to beat themselves up over sacrificing here or there--particularly while young-- to march a season if possible. It's worth it.

[Shadow_7]

I occasionally hear people complain about how picky and tough the professors are in what they expect of us.

It was kind of odd going through basic training in the Army after five years of Jr. Corps. All of the young pups were like this is the most absolute hardest thing I've ever done, and it's brought us all so close together. I'm like, it's just another day at the office, but at least I'm getting paid for this one. Not to say that it was easy by any means, but I've done harder on occasion. The hardest part was not putting on enough weight (while doing it) to exceed the body fat standard. And surviving on even more sleep deprivation. At least the bus seat was a little more comfortable, even if the heat didn't work.

Taking a semester off is no big deal if you never really finish college to start with. But if you're on that schedule / path taking a semester off, especially at a smaller university, can cost you four more years (until class X rolls around again). I wouldn't advise it given any other options.

[dbc03]

Taking a semester off is no big deal if you never really finish college to start with. But if you're on that schedule / path taking a semester off, especially at a smaller university, can cost you four more years (until class X rolls around again). I wouldn't advise it given any other options.

Wait, wouldn't more or less the same classes be held every year considering schools accept new students every year?

The people that start school your senior year aren't going to be taking senior level classes.

I find it hard to believe that taking one semester off (or not passing one class) is going to cost someone 4 more years

[TerriTroop]

Wait, wouldn't more or less the same classes be held every year considering schools accept new students every year?

The people that start school your senior year aren't going to be taking senior level classes.

I find it hard to believe that taking one semester off (or not passing one class) is going to cost someone 4 more years

It won't cost someone 4 more years, likely, but it can throw you off some, usually a year. It depends on the college, degree area, staffing, etc. (I was an undergrad advisor at the Univ. of Houston School of Music for a couple of years and had to help music majors and minors navigate through some of this kind of stuff.)

[shostahoosier]

I hate to sound like a jerk...but I have little sympathy for people who pay insane airfare to be a part of corps.

Not supporting local corps is probably one of the reasons why we're in this mess of insane corps fees, shorter lineups and fewer shows.

I know I make it sound too easy but except for a few cases, you can get the drum corps experience with about any corps.

Drum corps has gone from being insanely cheap...to just about what it should cost...to near impossible for a lot of students/families to afford.

$3,000 for a summer is almost a semester of college tuition at a major state school. Are there no ways that prices can go down?

[dbc03]

I hate to sound like a jerk...but I have little sympathy for people who pay insane airfare to be a part of corps.

Not supporting local corps is probably one of the reasons why we're in this mess of insane corps fees, shorter lineups and fewer shows.

I know I make it sound too easy but except for a few cases, you can get the drum corps experience with about any corps.

Not all drum corps or drum corps experiences are created equally. The fact of the matter is that some people can not get what they are looking for at a local drum corps.

[shostahoosier]

Not all drum corps or drum corps experiences are created equally. The fact of the matter is that some people can not get what they are looking for at a local drum corps.

That is a totally fair assessment.

I guess if you're putting in the hard work you should be able to choose where do it.

I just wish people considered more options.

[mobrien]

$3,000 for a summer is almost a semester of college tuition at a major state school.

A week at a decent quality, nothing extraordinary summer camp for kids will run the parents between $400 and $600 (and I know, because I've got two kids, and they both spend a week at camp each summer).

Broken down by the week, tuition and tour fees at most touring corps will range closer to $150-250 per week, and for that, the kids will be even more engaged, will eat better, and will probably come back home in better mental and physical shape than they would at any other camp, save for Camp Lejeune

In terms of some kids being offered discounted or free tuition, that's what corps have scholarship programs for. If there's a kid who might not be able to afford the tuition but who is not only an excellent performer, but the type who had the type of personality that inspired others around them to make their own games better, why wouldn't you want to get that kid a spot if you could?

Edited January 27, 2009 by mobrien

[dbc03]

That is a totally fair assessment.

I guess if you're putting in the hard work you should be able to choose where do it.

I just wish people considered more options.

In my opinion the local corps model has been largely replaced by high school marching band, which is one of the reasons there are less and less "local" corps. When I began looking for a place to march I didn't really consider doing a "local corps" because I felt that it wouldn't be that much different from just doing high school marching band (at least in terms of performance, obviously the culture would still be different).

Whether or not this was a correct assumption on my part is irrelevant, because I think that it is the same assumption that many people who don't consider doing local corps make, and since they don't know any different they will base where they audition on those assumptions.

[OMH]

I am going on my fifth year as the "funding arm" of my child's drum corps experience.

I have always paid full fare, and even kick in for gas funds occasionally.

I volunteer my time at camps and on tour.

I do what I think every parent should be doing.

I have seem many a member get a free ride, and it makes me very very angry.

Several of the corps that have since gone under are known to have had a high rate of "scholarship".

No names from me, but if you know them, you know them.

In almost all cases I know of, the members were extremely obnoxious and full-of-themselves.

But they had more talent than the rest of the group, so this was overlooked.

And most of them (and the corps) kept their little "agreement" on the down-low.

If it was a true scholarship, why be so quiet about it? Celebrate with the rest!

So we are not talking about the kid with the unfortunate upbringing, rising above his situation.

Most people I know would gladly support that.

We're talking about the smart### punk who uses his talent as a bargaining chip.

And what is this kid learning?

Have we degenerated into caring more about the result than about the experience?

Isn't the journey more important than the destination?