JimF-LowBari Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Every summer at the Asbury Park 4th of July parade, I see the NY Lancers, a small drum and bugle corps many folks believe is extinct. In W. PA., my old corps continues as a local parade corps for youngsters. So non-aligned corps still exist. There are other performance venues out there and with some better ties, perhaps small local shows can be restarted. Know of some college age people who are doing the Alumni-type thing. They want to do something differently musically without a huge time investment and this type of DC fits them. Bunch of parades/standstills, couple of afternoon rehearsals and still time for classes and any other musical activity they may be involved in. Heh, not to mention playing with people old enough to be their parents or grandparents to make it really different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IntheMood Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 You may be right, but this is absolutely not the case today. The reason drum corps don't actively recruit non-band kids is because it's simply not at all worth the effort. Non-band kids are interested in other things. To them, drum corps IS band (yes, we know it is too, even if some claim otherwise). Drum corps are far better suited recruiting from the vast pool of band students. Are there exceptions? Sure, but they are very few and very far between. What I have been reading lately more and more schools are canceling their band programs. So the vast pool of band students is shrinking not growing. If you believe that the current model of recruiting almost exclusively from the band world is working in the OC Div.I respect your opinion. I happen to feel that change in that focus is needed. Become more inclusive instead of exclusive. Expose the Corps to the masses. The non-band kids. The country of Venezuela gives music instruments and provides some teaching to the kids who are the poorest of the poor. The results are amazing. Dean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Brace Posted December 24, 2009 Author Share Posted December 24, 2009 QFT. Kids are competitive and competition is what drum corps boils down to. Obviously the life lessons and experiences of a tour with corps are tremendous contributing factors, but most kids march drum corps because they want to compete and win. snipped If the goal is to win then that would explain the reduction in corps. Only one winner every year. All other corps are losers and no one wants to march for a loser. If this is the business plan than drum corps is doomed for failure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBSMYTH Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 If it is ALL about the competition for any given corps at any level, somebody needs to rethink their mission (AKA - their reason for existence). This is a math problem - there is only one first place finisher per year. There can only be 3 Top 3, 6 Top 6, 12 Top 12... All of the corps who do not acheive a given competitive placement will eventually go away if they are only about the competition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake13 Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 Hmm...thats why Capital Regiment had a very nicely sized corps after being inactive for two years.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 snippedIf the goal is to win then that would explain the reduction in corps. Only one winner every year. All other corps are losers and no one wants to march for a loser. If this is the business plan than drum corps is doomed for failure. Or if it's only worth their $$$$$ to march with a top corps/possible winner. Every now and then I ask why people don't march with a "lesser" corps and that answer always comes up a few times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake13 Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 I can see why people wouldn't want to march for a "bottom tier" corps because they probably know that they won't have a chance at performing at finals, being able to stand on the field for retreat (which to me, is almost better than the entire season since you are on one field with everyone you have competed with), and being a fan favorite. It's sad how many people think this, but only if they knew that they could gain so much marching a OC or even a "bottom tier" WC corps, many of them would. I know that many people in maybe Crown or Cadets really want to smash BD, but to corps isn't about winning (though it would be the ultimate payoff for your summer), it's about the experience, the family you make, the memories you would take home from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildabeast Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 While SCVC is doing limited touring, they will be performing at the DCI Southwestern Championships (San Antonio). One of the issues that Jeff Fiedler pointed out at the Team SCV meeting earlier this month was the performance factor (lack of). In scheduling the tours for this season (going Northwest, then Southwest), SCVC will have the opportunity to perform more frequently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wturner901 Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 (edited) snippedIf the goal is to win then that would explain the reduction in corps. Only one winner every year. All other corps are losers and no one wants to march for a loser. If this is the business plan than drum corps is doomed for failure. It depends on what you call winning. Some kids would call Making Finals a huge victory. It really just depends on the goals the corps has for it's season. BD and Crown obviously wanted to win. Troopers... they just wanted to improve and HOPEFULLY make finals. They did both. Kudos to them. Edited December 25, 2009 by wturner901 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 (edited) It depends on what you call winning.Some kids would call Making Finals a huge victory. It really just depends on the goals the corps has for it's season. BD and Crown obviously wanted to win. Troopers... they just wanted to improve and HOPEFULLY make finals. They did both. Kudos to them. Have been in a rebuilding corps that set realistic goals from putting a corps on the field to making top 6 in DCA. But if you can't find MEMBERS who are willing to not be in a top corps it doesn't matter what goals corps management sets. Point is many people think: Why should I try out for a corps just trying to make finals when I can go for a corps trying to WIN finals. And let's be honest, Troopers have a name recognition that gives them more help thru the lean years than other non-top corps would have. Edited December 25, 2009 by JimF-3rdBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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