Drum Majors

[scouttimp]

At first thought I wanted to say promote from within the corps but Madison's drum major came from the Blue Devils and apparently did a great job.

I agree- I would have never thought that the outside approach would work for Madison, but watching John Lee, seeing him in rehearsal, talking to the members, and meeting him face to face...he was certainly the drum major of the 2010 Madison Scouts.

[va9590jm]

I think that it can be a mix of both. Depends on the level of the corps. If the corps is older and has a number of more experienced and mature members, a rookie is fine because a majority of the membership understands how to do drum corps already. However, with corps with younger average ages and a large percentage of rookies, especially true drum corps rookies, I feel that the drum major should be a veteran, someone who already understands how to "do drum corps" and is able to lead by example more effectively, and will command more respect from some of the younger rookies who might be a little less mature than the older ones you might find elsewhere.

[ContraRich77]

At first thought I wanted to say promote from within the corps but Madison's drum major came from the Blue Devils and apparently did a great job.

Certainly there is a difference between rookie to a certain corps, and being a rookie to drum corps overall. That, and some people just have a natural ability to lead.

(Still prefer a veteran DM though...)

[mellodramatic]

I voted for a veteran, but it depends on what the corps main role of the drum major is. Some places have them for their leadership and the respect everyone else in the corps has for them, which would be a seasoned veteran. Other places have auditions, and while leadership would certainly be a factor in the audition process, they have more a fancy conductor role.

[MetalTones2012]

Here's an interesting idea: How would this argument apply to a corps in its first year on the field? All of them are rookies to that particular organization, but what if some of them already have some drum corps experience? Would the ones who have marched elsewhere be better choices than the ones who have never marched drum corps before, even if none of them have ever marched in this particular corps?

Also in regards to the original topic, I marched under a drum major who was both a rookie and VERY young. During his first year he was just okay, but by the second year he had the respect of the entire organization and almost won the Drum Major award at finals. Having said that, I think you have a better chance of choosing the best drum major from within the organization but you can never rule anybody out.

Edited September 7, 2010 by MetalTones2012

[ouooga]

The best person should get the job. If the drum major is just a conductor at the corps, then it really doesn't matter who does it as long as they can conduct.

If the drum major is defined as a leader in the corps (and there are corps where the drum major is not the leader), then see how well they can lead. If a new person who's never toured before can get the corps to follow him, and he listens to the staff and is respectful, I say go for it! However on that note, if it ever came down to two identical candidates, except one was a vet, I'd go with the vet. I imagine the vet would have a better chance of getting to that leadership level than a newbie, but there are definitely people out there who could hit the ground running as a drum major/leader and be fine.

[CrownStarr]

The best person should get the job. If the drum major is just a conductor at the corps, then it really doesn't matter who does it as long as they can conduct.

If the drum major is defined as a leader in the corps (and there are corps where the drum major is not the leader), then see how well they can lead. If a new person who's never toured before can get the corps to follow him, and he listens to the staff and is respectful, I say go for it! However on that note, if it ever came down to two identical candidates, except one was a vet, I'd go with the vet. I imagine the vet would have a better chance of getting to that leadership level than a newbie, but there are definitely people out there who could hit the ground running as a drum major/leader and be fine.

The one question I have about that approach is how do you actually test the leadership abilities of a potential rookie (to the corps or to marching) drum major? It seems to me like the only really good way to test it would be to actually appoint them drum major and see how they handle the season! I can't imagine having multiple people "auditioning" for their ability to tell us where to go, where the buses are, etc.

[ouooga]

The one question I have about that approach is how do you actually test the leadership abilities of a potential rookie (to the corps or to marching) drum major? It seems to me like the only really good way to test it would be to actually appoint them drum major and see how they handle the season! I can't imagine having multiple people "auditioning" for their ability to tell us where to go, where the buses are, etc.

You don't necessarily have to have drum majors picked out by the first camp, so why not have each candidate run an entire portion of the rehearsal? You'll be able to see their conducting ability, their leadership ability depending how they run the rehearsal, and above all how they take criticism while in a leadership role depending how well they adjust.

[smarttguy35]

Wow, I would say some of you truly have missed the mark. I was a rookie and the Principal DM/Conductor (title changed year to year) of the Blue Stars, back in 2008 and returned in 2009. 2008 was the year the corps went from 14th to 8th place. I was a not only a Rookie to the corps but a rookie to the activity as well. I had just auditioned at Phantom and had got cut in the final round and was asked to come audition at Blue Stars, that was about the extent of my "experience".

As an organization, when the members see ANYONE that can come in on their level, work with them, care and respond to them, works well with the staff and admin team, and really has the experience outside of the corps to be a valuable asset to the organization, it absolutely DOES NOT matter whether or not that DM has or has not been a member of that organization or not. I think with multiple organizations that I have helped run or been a part of, staying in house for something does not always produce the best results.

I am constantly told by veteran members now that the season has passed how unsure they were of me until they saw the way I responded to them, how rehearsals ran, and how I helped the corps run and my first official camp. But I honestly can say it was not without the support of the veteran membership that I would have been successful. The key to true leadership, especially when coming into a new organization where you are the "leader" and from the outside, is to invest your time in those who have been at the organization far longer than you have. I have built long lasting friendships with these people. One of them was my seat partner (yeah I shared a seat too in the back of the bus) in 2008.

I have seen some terrible vets make their way to the podium, and I can assure you the corps was worse for their presence there. I have seen some outside rookies to an organization come in and do some incredible things there (John Lee and Madison this year). Anyone who has some conducting ability but a true heart for servant leadership can be a DM/Conductor of a corps and it doesn't matter whether they are a rookie or a vet. The true passion of a DM is selfless-sacrifice and a willingness to serve. You can hang my Jim Jones runner-up award on that, and the shoulders of the members of the corps that earned it for me. I did nothing without them.

FCO!

-JP

2008 & 2009 DM

Age-Out 2009

[luvs me sum mello!]

Wow, I would say some of you truly have missed the mark. I was a rookie and the Principal DM/Conductor (title changed year to year) of the Blue Stars, back in 2008 and returned in 2009. 2008 was the year the corps went from 14th to 8th place. I was a not only a Rookie to the corps but a rookie to the activity as well. I had just auditioned at Phantom and had got cut in the final round and was asked to come audition at Blue Stars, that was about the extent of my "experience".

As an organization, when the members see ANYONE that can come in on their level, work with them, care and respond to them, works well with the staff and admin team, and really has the experience outside of the corps to be a valuable asset to the organization, it absolutely DOES NOT matter whether or not that DM has or has not been a member of that organization or not. I think with multiple organizations that I have helped run or been a part of, staying in house for something does not always produce the best results.

I am constantly told by veteran members now that the season has passed how unsure they were of me until they saw the way I responded to them, how rehearsals ran, and how I helped the corps run and my first official camp. But I honestly can say it was not without the support of the veteran membership that I would have been successful. The key to true leadership, especially when coming into a new organization where you are the "leader" and from the outside, is to invest your time in those who have been at the organization far longer than you have. I have built long lasting friendships with these people. One of them was my seat partner (yeah I shared a seat too in the back of the bus) in 2008.

I have seen some terrible vets make their way to the podium, and I can assure you the corps was worse for their presence there. I have seen some outside rookies to an organization come in and do some incredible things there (John Lee and Madison this year). Anyone who has some conducting ability but a true heart for servant leadership can be a DM/Conductor of a corps and it doesn't matter whether they are a rookie or a vet. The true passion of a DM is selfless-sacrifice and a willingness to serve. You can hang my Jim Jones runner-up award on that, and the shoulders of the members of the corps that earned it for me. I did nothing without them.

FCO!

-JP

2008 & 2009 DM

Age-Out 2009

Epic. Post changed my outlook.