Is the end of drum corps near?

[kickhaltsforlife]

As I read yet another article of an orchestra canceling a season and declaring bankruptcy, and reading about more public school music programs being cut, I can't help but be worried.

Obviously getting people to fill the seats isn't just a drum corps problem. And funding is an issue across the arts.

How much longer does the activity have?

What can we do as a drum corps community to ensure the existence of the activity?

If the more popular areas of music of going under, where does that put drum corps?

We need to discuss this. Drum corps is a part of the arts. And I feel like the whole community is taking huge blows at the moment. We need to slow and stop this trend before it's too late for us, and too late for society.

Or will everything be alright?

Try to stay away from politics... but I can see that being hard to make some points. But I feel like this is such a major issue that some flexibility could be used by the mods, as long as it doesn't get out of control... but that's not my call.

Try to focus on what we should be doing differently, if there is anything at all.

[Michael Boo]

Not to pooh-pooh your concern, because this is something we should all be paying attention to, but I've been hearing that the end of drum corps was very near since 1975. And if it's not already gone, it's either really here or is a product of our collective imagination.

Will everything be alright? Well, everything certainly won't be easy. The price of gas alone is an issue, as has been the price of insurance over the years. To survive, we must focus on sticking together for the common good of the activity.

How much longer does the activity have? I'd settle for eternity.

[kickhaltsforlife]

Ahh yes.. I do recall, reading about 100 times a year that drum corps will die now. Lol. So I see your point. But do we actually have more reason to worry about things now given the state of arts programs across the country?

Oh... and to anyone who wants to say it's already gone, this thread is not the place for that discussion.

[bringTheLoud]

I've always wondered if drum corps can continue to have a solid core fan base. A group of people willing to pay the extra buck to see the activity prosper, and will be fans for life.

Then I saw the age-outs going bananas at the star alumni performance.

Drum corps fans will be drum corps fans forever, and more and more will be made every year. There's nothing anyone can do about it.

Today's current marchers will be tomorrow's biggest fans. We'll be fine.

[FlamMan]

Not to pooh-pooh your concern, because this is something we should all be paying attention to, but I've been hearing that the end of drum corps was very near since 1975. And if it's not already gone, it's either really here or is a product of our collective imagination.

Will everything be alright? Well, everything certainly won't be easy. The price of gas alone is an issue, as has been the price of insurance over the years. To survive, we must focus on sticking together for the common good of the activity.

How much longer does the activity have? I'd settle for eternity.

Right...and Drum Corp has been dying a very slow & agonizing death since 1975. Heck, there were more Drum & Bugle Corps in Illinois alone in 1975 than are now in the entire country.

The biggest mistake that the Drum Corps activity has made is catering to the college music majors, & completely abandoning local kids.

Also, when uniforms became costumes, Drum Corp was no longer "cool".

I wish I had time to expand on this but it is late & will have to wait.

[actucker]

Right...and Drum Corp has been dying a very slow & agonizing death since 1975. Heck, there were more Drum & Bugle Corps in Illinois alone in 1975 than are now in the entire country.

The biggest mistake that the Drum Corps activity has made is catering to the college music majors, & completely abandoning local kids.

Also, when uniforms became costumes, Drum Corp was no longer "cool".

I wish I had time to expand on this but it is late & will have to wait.

As the OP said, this is not the thread for that discussion. Drum corps is not dead, simply different.

As for the topic, I think you're equating the failure of orchestras with the state of music overall. Music is a huge part of any culture. While funding for the arts comes and goes in cycles much like the economy, that doesn't stop music from being a part of culture. Orchestral music has become less and less popular in America throughout the last century for several reasons. One of the most important reasons, from an anthropological point of view, is that much of orchestral music is not fundamentally American. Yes, there has been orchestral music composed here, and by American composers, but the vast majority of the music these ensembles perform is older than our culture is. As a result, we don't identify with it. With the inception of blues, and jazz and the eventual progression into the many styles of music you hear on the radio today, the American musical identity changed drastically over the course of about 150 years. Part of that identity, although a small niche within said identity, is drum corps. It is, in its modern form, American made. It breeds its own fans through its involvement in music education (one of the smartest moves its ever made), and thus creates a cycle of young fans becoming members who become older fans who gripe about the good old days. Today's high school band members will be tomorrow's grumpy alumni.

As for band programs in general, I can tell you that I work in one of the states which has cut funding to band programs the most, and as a result, most of the band programs around have simply circumvented state funding entirely, running everything through the boosters. The school I teach at gets a completely laughable budget from the school. We wouldn't even be able to do do enough instrument repair to keep the concert band running if not for our boosters, and the kids/parents sacrificing their volunteer time and money via membership fees to keep things running.

The point is, music always finds a way to thrive. It is one of the ultimate forms of human expression, and it is one of the few things that almost every civilization ever to emerge on the planet has in common. Drum corps isn't going anywhere. We probably won't recognize it in 30 years, but it will still be around.

[bmt2116]

As the OP said, this is not the thread for that discussion. Drum corps is not dead, simply different.

As for the topic, I think you're equating the failure of orchestras with the state of music overall. Music is a huge part of any culture. While funding for the arts comes and goes in cycles much like the economy, that doesn't stop music from being a part of culture. Orchestral music has become less and less popular in America throughout the last century for several reasons. One of the most important reasons, from an anthropological point of view, is that much of orchestral music is not fundamentally American. Yes, there has been orchestral music composed here, and by American composers, but the vast majority of the music these ensembles perform is older than our culture is. As a result, we don't identify with it. With the inception of blues, and jazz and the eventual progression into the many styles of music you hear on the radio today, the American musical identity changed drastically over the course of about 150 years. Part of that identity, although a small niche within said identity, is drum corps. It is, in its modern form, American made. It breeds its own fans through its involvement in music education (one of the smartest moves its ever made), and thus creates a cycle of young fans becoming members who become older fans who gripe about the good old days. Today's high school band members will be tomorrow's grumpy alumni.

As for band programs in general, I can tell you that I work in one of the states which has cut funding to band programs the most, and as a result, most of the band programs around have simply circumvented state funding entirely, running everything through the boosters. The school I teach at gets a completely laughable budget from the school. We wouldn't even be able to do do enough instrument repair to keep the concert band running if not for our boosters, and the kids/parents sacrificing their volunteer time and money via membership fees to keep things running.

The point is, music always finds a way to thrive. It is one of the ultimate forms of human expression, and it is one of the few things that almost every civilization ever to emerge on the planet has in common. Drum corps isn't going anywhere. We probably won't recognize it in 30 years, but it will still be around.

All very excellent points. Especially that we may not recognize the activity in 30 years. One thing that WILL keep drum corps alive (and ANY art form alive) is the willingness to change. If an art form hopes to survive, it must stay relevant. If we want to see drum corps in 30 years, we should be willing to accept that it may look like a very different activity then (indeed, this seems to be a discussion we're already having). Shows may be very different. And that's okay!

I do raise one concern. The arts and music, in the long run, may not be going anywhere, but we should also face that drum corps is a niche activity, so though the arts in general may be sustained through difficult times, smaller niche art forms are at a greater risk of disappearing.

However.

Drum Corps is much less government dependent than many other art forms. BECAUSE it's a niche activity, the fanbase is strong and always aware of the dangers of cuts. In a sense Drum Corps may be able to survive because it funds itself. Remember, these kids are paying to march, which means they want to be there. They're not professional musicans. Drum Corps may be expensive, but its nowhere near as expensive as, say having to pay a yearly salary for every member of a world class orchestra (indeed, the Philadelphia Symphony just filed for bankruptcy). I think that, so long as drum corps fans don't get TOO comfortable with their situation and are always aware of the dangers of falling into obscurity, we'll be fine. It is this exact kind of conversation that sustains the activity.

So thanks for posting!

Edited April 21, 2011 by bmt2116

[kickhaltsforlife]

Yes, the past two posts I'm right on board with. I just feel it is important to step back, look at things, discuss things. There are new ideas everyday in here to try and improve our activity. That is the problem with the symphony orchestras, they don't change. They aren't as willing to play new music. The only place for the orchestra will be in the film making business and college level soon. And that's it. That is what keeps our activity alive. The schools, K through forever. Composers have realized that wind bands will play anything. And the bands are supported by schools. And as long as the schools still have bands, drum corps is safe. I'll expand on this later to actually make my point. I can't put it together right now... sleep is needed.

[Cardman]

Arts, Schmarts...For one, drumcorps is just music and movement, it's not important in the grand scheme of things. If drumcorps were to die tomorrow, I can't say I'd be sorry. Of course, this is coming from one pretty disgruntled fan. The electronics have just about killed this activity for me. I just don't care very much about it anymore. But drumcorps? Art? No. Never was, never will be. That's about as honest as I can be. I wish it weren't like this. I wish that drumcorps was as exciting as it was in the 80's/90's. But it's not anymore, to me. Oh well.

[danielray]

That is the problem with the symphony orchestras, they don't change. They aren't as willing to play new music. The only place for the orchestra will be in the film making business and college level soon. And that's it. That is what keeps our activity alive. The schools, K through forever. Composers have realized that wind bands will play anything. And the bands are supported by schools. And as long as the schools still have bands, drum corps is safe. I'll expand on this later to actually make my point. I can't put it together right now... sleep is needed.

I played for a couple of seasons with an orchestra in America. My girlfriend plays in an orchestra in Europe. Comparing our experiences... they are radically different.

Two major differences...

In America, people love to go see music performed that they already know. It is, for most people, an occasional thing and an activity they tend to become interested in when they are older.

In Europe, people love to go to see music they have never heard. They want to hear new music because it is, for most people, something they do 15-20 times per year and an activity they tend to become interested in as soon as they were old enough to sit still for more than 10 minutes.

What are the key factors that have developed such differences?

1. Ticket prices are lower in Europe because of stronger government and corporate support

2. Ticket prices include FAMILY options, causing much larger regular audiences and the development of lifetime audience loyalty

What can DCI learn from this?

A major effort should be placed on securing corporate sponsorship to help cover costs to be able to lower ticket prices and to create family ticket plans. This could dramatically boost attendance for new attendees that have a casual interest in the activity and with family options... lifelong fans are more easily developed.

This WILL NOT HAPPEN without corporate sponsorship. Drum corps CANNOT GROW without corporate sponsorship.

If DCI's efforts to date have not been effective in this, it does not mean it cannot be done... it means the people who DCI has engaged were not successful in this. Again, find out who did this for the Honda Battle of the Bands. Hire them. Done.

DCI needs to stop hiring people that know anything at all about drum corps. This is not who they are trying to market to. Hire people that know nothing at all about it. They will have a better idea of how to promote this to others that no nothing about it.

One on the topic... DCI's salaries are way too low. Raise the salaries of people in revenue responsible positions... provide COMPETITIVE financial incentives for them based on performance, and you will see numbers dramatically improve.

DCI needs to stop thinking like a charity. They are not handing out soup and blankets. They are not providing an educational service (individual corps do that). They are a BUSINESS.

DCI is an event promoter. Period.

DCI regulatory activities need to be completely separated from business activities or the activity will simply tread water.