Why is DCI so unknown by almost everyone?

[DCISuperfan]

Looking at the response here I am seeing a general consensus that there are just not enough people that care about the activity even if they knew about it. I agree here. The VAST majority of people just want nothing to do with classical music (and by classical music I mean DCI, Orchestras, Symphonies, instrumental music that does not involve guitar, bass guitar, or drums if you know what I mean). This saddens me more than I think even no one knowing about DCI. It is pathetic when huge artists right now like lady gaga and katy perry can just auto tune vocals and spit them onto a record and sell millions and yet young men and women who put their entire lives on hold for 3 months to make something phenomenal get no credit. Shame America, Shame.

[WOOHOO]

Looking at the response here I am seeing a general consensus that there are just not enough people that care about the activity even if they knew about it. I agree here. The VAST majority of people just want nothing to do with classical music (and by classical music I mean DCI, Orchestras, Symphonies, instrumental music that does not involve guitar, bass guitar, or drums if you know what I mean). This saddens me more than I think even no one knowing about DCI. It is pathetic when huge artists right now like lady gaga and katy perry can just auto tune vocals and spit them onto a record and sell millions and yet young men and women who put their entire lives on hold for 3 months to make something phenomenal get no credit. Shame America, Shame.

I honestly think that the pop music of today is no more shallow and vapid than it has ever been. I also think it is vastly overestimated how much americans have ever cared about "classical music", but that's okay. We just keep doing what we can.

[bill]

When there is appromimately only a total of 100 (or under) drum corps nationwide within the DCA, DCI, and Alumni areas when there were once well over a 1000 or more, it cuts the exposure to the activity as a whole on a "grass roots" local and general public level. It has become a even smaller niche' activity, moreso than it ever was.

The drum corps activity started as community based; everyone in the family (from Mom and Dad to the standard weird old uncle or aunt we all have in our families) knew little Johnny or little Sally were in a drum corps..and they (physically) came out (for the most part) to watch, support, travel to shows, spread the word, etc., that's (IMO) not there any longer.

Shows used to be tied into community events, fairs, festivals, etc. Many shows had afternoon parades in the same way a circus would come to town and parade down Main Street to draw attention and drive interest for attendance to the evening performance.

Some major shows that were stand alone in nature were held within driving distances of a core geographic area of where many corps hailed from themselves..thus family and friends were interested and traveled to support their favorite corps. As example, there used to be a great deal of shows in the Chicagoland area, which at one time was the home of many, many corps.

I think it's a great activity; the market awareness (again, IMHO) has just gotten smaller to the general public due to less corps being out there giving exposure and almost all corps are less community, "grass roots" driven, and local membership has pretty much gone the way of the Do Do bird.

Media on (or at) any level has never ever been the driving force of the activity at any time in it's history......it's always been "word of mouth". Less mouths........less "word".

[Hrothgar15]

That's exactly why it's an unfair comparison. Symphony orchestras are comprised of professional musicians and perform at a much higher level with much more difficult music than drum corps and marching bands, so people go to listen to the best music performed at the highest level (obviously, some symphony orchestras are better than others, so yeah), not to "support their baby boy".

The idea is to make drum corps more entertaining, more of something that people would pay money to see, than the symphony orchestra or opera, in spite of the difference in professionalism.

[WOOHOO]

The idea is to make drum corps more entertaining, more of something that people would pay money to see, than the symphony orchestra or opera, in spite of the difference in professionalism.

What is unentertaining about it now?

[Mr. D. from da 313]

It is pathetic when huge artists right now like lady gaga and katy perry can just auto tune vocals and spit them onto a record and sell millions and yet young men and women who put their entire lives on hold for 3 months to make something phenomenal get no credit. Shame America, Shame.

As is true with all art, its not for everyone. It dont really think it should be Shame America, more Shame for being human!!!

[Hrothgar15]

What is unentertaining about it now?

Immature musical arrangements, weak source material and emotionally underdeveloped shows, to name a few. Plus irritating uses of electronic equipment. I don't think it's not entertaining, just not as entertaining as it could be or once was.

[Legalhack]

When there is appromimately only a total of 100 (or under) drum corps nationwide within the DCA, DCI, and Alumni areas when there were once well over a 1000 or more, it cuts the exposure to the activity as a whole on a "grass roots" local and general public level. It has become a even smaller niche' activity, moreso than it ever was.

The drum corps activity started as community based; everyone in the family (from Mom and Dad to the standard weird old uncle or aunt we all have in our families) knew little Johnny or little Sally were in a drum corps..and they (physically) came out (for the most part) to watch, support, travel to shows, spread the word, etc., that's (IMO) not there any longer.

Shows used to be tied into community events, fairs, festivals, etc. Many shows had afternoon parades in the same way a circus would come to town and parade down Main Street to draw attention and drive interest for attendance to the evening performance.

Some major shows that were stand alone in nature were held within driving distances of a core geographic area of where many corps hailed from themselves..thus family and friends were interested and traveled to support their favorite corps. As example, there used to be a great deal of shows in the Chicagoland area, which at one time was the home of many, many corps.

I think it's a great activity; the market awareness (again, IMHO) has just gotten smaller to the general public due to less corps being out there giving exposure and almost all corps are less community, "grass roots" driven, and local membership has pretty much gone the way of the Do Do bird.

Media on (or at) any level has never ever been the driving force of the activity at any time in it's history......it's always been "word of mouth". Less mouths........less "word".

Fewer shows is a daunting problem. I live in a fairly large town (well over 100,000 in population). However, there was not one show within a 2-hour drive of my town this summer and there was only one show in the entire state. Kind of makes it difficult to grow the pie here.

[Mr. D. from da 313]

What is unentertaining about it now?

To the general public......Sameness.

[WOOHOO]

Immature musical arrangements, weak source material and emotionally underdeveloped shows, to name a few. Plus irritating uses of electronic equipment. I don't think it's not entertaining, just not as entertaining as it could be or once was.

I honestly think those are problems with 80's/90's drum corps more so than now, besides electronics