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What does one have to do to become a DCI judge


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Just curious, but how does one go about becoming a DCI judge? (Im only in HS so I know I can't, but I am curious as to how people that can and are able to go about it)

I think the typical path to becoming a DCI judge is:

1) march a drum corps, preferably a high achieving finalist corps

2) teach a drum corps, preferably a high achieving finalist corps

3) teach high school groups (not necessarily as a credentialed band director, though the Music Ed degree doesn't hurt)

4) while teaching high school, judge the local band circuit in your caption of choice. To accomplish this, you typically have to build a good reputation as a teacher and consistently produce high quality products. Connections will be made that will lead to circuit training, apprenticeship, and finally judging

5) once judging the local circuit judge a lot. Practice makes perfect, and you become a good judge with experience, keeping up on design trends, and constantly talking to colleagues and striving to improve

6) after years of local circuit judging, and building contacts, you will have hopefully made contacts with national circuit judges who can recommend you train/apprentice in a national circuit (USSBA, WGI, BOA, etc). This is when the process starts to get difficult. Not all circuits are the same, and what might be a high scoring show design in your local band circuit could yield a significantly lower score/placement against bands who compete nationally. Being very well versed in the different national circuits at all levels (for example, knowing what's considered high achieving BOA, what is considered BOA finalist quality, what is considered semi-final quality, etc) is a must. Many circuits, particularly the large national ones, require mandatory training and annual refresher seminars so judges can keep up with trends and constantly define and clarify rubric.

7) after some time judging in the larger national circuits (or large regional circuits that feature bands that are consistently at the top of the activity) you will have hopefully built a good reputation as a judge who knows how to judge to the sheets, recognize achievement, and not afraid to give credit where credit is deserved. At this time you may be recommended for DCI apprenticeship, where you repeat most of the above steps as they relate to DCI.

While I judge in my local circuits occasionally, I admittedly don't know exactly what is required to become a DCI judge. I don't know if you can apprentice for to be a judge ONLY if you're recommended by the right people (corps directors or other DCI judges), and I don't know the specific steps judges must take. But the above chronology is a good list of steps to follow if you're interested in becoming a judge someday.

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Start by making practice tapes. You can do this in the crowd or on the sideline on the field, depending on the venue. Get yourself a little recorder and some tapes or a digital recorder.

I seem to recall announcements before and during most shows that I attend that audio or video recording is not allowed, due to copyright issues. If you plan on doing this at live events, I would make sure I had permission IN WRITING from DCI authorizing you to be doing it. Secondly, if you are yakking into a tape recorder during shows and happen to be sitting near me, I will politely ask you to be quiet a couple of times, but after that don't be surprised if stadium security shows up to escort you out. I pay to hear the corps, not you. Perhaps a better way of doing this would be to find out where the corps are rehearsing, drop by and talk to corps staff about what you are trying to do. They would most likely not have problems with you being on the sideline during run throughs and doing your recording thing...the only problem is you obviously wouldn't be able to get a whole lot of corps in that way. The staffs may be able to give you a good indication of how they are performing for the judges-based on the feedback they have been getting from the judges throughout the season. That in turn may provide some insight to you on what the judges are looking for and reacting to.

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I seem to recall announcements before and during most shows that I attend that audio or video recording is not allowed, due to copyright issues. If you plan on doing this at live events, I would make sure I had permission IN WRITING from DCI authorizing you to be doing it. Secondly, if you are yakking into a tape recorder during shows and happen to be sitting near me, I will politely ask you to be quiet a couple of times, but after that don't be surprised if stadium security shows up to escort you out. I pay to hear the corps, not you. Perhaps a better way of doing this would be to find out where the corps are rehearsing, drop by and talk to corps staff about what you are trying to do. They would most likely not have problems with you being on the sideline during run throughs and doing your recording thing...the only problem is you obviously wouldn't be able to get a whole lot of corps in that way. The staffs may be able to give you a good indication of how they are performing for the judges-based on the feedback they have been getting from the judges throughout the season. That in turn may provide some insight to you on what the judges are looking for and reacting to.

Sorry to disagree, but this was the protocol that I was informed of. Obviously, you are correct, that making practice tapes in the stands would not sit well with other audience members. That is why getting permission to be on the field would be best, but if you aren't able to, sitting in the stands is best. Sorry if I missed that and yes, I do understand copyright issues. If you had noticed, I stated to the young man that early local shows during the season would be best for this.

I will discuss this with a friend of mine who judges DCI percussion and make sure that I am giving the correct information. I will be glad to update any errors that I made.

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Join the Blue Devils fan club? Sorry, I no that was in poor taste. On a serious note, I did attend a show in the past few years and had a bit of a surprise. I ran into an old friend of mine before the show started and we talked for a little to catch up. Well this old friend of mine was a visual judge that was judging that evening. He asked me if I had seen the Blue Devils yet and I had not. He proceeded to talk about them and go into detail about how unbelievably good they were. Now I realize that judges are only human and they have likes and dislikes. I was a little surprised that a judge would openly raive about a certain corps that he was about to attempt to objectively evaluate.

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Thankyou, that was a ton of info that is much appreciated. Sounds like I could start making a few tapes on any free saturday night; once i'm in college and get a little more educated on Drill and Music of course.

Well, you may get 1 class on drill in college. It may be marching band techniques or something like that, and 10-15 weeks is not really enough time to be an expert on marching... It will depend on the college you go to of course.

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Join the Blue Devils fan club? Sorry, I no that was in poor taste. On a serious note, I did attend a show in the past few years and had a bit of a surprise. I ran into an old friend of mine before the show started and we talked for a little to catch up. Well this old friend of mine was a visual judge that was judging that evening. He asked me if I had seen the Blue Devils yet and I had not. He proceeded to talk about them and go into detail about how unbelievably good they were. Now I realize that judges are only human and they have likes and dislikes. I was a little surprised that a judge would openly raive about a certain corps that he was about to attempt to objectively evaluate.

judges are fans too. it's not like they said "oh i'll pop them high box 5 tonight before they do a thing"

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Well, you may get 1 class on drill in college. It may be marching band techniques or something like that, and 10-15 weeks is not really enough time to be an expert on marching... It will depend on the college you go to of course.

Truth, I get one class (I think it's a semester) at the college I plan on going to, and it mainly is to teach you basic formations and how to use pyware. Although, call me a bit geeky, but I have a dry erase board with a football field on it, and I have some hand drawn formations I came up with. Most of em suck, but a few are actually kinda cool.

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Truth, I get one class (I think it's a semester) at the college I plan on going to, and it mainly is to teach you basic formations and how to use pyware. Although, call me a bit geeky, but I have a dry erase board with a football field on it, and I have some hand drawn formations I came up with. Most of em suck, but a few are actually kinda cool.

some are kinda like variations on other drill moves that other drill designers come up with, but hey, ya gotta learn somewhere and somehow. My band Director wrote for the Troopers in the early 90's if I remember right.

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